Daffodil Day is on April 9 — just a little over a week away. I’ve been amazed at the support this campaign has inspired and how many yellow daffodil pins I see when I am out walking in my neighbourhood.

Every person I see wearing the pin reminds me that there are as many cancer stories in BC as there are people in the province. Everyone has been affected by cancer in some way. We all wear the pin for our own reasons.

As for why I wear the pin, my family has experienced both sides of the cancer journey. My father died far too young of lung cancer (and yes, he was a smoker), but my nephew not only survived childhood leukemia, but is truly a post-cancer thrivor. As I wear my daffodil pin, I will be thinking of both these dear people.

So, why do you wear the daffodil pin? Leave a comment on this blog or share your story and photo on Facebook.

Don’t have your pin yet? Don’t worry, our volunteers are out in your community. Visit www.daffodilday.ca for where you can find them.

And remember to come out on April 9.

I mentioned in my last post that if you are on Facebook you can find out more about the daffodil pin and Daffodil Day (April 9) by becoming a fan of our Facebook page.

Well, it seems there are even more ways for you to get “virtually” involved:

1. Visit our new Daffodil Day website at www.daffodilday.ca and leave a flower on our virtual wall for someone you know who is fighting cancer. The website also has up-to-the-minute informatin about where to find pins and what’s happening in your community on April 9.

2. Do you tweet? Follow us on Twitter. Retweet our messages and help us get the message about Daffodil Day out there.

3. Share your story on Facebook. Post a picture of you wearing your daffodil pin and you’ll inspire others to do the same

4. What to text a donation? Text “FIGHT” to 45678 and you’ll be donating $5 to your best partner in the cancer cause. (Terms at www.mobilegiving.ca)

Honorable Minister Kevin Falcon, BC Minister of Health Services gets his daffodil pin from yours truly.

Today the Canadian Cancer Society announced that April 9, 2010 will be the first official Daffodil Day in BC & the Yukon. What is Daffodil Day you ask? Well, I think it is a very exciting initiative and I hope you’ll be a part of it.

As of today, you’ll begin seeing all sorts of people wearing a yellow daffodil pin on their lapel. We’re calling the pin the “badge of courage” and people are wearing it because they know someone who’s been affected by cancer. The pin is a symbolic message of support to everyone fighting the disease and a tribute to those who have survived and those who are no longer with us.

We know that cancer affects everyone. By wearing the daffodil pin you can show your support and we can all stand together in the fight against cancer — for our family members, our friends, our colleagues and for ourselves.

The pins are available by donation. Our volunteers are out in your community now. Look for them and be sure to wear your daffodil pin.

On Daffodil Day, April 9, there will be events in communities across the province — including one here in Vancouver on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery. The events will be an inspiring celebration with a chance for everyone to participate and share your cancer story. You won’t want to miss it. I’ll blog more details in the coming weeks.

And don’t forget — you can wear a “virtual” daffodil pin on Facebook. Become a fan of our Daffodil Day page to find out how.