Westmeath local calls on community to go all in against cancer this Daffodil Day
Robbie Fitzpatrick, originally from Dublin and living in Kinnegad for 24 years, is calling on communities across Westmeath to go all in to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society on Daffodil Day.
Robbie is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, having first been diagnosed in February 2024. The father of three is the latest member of his family to face a diagnosis – his father and uncle both came through cancer and his aunt passed away last year.
Robbie said: “Cancer has been a part of my life through close family and relatives being diagnosed and now I’m going through it myself. It’s not something that anybody wants to hear, but unfortunately it happens.
“My father had it, an uncle of mine had it, an aunt passed away last year from it, so it runs in the family. I’m just glad we got it as quickly as we did, and with prostate cancer, yes, the treatment and side effects can be difficult, but thankfully, it is treatable and curable.”
Robbie said that when people support Daffodil Day, they are part of helping the Irish Cancer Society be there through their free supports and services for patients like him and families like his.
“Every euro raised on Daffodil Day is crucial and makes a real lasting difference. I would encourage everyone to please get out there on Daffodil Day, March 20, and show your support and stand on solidarity with those affected by cancer across Westmeath.”
The Irish Cancer Society is there to ensure that every person affected by cancer has a place to turn to, the support they need and the hope that there will come a day when no one in Ireland dies from cancer.
Thanks to the generosity of the public the Irish Cancer Society invests in ground-breaking cancer research and delivers crucial free support services for people affected by cancer, throughout Westmeath.
In 2025, your support provided:
• More than 700 free lifts to take Westmeath-based cancer patients to their treatment
• More than 240 free counselling sessions for people living in Westmeath
• 260 nights of free Night Nursing care to allow cancer patients in Westmeath to die at home surrounded by loved ones
• Cancer Nurses had over 210 conversations with people from Westmeath on the Support Line and in Daffodil Centres
Irish Cancer Society acting CEO Edel Shovlin said: “Cancer doesn’t wait, and neither can we. This year, thousands of people in Ireland will hear the words, ‘You have cancer’. Behind every diagnosis is a person, a family, a future suddenly filled with uncertainty.
“But this Daffodil Day, there is also determination, compassion and groundbreaking research driving real progress.
“Daffodil Day 2026 is about turning solidarity into action. The funds raised support vital, life-changing cancer research, and provide immediate, practical help for people facing cancer now. From free counselling and transport to treatment, to Night Nursing care that allows someone to spend precious time at home, your support makes an extraordinary difference.
“Communities throughout Ireland will once again come together to paint the country yellow – but we need this to be our biggest Daffodil Day yet. When you donate or get involved, you’re giving comfort, hope and time. Together, we can ensure that no one in Ireland faces cancer alone.”
Where your donations go:
• €30 can help provide transport for a patient to and from chemotherapy treatment using the Irish Cancer Society Transport Service.
• €50 can help provide vital clinical equipment for an Irish Cancer Society Night Nurse.
• €60 will cover the cost of a counselling session to help a person cope with a cancer diagnosis in their life.
• €65 will help pay for the cost of one hour of Night Nursing, providing end-of-life care to a patient in their own home.
• €505 will help cover the cost of one night of Night Nursing, providing end-of-life care to a patient in their own home.
For more information about Daffodil Day visit cancer.ie/daffodilday.
For more information the range of services and supports delivered by the Irish Cancer Society in Westmeath, see infographic below.
Ways to support Daffodil Day
• Donate at Cancer.ie/Donate or over the phone on 0818 10 20 30
• Sell Daffodil Pins in your area - cancer.ie/daffodilday
• Host a fundraising event in your community - cancer.ie/daffodilday
• Donate through Facebook, Instagram or JustGiving
• Revolut users can donate to the Irish Cancer Society through the ‘Donations Tab’ on the Revolut app
• By getting your primary school, secondary school or company involved: cancer.ie/daffodilday
• Text DAFFODIL to 50300 to donate €4.
Texts cost €4. Irish Cancer Society will receive a minimum of €3.70.
Service Provider: FUNDRAISING SOLUTIONS Helpline: 012022810.