New campaign launched to keep nightly fees low at Daffodil Place

A new campaign has launched on behalf of the Canadian Cancer Society to help support Daffodil Place, a home away from home for cancer patients.

The One Night Stand Against Cancer campaign is looking for donations of $100, orhow much it costs for a one night's stay at the house.

Thanks to donations, patients only pay $30 a night.

But with the recent economic turmoil in Newfoundland and Labrador, Daffodil Place needs help.

"Obviously the province is going through a lot of financial difficulty, and unfortunately Daffodil Place is not immune from that," said Allan Hawco, honorary chair of the One Night Stand Against Cancer campaign.

"A lot of people think that Daffodil Place is funded by government, but it's not. It is truly funded by donations [and] sponsorship. So this campaign is really about raising money for this really, really important place."

Meals, other services also offered

Daffodil Place offers other services than just a place to sleep. There are meals, custodial services, transportation services and moral and professional support, Hawco said.

Everybody is very friendly and asks how you're doing every day;I just wouldn't get that anywhere else.- Jennifer Mitchell

Jennifer Mitchell has been living at Daffodil Place since late March. She said without their support, she doesn't know what she would do or where she would live.

"To stay in an apartment or to stay in a hotel, would just be, I mean the expense would be just way too high," she said.

"And I'm also not able to live that independent lifestyle with my treatments. They're very difficult and I require a lot of support and Daffodil Place provides that support...There's support here 24 hours a day," she said.

"Everybody is kind of going through the same thing, so there's a lot of support here. Everybody is very friendly and asks how you're doing every day;I just wouldn't get that anywhere else."

Hawco said Daffodil Place provides comfort when patients need it the most.

'A remarkable, special place'

"If you're unfortunate enough to have to go through the horrific experience of getting a diagnosis which, by the way, nine people per day in the province are diagnosed with some sort of cancer and you have to come from out of town, the last thing you should have to worry about is a place to sleep and how you're going to eat and the people who are supporting you, where they're going to stay," Hawco said.

"So it's really a remarkable, special place."

For Mitchell, Daffodil Place makes a huge difference in her life.

"There's a real support network here. There's a lot of caring support staff that work at Daffodil Place, but also the other patients, like everybody is kind of, we kind of group together and help each other out," she said.

"[This campaign] is important because without the donations, this place wouldn't exist, and without this place there would be a lot of people who've been diagnosed with cancer that would have nowhere to go. Like I said for myself, an apartment or a hotel is just not feasible for me. I'm not independent enough to live on my own like that, I do need a place like this. So, every donation helps."

The campaign will continue until early December.