Albany’s Bethany Westerberg to host her ninth annual Cancer Council Daffodil Day appeal with stalls and swim

Albany will be filled with a host of golden daffodils next week when Bethany Westerberg runs her ninth Cancer Council fundraiser on August 21.

Stalls selling the flowers and other Cancer Council products will be all over town on Daffodil Day, while Ms Westerberg will also be hosting her annual sunrise swim.

In an extra money-raising effort, her soccer team Polonia will be wearing Cancer Council socks when they tackle Sharks in a cup game on Friday, August 22.

Sharks have also promised to find a way to add yellow to their uniforms for the occasion.

The cause is close to Ms Westerberg’s heart because her mother died of cancer in 2017 and she had previously lost her best friend to the disease at only 20 years of age.

Her grandmother used to run the Daffodil Day street appeal so it was a natural progression for Ms Westerberg to take the reins.

“I just want to feel like I am trying to make a difference,” she said.

“So many people are affected by cancer, and I’d like to do everything I can to stop it from taking our friends and family,” she said.

Over the course of her eight previous efforts, Ms Westerberg says she has raised between $40,000 and $50,000.

She has ordered 700 bunches of flowers for the street appeal and her 25 volunteers will be spread across Albany Plaza, Chester Pass Mall, the IGA stores in York Street and Spencer Park and the post offices in Sandford Road and York Street.

The sunrise swim is on August 21 at Middleton beach, starting at 6.30am.

A participation donation of $20 secures a yellow Daffodil Day swim cap and a free Quick Shot Albany coffee, as well as a chilly dip.

It will be the 39th year of the Cancer Council’s national campaign with a target of $4 million this time.

Bunnings is also getting involved with daffodils on sale at Albany’s store in Chester Pass Road on August 16, with proceeds to Cancer Council WA.

Bruce Beamish, Cancer Council WA Great Southern regional education officer, said it was important to support Daffodil Day.

“With fundraising under pressure, it is more important than ever to ensure we support the work of our cancer researchers,” he said.

“By supporting Daffodil Day, you will help us invest in cutting-edge, life-saving research to give Australians hope for a cancer free future.”