Co-ordinators of the upcoming Tokanui Daffodil Day fundraiser, which raised tens of thousands of dollars last year, want to keep supporting the many hundreds of people diagnosed with cancer in Otago and Southland each year.

The annual auction and raffle fundraiser in the small town, 75km south of Gore, raised over $30,000 for the Cancer Society in Southland last year. 

This year’s event will be held at the Tokanui Tavern on Daffodil Day, this Friday,  from 7pm.

Those benefiting will include many of the hundreds of people in Southland diagnosed with cancer each year. 

The most recent Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora (HNZ) data, from 2023, found there were close to 2000 cancer registrations in the HNZ Southern district, which includes Otago and Southland.

Co-ordinator Callie Callahan, of Tokanui, said funds raised would go a long way in providing cancer information and resources for people and families.

“You struggle to find someone that isn’t affected by cancer, and . . .  as much as money goes into cancer research, I think the support for people and families with cancer is . . . probably underrated,” Mrs Callahan said.

“I don’t want people to think they have to come down and . . . spend lots of money, the support of even buying a raffle [ticket] or donating something for the raffle table is appreciated.”

Locals and businesses had donated prizes which would be put up for auction, some of which included rams, ewes, coal, swede seeds, building labour and materials, and short stays in holiday homes.

People were encouraged to donate baking and items such as plants or hampers for their raffle, which would be drawn on the night.

Items can be dropped of at the Tokanui Tavern, on McEwan St, until 4pm on Friday.

Last year’s funds meant the Otago Southland division of the Cancer Society were able to buy a car, which allowed Southland cancer navigator Aynsley Dermody to travel around Eastern Southland and West Otago to reach and support people affected by the disease. 

At last year’s fundraiser, co-ordinator Suzie Matthews had her hair cut by Invercargill hairdresser Diane Townson,who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia  in 2023.

Invercargill hairdresser Diane Townson, (left), who was diagnosed with cancer in 2023, shaved Suzie Matthews's head at the Tokanui Daffodil Day fundraiser last year, which prompted almost $1000 of donations. Photo: Supplied

The haircut spurred on close to $1000 in extra donations, Ms Matthews said.

Mrs Townson, who owned Stranz Hair Design in Avenal, said she felt “privileged” to get out her scissors for the first time since her diagnosis, which required her to travel to Dunedin and Christchurch for treatment.

She said supporting the Cancer Society was a no-brainer.

“It affects every family,” Mrs Townson said.

“Why wouldn’t anybody support it?”

Before Mrs Callahan and Ms Matthews took the reins, Janice Broad and Lianne Andrews,both of Waimahaka, ran the annual fundraiser.

Last year,  the fundraiser brought in double what had been raised in the past.

In 2023, there were close to 30,000 new cancer registrations in New Zealand. 

gemma.sinclair@alliedmedia.co.nz