Achi news desk-
As a two-time cancer survivor, Jennifer Mitchell knows how important hope can be to the recovery process. It is a feeling that she connects strongly with the daffodil.
“The daffodil is one of the first flowers to bloom in spring,” he said. “To me it’s a sign of hope and resilience. I resonate with him. It’s a new beginning.”
Daffodils and other flowers and plants take center stage in spring, as the Maritimes and the rest of Canada close out winter and look to warmer months as a time of renewal. It’s a sentiment the Canadian Cancer Society hopes to capture this month.
Jane Parsons, executive vice-president of revenue development with the Canadian Cancer Society, said the group uses the humble flower as a symbol of renewal and power for April, which is officially Daffodil Month. The annual event focuses on raising money for cancer initiatives and informing the public about the society’s programmes.
“Sixty-five years ago, Daffodil Month started as a tea party and now it’s a national movement,” Parsons said. “We are focused on our legacy and our rich future.
“When CCS was established in 1938, the cancer survival rate was 25 percent.” (According to Cancer Statistics Canada 2021, the five-year net cancer survival rate was estimated to be 64 per cent for all cancers combined).
Parsons said the association is lobbying the federal government to protect the jobs of cancer patients during treatment, among other measures. At the patient level, he said they try to provide personal support to people who need it.
“The cancer experience is personal,” says Parsons. “Sometimes wigs and breast prostheses make people feel more confident. It’s less about the disease and more about them.
“It’s very personal. Many people who lose their hair will take a wig or a turban to support them emotionally.”
One of the association’s main programs is their lodges, which provide housing for patients undergoing cancer treatment far from home. Mitchell is very familiar with the lodges and the services the association can provide.
“My diagnosis required me to move St. John’s, NL,” he said. “I had to make the trip across the island and I was there for eight months.”
Mitchell now sits on the Newfoundland advisory board for the Canadian Cancer Society, bringing her perspective as a survivor to the organization.
“Cancer is a scary word, (but) these days it’s not a death sentence,” he said. “There is hope and there is support available. You are not alone.
“I had a lot of family around me but I felt alone in my diagnosis. I tell people they are not alone. So many people go through similar experiences.”
