Fighting Cancer with Flowers

Unfortunately cancer has touched just about everybody I know. My grandfather died from stomach cancer. My mom's a breast cancer survivor as are a few of my friends. My neighbor had a stem cell transplant a few years back and seems to be winning the war, while I have some friends and folks I know from church who are in treatment, some in experimental drug trials.

Sadly, I also know several good people who lost the fight, and their deaths still sting some days. So when I heard about the American Cancer Society's Daffodil Days, I wanted to learn how I could help support that initiative.

Whitaker Funeral Home, which operates locations in Chapin and Newberry, is supporting the Daffodil Days campaign for the second year in a row. According to Erin Whitaker, a third-generation funeral director who is heading up the campaign, it's just one of several community outreach programs her family business supports.

"We are excited to be part of the fight against cancer by participating in Daffodil Days," she recently told me. "Every dollar is so important to the American Cancer Society in supporting patient programs and research for cures and treatments. For as little as $10, you can brighten someone's day with the gift of daffodils."

Whitaker has created a link off their website's homepage where people can sign up to make a donation by ordering a variety of daffodil related gifts, such as a pot of daffodils or a cute fuzzy bear bearing flowers. Donors can collect the gifts purchased online or designate to have the gifts given to individuals being treated for cancer.

"We are one of the few organizations in South Carolina to participate in Daffodil Days, but it is one the Cancer Society's oldest fundraisers," Erin explained. "We like the gift of hope it provides and want to help fight a disease that takes too much from people in our community."

Whitaker says individuals can contribute to the Daffodil Days campaign through Friday, March 2, 2012. The daffodils and other gifts will arrive the week of March 19, and Whitaker will contact donors about pick up times. 

I was happy to contribute to this worthy effort, and I hope others in the Chapin and Newberry communities will support Whitaker Funeral Home as they champion the gift of hope for a cure for this terrible disease!