Neil McLean at his property in Plymouth where people can stop by and pick-up their pumpkin for the season while helping support the Aberdeen Health Foundation. Photo by Richard MacKenzie /The NewsArticle contentPLYMOUTH – For Neil and Karen McLean, growing pumpkins has become more than a fall tradition. Since 2017, Peter’s Pumpkins has raised $19,700 for the Aberdeen Health Foundation’s Oncology Patient Fund, helping local cancer patients with the cost of travel, meals, and lodging while receiving treatment. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe pumpkin patch at the McLean farm first began as a way for their son, Peter, to earn money for university. Over time, it turned into a way to give back. Article contentArticle contentArticle content“It started when we had bought some pumpkin seeds in the U.S. called Porcelain Doll Pink Pumpkins,” Neil recalls. “Part of the price of the seeds went to breast cancer research, and it was suggested that anyone who grew them could do something as well. So, we had been wondering what we could do locally.” Article contentA family friend, who was a cancer navigator at the Aberdeen Hospital, pointed them toward the Oncology Patient Fund. Article content“We sold those pink pumpkins and sent all the proceeds to the Aberdeen Health Foundation,” Neil says. “From there, it just grew. The community really embraced it.” Article contentHELPING CANCER PATIENTSArticle contentOn average, the Foundation provides $25,000 each year through the fund, which helps cancer patients and their families with costs related to treatment and daily living. The fund can support needs such as medications, transportation, travel for treatment, and basic living expenses. It is funded entirely by donations from the community. Article contentArticle content“There’s a multiplier effect when someone takes the act of making a donation and turns it into an event that brings people together,” says Michelle Ferris, executive director of the Aberdeen Health Foundation. Article content“Neil and Karen not only raise funds, they raise awareness and conversation in our community about supporting one another during a health crisis. That kind of generosity and community spirit is something we could never create without people like them.” Article contentOver the years, the fundraiser has taken many forms, from growing pink pumpkins to hand-painting hundreds with the help of neighbours and friends. Along the way, the McLeans have heard countless stories from visitors who stop by. Article content“We’ve had people come from as far as Sydney and Port Hawkesbury just to buy pink pumpkins in memory of someone,” Karen shares. Article content“We’ve heard about loved ones who survived cancer and those who sadly passed. These stories were often shared quietly when we were helping them to their vehicle with pumpkins. Some would tell us about neighbours, friends, and relatives who had used the oncology fund, and we had really never understood the importance of this fund until we heard the real stories of people living through their own experiences. It meant so much to them, and in turn it meant a great deal to us to have them share those stories.”
A Plymouth pumpkin patch with purpose
