Rebecca Harris is backing the Great Daffodil Appeal, Marie Curie’s biggest annual fundraising campaign held every March. The campaign, which is reaching its 35th anniversary in March, has for the first time, had to cancel all of the public collections, leaving the charity with a potential loss of over £3 million.
The last 12 months have been extremely difficult as key fundraising events have been cancelled and all Marie Curie’s charity shops have had to close. Last year, the charity saw a 16.5% rise in the number of people they cared for at end of life, compared to 2019 and their support line saw a 20% increase in calls too.
Rebecca pledged her support to the Great Daffodil Appeal and is encouraging local people to donate and wear one of the charity’s daffodil pins to help fund vital care and support for people living with a terminal illness, and their families, in a year where Marie Curie have been on the frontline providing care to people dying both with and without coronavirus.
Rebecca Harris MP said:
“Every five minutes, someone in the UK dies without getting the care and support they need at the end of their life, and that also has an impact on those they leave behind who are grieving. That is why I am supporting the Great Daffodil Appeal this March. Without your help, Marie Curie Nurses can’t give vital care to dying people their families.”
Launched in 1986, the Great Daffodil Appeal is crucial in raising much-needed funds to enable the charity to continue providing nursing and hospice care, a freephone support line and information for people living with any terminal illness such as terminal cancer, dementia, heart failure, and motor neurone disease.
Ruth Driscoll, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Marie Curie, said:
“Having the support of MP’s like Rebecca makes a huge difference to our Great Daffodil Appeal, which we need people to support more than ever this year.
“Over the past year, our nurses, doctors and other staff have been on the frontline providing care for people dying both with and without coronavirus. But still too many people miss out on the care and support they need at the end of life. By donating and wearing a daffodil pin in March you are helping us to support more people at the most difficult time of their lives. We want to make sure that everyone affected by terminal illness, wherever they may live, gets the right support, at the right time – whether that is high quality nursing care, emotional and practical support, or fast access to the benefits they need.”
During the Great Daffodil Appeal the first annual National Day of Reflection will take place. Since the first lockdown began in 2020, millions of people have been bereaved. Join Marie Curie on 23 March, the first anniversary of UK lockdown, for a day to reflect and commemorate this tragic loss of life.
For more information on how to fundraise, donate or set up a virtual collection for Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal visit: www.mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil
