Hingham Secretary Looking To Raise Thousands For Cancer Research

Hingham High School secretary Monica Black is looking to fight cancer once again this year with the annual Daffodil Days campaign.

“Daffodil Days," is a nation-wide program  designed to sell daffodils to raise money for cancer research and to support cancer victims and their families. 

This winter, Black hopes to raise $3,000 with the sale of the spring flowers, which will be the most ever raised from the two-month campaign.

Last year, with the help of students, faculty, staff and parents, Hingham High School raised over $2,500 for the American Cancer Society by purchasing daffodils,  more than doubling their total from 2011.

The high school raised $2,785 from sales and donations in 2012 compared to the $1,300 they raised in 2011 and the $835 they raised in 2010. 

Black has been coordinating this campaign since she worked at the Plymouth River Elementary School several years ago. This is now her fourth year organizing it at the high school and it has been growing each year. 

Black took a special interest in the campaign because her son Ian was a cancer patient as a child and was treated at the Children’s Hospital Boston with a brain tumor.  Ian, now 26 has been cancer free for 24 years, but his mother will not stop giving back to the cancer organizations because she knows what it feels like to have a family member with the disease.

Black organized her most successful campaign last year by opening the sales up to students and parents.  The previous two years the daffodil sales were only geared towards Hingham High School faculty and staff.

“With the winter season upon us, what would be more appealing than a bouquet of brightly colored yellow daffodils on your desk, in your classroom or on your windowsill at home,” Black said in a email to parents this week.

 All orders must be placed no later than Wednesday, February 27. Cash and checks are acceptable and checks should be made out to American Cancer Society.  Flowers will be delivered to Hingham High School the week of March 18, 2013 and should be picked up in the main office.

This year the following items may be purchased through the HHS campaign:

Bouquet of 10 daffodils - $10 (A vase is not included.)

Potted bulbs - $15 (Three multi-stem bulbs in a pot – you can replant the bulbs and enjoy them again year after year!)

Bear and a Bunch - $25 (Boyd’s stuffed bear named “Ray O. Hope” with a bunch of 10 daffodils.)

Gifts of Hope - $25, $50, $75, $100, $250 or an amount of your choosing (gifts will fund American Cancer Society programs; while making daffodil bouquets available to cancer patients)