Daffodil Days Raises Money For American Cancer Society
Daffodil Days Raises Money For American Cancer Society
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Daffodil Days Raises Money For American Cancer SocietyCancer affects about 1 in 3 people in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society website.
During their meeting Tuesday, the Kosciusko County Commissioners heard about American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days from three women involved in the fight to end cancer: Janet Wartman, senior director and community manager at American Cancer Society; Carol Huffer, co-chair for Daffodil Days in Kosciusko County; and Jan Callaghan, Huffer’s “right hand” for Daffodil Days.
Daffodil Days, usually held in March, raise funds and awareness for cancer using this cheerful symbol. Huffer said Daffodil Days was started nationally in 1991 and in Kosciusko County in 1994.
“So it didn’t take long for it to catch on,” Huffer said, adding that she took over for Daffodil Days in 1997. “It has been very successful here in the county. We’ve been very, very pleased with the reception of it and it’s primarily because Daffodil Days is a loved, loved, loved campaign. It’s the first flower of spring. It’s considered the flower of hope by those people who have been hit by cancer, those who have survived cancer. It’s a gorgeous, yellow, bright flower and we love it.”
Daffodil Days is on March 23, according to a flyer provided by the three women. For a $10 donation, a person will receive one bunch of fresh-cut daffodils. For a $25 donation, a person can give a Gift of Hope - a bloomed bunch of daffodils in a vase, delivered to a cancer patient currently in treatment. Additional donations are welcome.
Place pre-paid orders by Feb. 21 with Huffer, site coordinator, by email at bchuffer@comcast.net or call 574-858-0051; or with Wartman at janet.wartman@cancer.org or 219-614-3282.
“It’s wonderful to take a bunch of daffodils into the Cancer Society and give it to them, or those who are at home and going through all of that treatment and the yuck that goes with it, and give them something that brightens their day. It’s great,” Huffer said.
She said orders will be taken until Feb. 21 and then the flowers will come into Anderson Greenhouse on March 23.
“Anderson Greenhouse has been kind enough to let us use their coolers and the space to distribute the daffodils on the 23rd of March since the beginning of this,” Huffer stated.
Wartman, a five-time cancer survivor, said American Cancer Society’s main job and fundraising is to do research and “end cancer as we know it for everyone, that’s our vision. Our mission is to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families through advocacy, research and patient support to ensure everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat and survive.”
She said when they went through Covid it was very bad because patients couldn’t get their treatments or anything.
“Here in Indiana, 3.8 million cancer deaths averted; 65% reduction in cervical cancer; 3% increase of prostate cancer; and 33% overall cancer morality,” Wartman stated. “Our job is to end cancer.”
Because of the research by American Cancer Society, she said she is here today.
Callaghan said she lost a son to cancer. And Tuesday, after she got home, she and her husband were going to Fort Wayne because he has lip cancer. She’s had four cancer surgeries herself for melanoma so she’s “working very hard with Carol to get rid of this.”
