Daffodil Day volunteers out on Dublin streets today

It's Daffodil Day! Like himself says - buy a daffodil today. You can also plant a daff online!

From their website's Did You Know:

• One in three people in Ireland will be affected by cancer at some point in their life
  
  
• Just one box of daffodils covers the cost of one night of nursing
  
  
• The Irish Cancer Society provided over 5,700 nights of care to 1,600 families in 2008. This is a 10% increase on the number of nights and people cared for in 2007.
  
  
• Over 25,000 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year, and there will be approximately 8,400 cancer deaths
  
  
• By 2020, the number of people in Ireland being diagnosed with cancer is expected to rise by almost two-thirds.

I went wandering again from O' Connell Street to work today to talk to some of the volunteers and buy some flowers. It was quite inspiring to see faces I remembered from last year as well as meet some new people.



James Gilleran and Anna Dunne are back at the end of O' Connell Street. I stood watching for a while as people came over to get photos with him in the suit or greeted them saying "Great to see you back!" I walked over specifically to have a word. Lovely people, great ambassadors.



Ann Murphy and Anna Dunne on Westmoreland Street have been selling daffodils for 18 years now. 18 years - 13 now in the same spot! Incredible commitment.



Claire was outside the Bank of Ireland on College Green. It's her first year doing it.



Here's Valerie Robinson, Ann Roberts and Jackie Byrne - Jackie who's been doing this for nine years now tells me that all her friends are roped in - Valerie and Ann being so for five years now.



Lillian, Barbara and Daphne were outside of Trinity. Lillian is in her second year of volunteering while Barbara has been helping out on Daffodil Day for 12 years and Daphne for 10.



Here's Gillian who is volunteering for the first time with Alison and Donna from the Irish Cancer Society. Alison told me it's been a hugely busy day this year with 480 volunteers out selling, with 244 of those being new volunteers - not counting the Transition Year students.



Speaking of Transition year students, here's Eugene Kyne and Zack Lennon from Coláiste Mhuir out on Dame Street doing their bit.



Finally I met Anna and Patricia on George's Street. This is Anna's second year and Patricia's first. They seemed in fine form this morning.

In terms of what the support you give to the Society by helping them today:

The funds raised during the event are used in these vital areas:

• Patient care: Thanks to your support, around 1,600 families in Ireland will receive free care from a night nurse this year and 19 oncology liaison nurses in hospitals around the country will be on hand to give practical and emotional assistance to people with cancer.
  
  
• Information: We produce some of the latest advice and support on cancer, and free information that can really help someone who's in the dark and feeling frightened.

WELL DONE to every volunteer who went to raise money and awareness for the Irish Cancer Society this year, and to everyone who bought a daffodil or any of their products!

The Irish Cancer Society's Cancer Information Service is available Monday to Thursday 9am to 7pm (5pm on a Friday) on Freefone 1800 200 700, while their email service is helpline@irishcancer.ie.