In 2026 we are celebrating 40 years of growing hope for people affected by cancer.
Research can reduce the impact of cancer in many ways, from early detection to revolutionary treatment options and life-changing cancer care. Thanks to you, we fund more cancer research than any other non-government organisation in Australia. We invest over $47 million into research projects each year - in universities, hospitals, research institutions and here at Cancer Council.
Thanks to investment in research, amazing advancements have been made in cancer prevention, screening and treatment – helping increase survival rates from 46% in the late 1980s to around 72% today.
Support for people impacted by cancer
Over the years, this much-loved community event has given thousands of Aussies affected by cancer a moment to reflect, remember and support each other.
Together we are planting the seeds of hope, one daffodil at a time.
40 years of progress
1980s
Australian researchers, supported by Cancer Council, showed that a simple, less invasive test could detect bowel cancer early, leading to national bowel screening guidelines that saves lives by catching cancer early.
1990s
Cancer Council’s Health2020 has been investigating the roles of diet and lifestyle in causing cancer and other diseases. Thirty years and more than 900 scientific papers later, this study has uncovered new insights into causes of cancer risk.
2000s
Cancer Council helped fund the development of the HPV vaccine to help prevent cervical cancer. Australia is now on track to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035.
2010s
With funding from Cancer Council, Prof Murray Norris AM created a tool that can detect traces of residual cancer cells in children suffering with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
2020s
Cancer Council grant recipient, Prof Nicholas Gottardo, identified a new immunotherapy approach for hard-to-treat neuroblastoma in children.
2026
Decades of research have transformed cancer from a diagnosis with limited options into one where more people survive and live longer than ever before.
Beyond
The next breakthrough starts now.
Visit your local Cancer Council website for more information on services offered in your area. Support services vary across states and territories.
Call 13 11 20 for service information in your state or territory.
For all that cancer takes, give all you can this Daffodil Day.
Cancer Council acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work. We pay our respects to the elders past and present and extend that respect to all other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Cancer Council is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as an Income tax Exempt Charity. All donations over $2 are tax deductible.
