Hospice sunflower days return in June

HOSPICE sunflower days, a two-day national event dedicated to providing additional funds for hospice and palliative care centres nationwide, will return on 12-13 June.

As part of the campaign launch, hospice sunflower days ambassador, broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan, visited St Francis Hospice in Dublin to officially kickstart this year’s campaign.

The sunflower days campaign is run by Together for Hospice, the official national hospice movement, which represents 24 hospice and specialist palliative homecare providers across Ireland Hospices nationwide must raise approximately €20 million each year to provide patient centred care, with demand continuing to grow as the population ages Fundraised income is used by local hospice services to fund new buildings, for the refurbishment of existing buildings, staff, extra comforts for patients and their families and innovative patient care projects nationwide.

As well as the on-street collection, the public can also support Laois hospice by donating online at www.sunflowerdays.ie. Every euro raised locally stays locally and the donation will go directly to that hospice ‒ in the case of Laois, Laois Hospice Foundation.

At the launch of the campaign, hospice sunflower days ambassador Miriam O’Callaghan said: "I am delighted to be here once again to show my support for the hospice sunflower days campaign. The work that hospices and palliative homecare services provide is so important. I have seen first-hand the huge impact that hospice care provides for families from all across Ireland and I would encourage everyone to support this vital campaign by donating to the on-street collections or donating online to help raise as much funds as possible for hospices and palliative homecare services from all over the country.” You can support Laois hospice by donating to the on-street volunteers on Friday 12 June or by donating online via the website www.sunflowerdays.ie.