Businessman Bobby Kerr Urges Companies In Tipperary To Support Daffodil Day
Leading Irish businessman Bobby Kerr, who is now one year cancer free, is urging corporates to play a part in supporting the thousands of Irish people affected by cancer in communities across Ireland.
Daffodil Day takes place on March 24th this year and businesses in Tipperary can help raise funds by hosting a workplace event and raising much needed funds for people affected by cancer. Last year 4 companies in Tipperary made a difference to cancer patients by participating in Daffodil Day.
There are plenty of ways to support Daffodil Day, from company fundraisers such as cake sales and coffee mornings, to team members donating their time to sell daffodils. The Society appeals to companies to help it reach its fundraising target, so that it can continue to make a difference to the lives of people affected by cancer.
Every 3 minutes someone in Ireland gets a cancer diagnosis, and every hour someone dies from cancer*. However, survival rates for cancer are rising thanks to ongoing investment into cancer research, which is improving how cancer is detected and treated. Six out of ten people are now surviving cancer compared to 4 out of ten 20 years ago.
In 2016 the Society invested €3.2m in cancer research initiatives and projects throughout Ireland. Since 2010, the Society has committed over €20 million to cancer research making it the leading voluntary funder of cancer research in Ireland. This investment has supported more than 150 cancer researchers to work on a diverse range of individual or collaborative projects.
Mr Kerr, Chair of Insomnia coffee chain and Newstalk broadcaster, was diagnosed with head, neck and mouth cancer in 2015. In early 2016 he received the all clear from his doctors after undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment.
Urging corporates across Ireland to get involved in the 30th Daffodil Day, on March 24th, Mr Kerr said, “When I heard I had cancer, my world fell apart. I didn’t know what the future had in store. But luckily for me years of cancer research had developed smart ways of treating the disease and this ultimately saved my life. On March 24th, Daffodil Day, companies in Tipperary can all play a role in helping to stop cancer by funding continued investment into cancer research and also supports to help the thousands of people who will receive that cancer diagnosis this year.”
The Irish Cancer Society needs to raise over €3million on Daffodil Day to continue to fund services for people affected by cancer and to invest in innovative research projects.
Businesses across Ireland play an important role in supporting the work of the Irish Cancer Society annually, and last year almost 300 companies raised €371,000 in tandem with their Daffodil Day activities.
Mark Mellett, Head of Fundraising, Irish Cancer Society said; “Last year we saw a strong show of support from companies around Ireland who got involved in Daffodil Day, our biggest annual fundraiser. Unfortunately cancer is a disease that has touched us all, and if you look around at your co-workers and your customers the sad reality is that each of them will have a personal experience of cancer in their lives. The 30thDaffodil Day is all about fighting back against cancer and providing hope to those on that cancer journey. Nowadays Corporate Social Responsibility is very much part and parcel of workplace operations, and a fantastic way to mobilise staff and make a real difference. Cancer is affecting every community in Ireland, so this Daffodil Day, March 24th, I’m appealing to businesses in Tipperary to get involved to positively impact the lives of their local community.”
Over 100 companies have already signed up to participate in the Irish Cancer Society’s 30th Daffodil Day including a number of well-known household brands.
To get involved register online: www.cancer.ie/
