Covid 19 coronavirus: Auckland's Daffodil Day street appeal cancelled, Cancer Society needs help

Cancer Society Auckland chief executive Andrew Young wants Aucklanders to still donate on Daffodil Day. Friday's street collection is cancelled in Auckland because of Covid-19. Photo / Supplied

Auckland's Daffodil Day street appeal is cancelled because of Covid-19 alert level 3 restrictions, placing the Cancer Society under strain.

The annual street collection, which was due to take place tomorrow, raises around $350,000 in the country's largest city.

All Daffodil Day activities including school and business fundraisers, totals almost $1 million each year, leaving its organiser - Cancer Society Auckland Northland - facing a major funding shortfall this year.

Cancer Society Auckland chief executive Andrew Young said Daffodil Day in Auckland involved more than 2000 volunteers, 350 collection points from Bombay to Warkworth, and 150,000 fabric daffodils.

He said the loss of funding comes at a time when the Cancer Society is faced with increased demand after a spike in recent cancer diagnoses following the shutdown of most health services during the alert level 4 restrictions earlier this year.

"While fundraising is down, demand for our services is increasing. This is due to an influx of people getting diagnosed after the March/April lockdown."

In April, there were 1031 fewer cancer registrations than the same time in 2019.

"Our free accommodation service, Domain Lodge, is currently at capacity. We have 52 rooms and two flats, which have been fully booked for most of level 3."

ANZ has committed to matching donations made through its Digital Daffodil dollar-for-dollar scheme, up to a maximum of $500,000. Photo / Supplied

These patients were in a "lockdown bubble" at Domain Lodge while they received cancer treatment at Auckland Hospital.

"The income drop may impact our ability to get people to and from essential treatment, provide our 0800 cancer information line, ensure our accommodation is available to patients who need to travel to Auckland for treatment, or provide nurses and psychologists to assist cancer patients and their families through tough times."

It could also affect funding for ground-breaking cancer research at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre.

Young said the Cancer Society still needs Aucklanders to donate online at daffodilday.org.nz

The Cancer Society street collections elsewhere in the country are still taking place as scheduled on Friday but with restrictions, including masks and contactless payments.

• Visit anz.co.nz/promo/daffodil-day to download a digital daffodil.