Business Support Crucial To Daffodils Days’ Success

In Connecticut, one is every five cancer patients is served — directly or indirectly — by the American Cancer Society.

Francine Caulfield knows how it feels to have someone close to her be the one. She lost her mother to colon cancer in 1997. Today, Caulfield, who works in finance at Hartford-based UnitedHealthcare, is one of many people statewide leading the fight against cancer. As a site coordinator for her company’s Daffodil Days campaign — one of 1,400 coordinators from schools, civic groups and businesses throughout Connecticut — Caulfield is raising dollars and cancer awareness through the sale of assorted daffodil bouquets — with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society.

The Daffodil Days program, now in its 35th year in Connecticut, is expected to raise nearly $600,000 to fund cancer research, advocacy and patient services, according to Mary Kate Carofano, program manager of special events for the American Cancer Society. Support for the this signature event, which runs from mid-January through March 1, comes substantially from the business community, which account for roughly 80 percent of all daffodil sales in the state, Carofano estimates. And sales are impressive. “Last year, we delivered about 75,000 flowers in Connecticut,” Carafano said.

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