Cancer Society fundraising on Daffodil Day
This Friday, 29 August, is Daffodil Day - the Cancer Society’s most iconic fundraising day of the year. For Queenstown and the surrounds, our local Cancer Society branch have been working on events to get the community involved and spread information about cancer.
One in three Kiwis will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Each day 77 Kiwis hear the words, “you have cancer.” Daffodil Day is a chance to show your friends and family affected by cancer they’re not alone. It’s the generosity of New Zealanders on Daffodil Day that help cancer patients and their whānau get the care and practical support they need; from crucial help getting to treatment via our free driving service, through to specialist nursing and psychology support, and accommodation for those needing life-saving treatment far from home.
“In Arrowtown, the museum will be lit up yellow, and on the day they’re going to have the Queenstown Kombi on the green. We’re encouraging everyone to get along and get their photo taken with kombi and to dress up in yellow, and just raise awareness of the one in three people who are impacted by cancer,” Tara Strahan at Cancer Society says.
All of the funds raised locally stay within our community, too, supporting families impacted by cancer. The way the funds may be distributed include for emotional support, transport, and in any way possible to help out.
“An example might be providing counselling, providing help with transport, linking them into our peer support groups. If someone’s had, say, breast cancer, it might be providing bra prosthetics for them. So it is really different, depending on what the needs of the family are - that’s our support service. We also support local people that go through to Daffodil house in Dunedin, and to the Cancer Center in Christchurch as well, because more people are going there for different treatments as well.”
Lochie Win from Cromwell is the youth ambassador for the Cancer Council and has completed fundraising challenges every year since 2020. His mum Rebecca was diagnosed with adrenal cancer when he was just four years old, and at just 11, he has already raised $60,000 for the Cancer Council. This year he’s participating in the Conquer the Summit Challenge to descend the equivalent vertical height of Aoraki in just one day. He’ll be doing this up at Coronet Peak and you can donate conquerthesummit.org.nz
There are many ways you can support - by purchasing a daffodil and wearing it, to donating to Lochie, heading into Arrowtown, having a conversation and wearing yellow. Find out more information on the Cancer Society’s resources and Daffodil Day at daffodilday.org.nz
