Cancer survivor glad to do her bit for street appeal
AS volunteers took to the streets with bucketfuls of yellow blooms for the first time in two years, cancer survivor Pat Barton was back in the kitchen at the Cancer Society’s Dunedin premises.
She had spent four or five hours cooking and baking for those helping to make yesterday’s Daffodil Day street appeal a success.
Mrs Barton was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer in 2014, and treated with chemotherapy and radiation.
Throughout the day, drivers and runners were travelling back and forth between the Great King St building and the volunteer stations, transferring flowers, funds — and food.
‘‘This is just to thank them for what they’ve done for me,’’ Mrs Barton said.
She enjoyed baking, and was also a keen volunteer for the society.
Wednesdays used to be dedicated to baking scones at the nearby Daffodil House, where people undergoing treatment could stay, but pandemic restrictions now prevented her from going in person.
‘‘It’s not fair that they go without, so I make them at home.’’
The street appeal was not held last year due to Covid19 restrictions, but a clear blue sky oversaw its return yesterday.
Daffodil Day coordinator Emma Anderson said the weather might have been a factor in the apparent success of the day.
‘‘We’ve had a really good response so far — people have been saying that they love that we’re back.
Online collections had run last year, but it was ‘‘so nice’’ to be able to run street collections.
People enjoyed the daffodils, but as a springtime flower they also had symbolic meaning for those impacted by cancer.
‘‘It’s a new start. When there are dark times, hope is coming through.’’
There were more than 40 Daffodil Day stations in Dunedin yesterday, she said, each manned by two volunteers.
Stalls would also be in operation at some stores and supermarkets throughout the city this morning.