Show you care by backing the Great Daffodil Appeal
People are being encouraged to don their trainers and spring into the great outdoors to help raise money for a care charity that is facing a £3 million deficit.
Marie Curie, which provides care and support for people with terminal illnesses and their families across the UK, is calling on the public to complete a 10,000 step challenge.
The charity’s flagship fundraiser Great Daffodil Appeal – that reaches its 35th anniversary this month – has, for the first time, had to cancel all of their public collections for the campaign.
Despite the cancelled collections, the charity is urging people to dig deep and donate online.
All donations from the will ensure that Marie Curie Nurses, doctors and hospice staff can continue working on the frontline throughout the pandemic caring for people at end of life.
During the Great Daffodil Appeal the first annual National Day of Reflection will take place. Since the first lockdown began in 2020, millions of people have been bereaved. Join Marie Curie on March 23, the first anniversary of UK lockdown, for a day to reflect and commemorate this tragic loss of life.
Last year, the charity saw a 16.5 per cent rise in the number of people they cared for at end of life, compared to 2019. Its support line saw a 20 per cent increase in calls.
Hannah Taylor, the charity’s head of fundraising for the north of England said: “The Great Daffodil Appeal is vitally important to us. Having been held every March for over three decades, this is the first time we’ve had to cancel all of our public collections.
“This is a huge blow as each volunteer would raise £80 from a collection shift: enough to pay for the equivalent of four hours of nursing care.
“The campaign would normally bring together millions of people across the country to volunteer, fundraise, donate and wear a daffodil and we’re still encouraging people to do this in any way they can in a safe manner.
“Around 300 people a day already miss out on the end of life support they need and we expect this figure to rise as a result of the pandemic, combined with usual winter pressures associated with seasonal flu and the backlog of people who have missed diagnoses. [
“In these unprecedented times we need people’s support now more than ever. Volunteers play a huge role in helping us raise money, continue our vital work and ensure Marie Curie Nurses can be there to provide end of life care when people need it.”
Alison Steadman, actor and Marie Curie ambassador, said: “I have seen first-hand the incredible difference Marie Curie makes and just how important their work is in caring for people with a terminal illness and their families. The loving care they gave my mum when she was dying is something that I’ll never forget and will always remember. I don’t know how we would have managed as a family without the Marie Curie Nurses and doctors and dread to think about what it would mean if they weren’t there for all the families that need them.
“The work Marie Curie do is needed now more than ever as the Covid pandemic has had a big impact on their ability to fundraise. That is why I’m encouraging people across the whole of the UK to show their support in any way they can in March for this year’s Great Daffodil Appeal.
“Every donation means that when the time comes, Marie Curie can be there for people and their loved ones when they need it most.”
To donate, or find out how to set up a virtual collection, go to www.mariecurie.org. uk/daffodil website. You can also buy the iconic daffodil pins from the site.
Grief affects us all at one time or another in our lives – whether it be due to the death of a loved one or some other form ofloss.
“It is a normal emotion we feel as a response to loss,” says Claire Collins, a bereavement coordinator with Marie Curie (www. mariecurie.org.uk).
“Throughout our lives we experience many different types of loss, such as relationship breakdowns, redundancy, financial, health and the death of a loved one.
“These losses can often lead to a further series of losses.”
WHAT ARE THE COMMON SYMPTOMS OF GRIEF?
“Many symptoms of grief can be experienced after the loss of a loved one,” says Claire. “The emotional responses include shock, numbness, denial, isolation, loneliness, sadness, anger, despair, emptiness, helplessness, fear and anxiety.
“We cannot ‘see’ these emotions, but there may be more obvious physical symptoms such as disrupted sleep (sleeping more or inability to sleep), loss of appetite, tearfulness, lethargy, panic attacks, increased susceptibility to colds and illness. These responses to loss are normal and do not last forever.
“Our social context can also be affected as social circles may change, finances and housing may be impacted by the loss. Spiritually, we may experience a crisis in faith or a struggle to find meaning, both a meaning in life and a meaning in death.”
DOES EVERYONE EXPERIENCE GRIEF IN THE SAME WAY?
“No is the answer,” says Claire. “Grief is completely unique to each individual. Everyone grieves differently, even within one family or a couple, a fact which can have an impact on relationships.
“There is no right way or wrong way to grieve, no set pattern and no set timeframe. Its symptoms change as we learn to live without the person who has died. Sometimes grief can be complicated due to historical losses, difficult relationships with the deceased or the circumstances of the death, for example sudden death, death after a long illness, suicide or murder.
“Migration and leaving behind our country of origin can also involve the losses of family and friends, history and cultural heritage and this can also impact on our grieving process.”
WHAT ARE THE COMMON STAGES OF GRIEF?
“Much has been written about the stages or tasks of grief by researchers such as Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Colin Murray Parkes and J William Worden,” says Claire.
“They speak about how the loss of a loved one is often followed by feelings of shock, denial and numbness which can move into an acceptance of the loss as we get back into life’s daily activities such as work, social circles and meeting new people. Life gradually becomes fuller and we are able to think fondly about our loved ones without becoming overwhelmed by grief.”
WHAT ARE THE COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT GRIEF?
“People sometimes feel that the bereaved should be ‘over it’ or ‘moving on’ after a few weeks or months, but there is no set time for grieving,” says Claire.
“There is no magic wand that can take the pain away, it takes time and we can feel as if we are literally ‘going mad’ with grief. This is ‘normal’. People experience grief in their own unique way, adults and children, men and women, and it also is important that we acknowledge everyone’s grief, including people with learning disabilities or sufferers of dementia.”
Further information is available from the Palliative Care of People with Learning Disabilities Network at www.pcpld.org
HAVE YOU TIPS FOR SOMEONE EXPERIENCING GRIEF?
“When you’re experiencing a bereavement it is important you look after yourself and eat regularly,” says Claire.
“Try to get out and take some physical exercise if you can.
“Also, try to make some space and time for yourself and to remember your loved one. Plus, remember grieving is ‘normal’ — give yourself time as your grief will change.
“If you are struggling to cope with your feelings, seek further help. Talk to your GP or friends and family who could find assistance for you if needed.”
WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GRIEF AND DEPRESSION?
“The symptoms of grief mentioned above may be similar to those of depression,” says Claire.
“However, depression usually results in a more ‘constant’ state whereas grieving is triggered by memories or reminders of a loved one. There are good days and bad days when we are grieving and eventually these bad days can become bad moments.”