Carol Huffer made a presentation to the Kosciusko County Commissioners Tuesday about Daffodil Days and the American Cancer Society. Shown from left are Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose, Commissioner Bob Conley, Huffer and Commissioner Brad Jackson. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — Daffodils are the first flowers of spring and are symbols of hope.

Daffodil Days is an opportunity for everyone to join the American Cancer Society in not only saving and celebrating lives, but also in fighting for a world without cancer.

Tuesday morning, Feb. 14, local Daffodil Days organizer Carol Huffer made a presentation to the Kosciusko County Commissioners about Daffodil Days and the American Cancer Society.

“I have been asked several times about the American Cancer Society. They are the sponsors of Daffodil Days. So, I did some checking,” she said, adding that their website is cancer.org. “I’ll be honest with you. I’ve been doing these daffodils for probably 25 years or so and I did not know how deep the American Cancer Society is in the work against cancer.”

Huffer said they are not an endowed organization, and they are not underwritten by any wealthy benefactors, corporations or the U.S. government. The American Cancer Society “is 100% funded by personal donations from people like us and the fundraising that we do,” she stated.

In 2022, there was $145 million given to the state of Indiana for cancer research. Huffer said, at this time, at IU Bloomington there are four doctors working on cancer research; seven in Indianapolis at IU’s facility; four at Purdue University; and one at the University of Notre Dame.

“So the things that they are doing are really remarkable,” she said.

It’s easy to get in touch with the American Cancer Society, she said. Along with the website at cancer.org, a person can call (800) 227-2345 to speak to someone.

Statistics from the American Cancer Society are always two years behind because of the studies and calculations that have to be done, Huffer said. “However, for 2024, they are anticipating 2,001,140 new cancer cases; 611,720 cancer deaths.”

She said those estimates are not for any one particular cancer and is a combination of cancers for both men and women.

As for Indiana, Huffer said 42,710 new cases are predicted for 2024 in the Hoosier state. Deaths are predicted at 14,180.

“The top three cancer categories are breast, prostate, lung. The top three deaths are lung, colon rectum and pancreas. It’s scary when you stop and think how many people you know and someone with that type of disease,” she said. “One of the most common cancers is skin cancer. Exposure to the sun and tanning beds are the greatest risk and cause of skin cancer and totally” preventable if people would use the proper lotions when they go out into the sun and avoid tanning beds.

Last year during Daffodil Days, Huffer said they sold 474 bunches of daffodils at $10 per bunch, totaling $4,740. A bunch is 10 stems of fresh-cut daffodils, tightly butted.

They also sold 35 Gifts of Hope at $25 each, totaling $875. A Gift of Hope is one bunch of daffodils in a vase that’s been created into a “beautiful arrangement” and finished with a big yellow bow.

“Gifts of Hope are wonderful gifts to give to folks that are going through treatment, survivors and occasionally to a family who has lost a loved one,” Huffer said.

At the end of the 2023 campaign, she said they were able to turn in $5,650 to the American Cancer Society. “We were tickled to raise that amount,” she said.

Anderson Greenhouse is where the daffodils come in and deliver them or where people pick them up, she stated. Orders for Daffodil Days will be taken through Sunday, Feb. 18 and pick-up is March 21. The cost this year is $12 per bunch.

To place an order, email Huffer at [email protected] or call her at (574) 858-0051.