$200,000 in ACT grants supports two Canberra researchers
Cancer Council ACT will mark the 40th anniversary of Daffodil Day on Thursday, 20 August 2026, with a call for Canberrans to fund local cancer research.
First launched in 1986, the campaign made the daffodil a national symbol of hope for the one in two Australians who will face cancer in their lifetime.
This year, Cancer Council ACT awarded $200,000 in grants to two Canberra researchers, Dr Vijay Bhooaplan and Professor Nicole Freene. Their projects aim to improve cancer prevention, treatment and outcomes.
Over four decades, cancer survival has improved sharply. In 1986, the five-year survival rate was about 46%. It now stands at 72%, which means nearly three in four Australians survive at least five years after diagnosis.
Cancer Council ACT CEO Verity Hawkins said the anniversary celebrates community generosity and helps drive the next round of breakthroughs.
“For 40 years, Daffodil Day has given our community a way to stand together against cancer. Every bunch of daffodils sold, every yellow morning tea, every cold dip, and every dollar donated funds vital research that is happening right now, right here in Canberra,” Ms Hawkins said.
Across Australia, Cancer Council has invested more than $47.3 million in cancer research in recent years. It supports more than 650 researchers each year.
Lake Burley Griffin dip
Canberrans can support the appeal by buying daffodils, hosting a fundraiser, joining the Daffodil Day Dip at Lake Burley Griffin or making a donation.
Meanwhile, Cancer Council ACT says money raised in the ACT funds work by Canberra-based scientists and clinicians. That local focus links community fundraising to research happening in the territory.
In 2025, more than 63,000 fundraisers and donors backed Daffodil Day across Australia for the anniversary campaign.
However, Ms Hawkins said more progress still depends on public support for better prevention, better treatments and better outcomes for families facing cancer.
On 20 August 2026, the charity wants Canberra to turn yellow again as it marks 40 years of Daffodil Day and asks residents to help fund the next 40 years of research.
