WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAISY DAY MAKES

Every little helps and Cancer Fund for Children is calling on Northern Ireland to help out in a big way by digging deep this October for its Tesco Daisy Day collections.

Thursday 1 October 2015

Every little helps and Cancer Fund for Children is calling on Northern Ireland to help out in a big way by digging deep this October for its Tesco Daisy Day collections.

Daisy Day collections will take place at 37 Tesco stores across the country on October 31. The leading Northern Ireland children’s cancer charity is appealing to the public to make that routine shopping trip really count by donating whatever they can to the bucket collections and support local families affected by cancer.

Cancer Fund for Children is also hoping to recruit volunteers to collect at each of the locations on Daisy Day.

Every week in NI, another three children, teenagers or young adults (0-24) are diagnosed with cancer. Cancer Fund for Children understands the devastating impact a cancer diagnosis and treatment has on the whole family.

Cancer Fund for Children relies on donations in order to continue carrying out its vital work which includes practical, emotional and financial support in the home, community and hospital ward as well as free short therapeutic breaks.

Lisa Taylor from Ahoghill is just one mum that Cancer Fund for Children supported after her little girl Molly (9) was diagnosed with a medulloblastoma brain tumour on March 31st 2014 at the age of 8.

Lisa describes Molly’s diagnosis as being like: “Pushed into a nightmare, you don’t expect it to happen to your child – it was totally unexpected. When she was first diagnosed she just looked like a normal girl, she didn’t look unwell. Emotionally we were all devastated.”

Lisa said when Cancer Fund for Children Specialist Gemma O’Toole came in to provide Ward Support in the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children she brightened the room and made a big difference to Molly who was going through such a tough time. The family have also enjoyed stays at Daisy Lodge and benefitted from financial support in the form of a Travel for Treatment grant.

“This is why I would urge people to donate to these bucket collections or to give up some of their time to help collect,” Lisa said.

The charity’s CEO Gillian Creevy, urged people to donate some of their time and/or money on Daisy Day.

Gillian said: “Beyond essential clinical care, we know there is a family life that needs to be rebuilt. We rely on a range of fundraising activities to support our vital services including donations from the public to ensure families don’t have to face cancer alone. We are hoping to raise £21k on Daisy Day. Funds will enable our team of experienced specialists to help families cope with the impact cancer has on their lives supporting them during and after treatment and sadly in some cases, bereavement. We also want to encourage more people to volunteer to collect. Volunteering is a great way to learn new skills, meet new people and make an important difference.”

In addition to Daisy Day keep an eye out for the charity’s other upcoming exciting events and campaigns such as ReadOn, Funsie in a Onesie and All Wrapped Up. Visit cancerfundforchildren.com for more information.

For more information on Daisy Day or to volunteer to collect at one of the 37 Tesco stores, call Briege Price on 028 9080 5599.

Thursday 1 October 2015