Volunteers gear up for Daffodil Day

A FAMILY AFFAIR: Alana (left), Ken and Sandra Barns make up three generations of Cancer Society volunteers.PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Cancer Society volunteers will be on farms and in gardens harvesting daffodils this weekend and among them will be three generations of one family.

Ken Barns, his daughter, Sandra, and his granddaughter, Alana, will pick the yellow flowers in anticipation of the 25th Daffodil Day, which is next Friday, August 28.

The flowers are to raise money for people affected by cancer, scientific research, raising awareness about cancer, and advocacy.

Thousands of daffodils will be bunched into bouquets and delivered to businesses, who have pre-bought them, and sold to the public through street stalls.

Alana, 14, from St Mathews, who has been a regular volunteer at the Cancer Society centre on Dixon Street, said her family "were well acquainted" with the organisation. Alana's grandmother died of cancer in 2012 and Mr Barns himself is no stranger to the "C word".

He had melanoma in 1994 and 1995 and then prostate cancer in 2004.

The Barns family said they donated regularly to the Cancer Society and had received a lotof support from the non-governmental organisation.

"It's always been really positive, the ladies here are enthusiastic and it makes participating with the organisation really a pleasure," Mrs Barns said. "It helps so many people in so many different ways."

She said her mother-in-law also had cancer, leukaemia, and had died from it on the same day her father had surgery for his prostate cancer.

Mr Barns said he had not noticed any symptoms before being diagnosed.

"From a male's point of view, it's important to be aware and take action and not wait until its too late," he said.

"Watch for the signs and if in doubt, ask. I had no signs."

Dixon St centre manager Jeanine Gribbin said the most important thing was for people to observe any changes in their body and, if they did, to seek medical advice.

She said all the money raised through the daffodils would go towards "providing comfort, care and hope to local people affected by cancer".

Alastair and Jackie Sutherland, of the Whangaimoana garden retreat, would be donating between 13,000 to 20,000 daffodils to the Cancer Society, which was an annual thing, Ms Gribbin said.

On Daffodil Day, stalls will be set up around Wairarapa with daffodil bunches and other merchandise for sale and ANZ, the fundraisers' main sponsor, will hold a free sausage sizzle at their Masterton branch on Lincoln Rd.