The Irish Cancer Society (ICS) announced today its Daffodil May last March raised €2.7 million - an increase of over 25 per cent on the previous year.
Of that, €100,000 was raised by the "Back To The Shop Floor" initiative, which saw chief executives from 30 top Irish firms perform the tasks of their employees for a day.
The ICS said the money will be used to improve its free specialist nursing services, which provide homecare, night nursing and psychological support. The funds will also be used to maintain the Cancer Helpline.
About 1,000 families around the country rely on night nurses for help, and the service is now being increased to seven nights per week from the previous five.
The money will also go towards funding and increase in the number of psychological support nurses at major cancer hospitals from seven to 14. New appointments are being finalised at Waterford Regional Hospital, Letterkenny General Hospital, South Infirmary Victoria Hospital, Cork, and at Mercy Hospital in Cork.
The ICS says a third of all Irish people will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime, with 20,000 being diagnosed annually.