April is Daffodil Month at the Canadian Cancer Society, and for the past five years I have volunteered – selling bright yellow daffodil pins and real daffodils –  in order to raise money for the cancer society.
It is a very interesting and fun experience, especially if you like to watch people. I have seen people take extraordinary steps to avoid me and people who are so happy to tell me their cancer story (because we all have one!). I find this very rewarding, and I love to meet and talk with these people.
So why do I stand outside a grocery store on a cold April morning to sell these pins? My reason is to give back.
My cancer story started in January 2006 when I had a large cyst removed from my ovary. Then I had no idea it was cancerous. Luckily for me I had the cyst removed and my cancer was contained. However, I had to go for chemotherapy in Hamilton to ensure it was completely gone.
At that time I had no vehicle and was struggling financially to get by. I had no idea how I was going to get to my treatments. On our first trip to Hamilton we spent a large amount of money to take a cab there.
After meeting with the doctor, a nurse suggested I talk to the Canadian Cancer Society volunteer that was there about a ride. The volunteer driver program was a heaven-sent for us. They squeezed us into to a car (quite literally), taking us back to Guelph that day and every day I had to go to Hamilton.
I had a wonderful volunteer get me there and home, safe and comfortable. There are many great programs helping people live with cancer at the cancer society, but the volunteer driver program is why I sell daffodils.
You all have a cancer story, reasons to access cancer society programs, reasons to support research to find a cure and reduce the effects of chemo and radiation, and reasons to give back. Please consider volunteering for a short three hours selling daffodils or pins this April. Many volunteers are needed and you might just enjoy yourself.
Mary MacLeod   Guelph