A decade of fundraising for cancer research has not taken the wind out of Bethany Westerberg’s sails, as she prepares for her 10th Daffodil Day fundraiser on Thursday.

It was the year her mother died of cancer that Ms Westerberg decided to don the yellow, wake up at the crack of dawn for the sunrise swim and embark on an ever-expanding street appeal.

She picked up the baton from her grandmother who ran the street appeal for decades.

“I can’t believe it’s been 10 years since I started doing it,” she said.

“It feels pretty nice to celebrate 10 years of being able to raise funds for cancer research, and to carry on my Nana’s legacy of doing that Daffodil Day.

“I think I’ve probably got a bit more organised over that time of knowing what to do and I think (my Nana) would be pretty proud and happy that I that I kept it going for her.”

While Ms Westerberg honours her 10 year milestone, Daffodil Day itself is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Since it was first started by Cancer Council in 1986, cancer survival rates have increased from 46 per cent to around 72 per cent today, with the nationwide appeal helping fund research, vaccines and development of treatment options.

In its 40 years, Daffodil Day has raised about $47.3 million for cancer research.

Ms Westerberg alone has raised about $70,000 of that.

“Last year alone we managed about $12,000 and I was blown away,” she said.

“A few of my volunteers let me know that people came up and donated $100 or $200 because they know someone who’s now in remission or in remission themselves, and they just want to donate to try and get rid of rid of cancer and find a cure.

Every little bit is appreciated but that was amazing.

She will start the day with her annual sunrise dip at Middleton Beach.

A $20 donation buys participants a yellow swim cap, a free coffee courtesy of Chris Saurin at Quick Shot Coffee, and a chilly dip in the waters of Ellen Cove at 6.30am.

After she dries off, Ms Westerberg, and her loyal army of 20 to 30 volunteers begin preparing for the street appeal, which runs from 9am to 3pm.

Hundreds of bunches of daffodils will be set up for purchase at six the stations in Albany Plaza, Brooks Garden Shopping Centre, York Street IGA and Spencer Park IGA and the post offices in Sandford Road and York Street.

The Cancer Council’s Great Southern regional cancer prevention co-ordinator Lavinya Vasudevan said the national campaign hopes to raise $5.5m this year with the help of participants such as Ms Westerberg.

“We are so grateful to Bethany and everyone in the Great Southern who has supported Daffodil Day,” she said..

“We know that almost one in two people will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85, so it takes all of us to give hope for better treatments and better outcomes.

“The five-year survival rate for all cancers combined increased from 50 per cent in the late-’80s to over 70 per cent now, thanks to advances in research.”

Anyone wishing to donate can do so at Ms Westerberg’s street appeal postings on August 20 or online at daffodilday.com.au.