A Pumpkin Patch with Purpose

New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, …. 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.

The 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. “It started when we had bought some pumpkin seeds in the U.S. called Porcelain Doll Pink Pumpkins,” Neil McLean 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.”

A family friend, who was a Cancer Navigator at the Aberdeen Hospital, pointed them toward the Oncology Patient Fund. “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.”

On 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.

“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. “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.”

Photo caption: Neil McLean of Peter’s Pumpkins presents a cheque for $19,700 to Megan Manuel Murphy of the Aberdeen Health Foundation, representing the family’s lifetime giving from 2017 to 2024. Their annual fundraiser in support of the Oncology Patient Fund is just getting underway for this season.

Over 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.

“We’ve had people come from as far as Sydney and Port Hawkesbury just to buy pink pumpkins in memory of someone,” Karen McLean shares. “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.”

For the McLeans, it’s the people who make pumpkin season special. “The kids jump out of the cars with so much excitement,” Karen says. “We always say, it’s not Disney World, it’s just a bunch of pumpkins! But people come back year after year, and their kindness and generosity is everything.”

This year, the tradition is expanding with something new: a one-of-a-kind “Pumpkin Man” wood carving, donated by local artist Andy Ward. Valued at $300, the carving will be raffled off with $5 tickets available at the stand, with all proceeds going to the Oncology Patient Fund.

“We supply the pumpkins,” Neil says, “but it’s the community that makes it happen. People know now that we support the Foundation, and some will even just come to make a donation. It’s their generosity that keeps this going.”

Peter’s Pumpkins is located at:
2258 River Road
Plymouth, NS
B2H 5C5

For updates on hours and what’s available, follow their Facebook page: Peter’s Pumpkins.

The Aberdeen Health Foundation is the leading charity for enhancing health care in Pictou County. In 2024, the Foundation invested over $2.7 million to fund medical equipment and enhance health programs at the Aberdeen Hospital and in the community. Your contribution can be the catalyst for even greater change — find out how you can make an impact here.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michelle Ferris
Executive Director
Aberdeen Health Foundation

902-752-7600 ext. 4442
Michelle.Ferris@nshealth.ca