Four-O'Clock Flowers Around
the World Cancer Memorial
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"You
have done a wonderful service providing a symbol of hope to thousands of Americans
and persons around the world with this cancer project."
President George H. W. Bush
"Your
work is an outstanding example of what we can do for our fellow citizens through
community service."
President Bill Clinton
Welcome to the Four-o'clock Flowers Around the World Free Cancer Project. This tribute began in 1994 to honor the dying request of Jim Donahoe before losing his battle to cancer. Jim's last request was to see his four-o'clock flowers (Mirabilis jalapa) bloom once more. The project has spanned to all 50 states and to over 100 country with four-o'clock flower seeds being planted by USPS postal employees, postmasters, governors and first ladies, U.S. Presidents, U.S. Ambassadors, world leaders, royalty, Television and Hollywood celebrities, and thousands of cancer survivors.
As the project grew across America and around the world, the response was overwhelming from cancer survivors, care givers, medical professionals, and gardeners to the tribute. Many persons planted four-o'clock flowers seeds to honor persons who were battling cancer or in the memory of persons who lost their courageous battle to the disease. These persons began sharing the four-o'clock seeds from their plants with family, friends, coworkers, church members, schools, and others to perpetuate the tribute. They also began referring to the project as a "Symbol of Hope" a cure for cancer will be discovered.
The
goal of this grassroots project is to giveaway
free four-o'clock flower (Mirabilis jalapa) seeds and have the seeds growing across
America and around the world in a tribute to all cancer survivors and in the
memory of our loved ones who fought a courageous battle against cancer.
Four-o'clock are an annual plant in the North and a perennial plant in the South, which bloom from spring until the first frost. The sweet smelling, trumpet shaped white, yellow and magenta flowers produce an abundance of seeds which persons can share with family and friends. The four-o'clock flower opens after 4 p.m. in the afternoon, hence the name of the plant. The Daffodil is known as the international symbol of hope for cancer survivors. This is very important as the daffodil is the first flower of the year sending blooms out of the snow. It is our hope the four-o'clock project compliments the daffodils because of the lengthy blooming period of the four-o'clock plants which can be easily grown and shared with family and friends.
My
dad, James Donahoe, loved growing four-o'clock flowers since childhood. He worked on
the docks of New Orleans for 40 years. He was a member of MENSA, wrote
poetry and short stories, was a gardener, tutored local children, and was
devoted to his wife, children and grandchildren. His last request before losing
his battle to cancer was to see his four-o'clocks bloom once more. Unfortunately,
James lost his battle to cancer on April 6, 1994. His beloved four-o'clock
flowers bloomed two weeks after his funeral.
Out of the love for my dad and in grief over his passing, I decided to send four-o'clock seeds to United States Postal Service postmasters and governors across America with the request they plant the seeds in time for dad's July 17, 1994 birthday. The USPS postmasters and governors throughout the nation planted his four-o'clock seeds with letters from everyone presented to my mom, Dot, at a small gathering of family and friends on dad's birthday.
The project grew to over 100 countries around the world in 1996 with U.S. Ambassadors, world leaders, VIPs, and others participating in the project and planting dad's four-o'clock seeds. The project was renamed, "Four-o'clock Flowers Around the World Free Cancer Project."
The United States Postal Service has been very supportive of the project with articles being published in the USPS publications Focus and Postal Life. Free four-o'clock flower seeds were offered to postal employees resulting in thousands of employees requesting free seeds. Articles appeared on the project in the Times-Picayune, the Associated Press, Duke University, the Baton Rouge Advocate, University of Louisiana at Monroe, the Lafayette Advertiser, and other publications. The project has won numerous awards, including the Points of Light Foundation, an award from Chamber of Commerce of Greater New Orleans and the River Region, and a U.S. Congressional Certificate.
Plant A Symbol of Hope a Cure for Cancer Will be Discovered
More than 550,000 persons lose their battle to cancer each year in the United
States.We would like to givecancer survivors, their caregivers, and health
care professionals a symbol of hope. Please help promote this grassroots cancer
campaign by sending this web site to others, sharing seeds from their four-o'clocks with
family, friends, coworkers, and gardeners, and though any
support you can provide to this
project. Kevin is available
to speak on the
tribute at meetings and events.
Thank you for taking the time to read about the Four-o'clocks Flowers Around the World Free Cancer Project and hope you will participate in this tribute.
