Roberts and Warburton went straight from the training pitch this morning to meet the Marie Curie nurses and patients, including an elated Jane Walker from Barry, at the hospice which also hosts the South East Wales fundraising office.
The Wales national squad support the Marie Curie Cancer Care fundraising campaign each year during the tournament, ensuring they wear the charity’s signature daffodil logo as often as possible, especially in the lead up to St David’s Day.
Community Fundraising Manager Karen Jones is targeting a £100,000 figure in donations this year and invited the Wales national squad to the centre to help launch the 2011 Daffodil appeal.
“When the players agreed to come and visit the news sent a real buzz of excitement around the hospice,” said Jones.
“Sam and Jamie spent a good few hours of their time going around the wards and visiting the day care centre talking to and greeting everyone they met.
“Jane was one of the patients who were particularly excited to meet both Sam and Jamie, she watched the game last weekend and was elated when she was presented with a squad photo.
“The players really can’t underestimate the lift they have given to the place from the patients to the doctors, medical students and nurses who met them and we are very grateful for the support they have given us today as well as in past years.
“We are targetting £100,000 worth of fundraising this year with donations in exchange for our daffodil badges and hope that the Wales fans support us again this year as they do every year.
“The daffodil is synonymous with Wales and with rugby and if the fans really get into the spirit of the fundraising and wear their daffodils with pride just like the players we will reach our targets in no time.”
Roberts, a fourth year medical student himself, is fully aware of the good work done by the Marie Curie nurses.
“It’s a really worthy cause and coming to places like this can really put life into perspective for you,” said Roberts.
“It’s nothing really for us to come down here and meet and chat to a few people, but you can see how it makes their day and we know we can lift them with performances on the pitch as well.
“The work that is done at the Marie Curie Hospice has a direct affect on the quality of life of people affected by cancer and I can’t think of a more worthy cause than that.”
Warburton too has a personal reason for supporting the Marie Curie Daffodil campaign and he will be wearing his daffodil with pride on March the 1st and beyond.
“Cancer is something that affects many families and it has affected mine,” added Warburton.
“The Marie Curie nurses are doing a great job down here and it was really quite rewarding to meet the patients.
“It’s been a humbling and uplifting experience really and we will certainly be thinking of everyone here when we run out against Italy next week and hopefully pull off a win for them.”
To donate please visit www.mariecurie.org.uk or to volunteer help with a daffodil collection call 02920 426068.
