Why breast cancer fundraising matters

Whether someone in your life has received a diagnosis or you just want to support the countless non-profits and research organizations that operate across the country, fundraising for breast cancer is always worthwhile. On top of being the most prevalent form of cancer among women, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US as a whole. It also results in the highest medical bills and treatment-related costs for patients — amounting to 14% of all US medical costs according to the most recent data from the National Cancer Institute.

On an individual basis, breast cancer fundraising can help to tackle the various inequalities that lead to poorer health outcomes for women from marginalized racial groups across the US. Hispanic and Latina women, while genetically diverse, tend to be diagnosed at later stages with aggressive forms of breast cancer that lack targeted treatment options. A recent study from the Journal of Clinical Oncology also found that black women are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, despite being diagnosed with the disease at similar rates.

Advocating for the importance of early detection, diagnosis and routine breast cancer checkups can make a crucial difference in the number of lives claimed by this pervasive disease in the near and distant future.

7 Breast cancer fundraiser ideas to raise awareness and funds

Breast Cancer Fundraising is an essential practice that helps to boost advocacy and increase funds for research and individual patients. When you choose to organize a breast cancer fundraiser, you are supporting the continuation of vital medical development and the provision of patient support, while maximizing public awareness and tackling the rise of inequality in access to care.

By using these breast cancer fundraiser ideas to advocate and raise funds in your own community, you can make a meaningful change in the lives of present and future patients across the US.

1. Walks, runs and activity-based fundraisers

Organizing a running race, walkathon or other fitness event is the perfect way to attract a large number of participants to your breast cancer fundraiser. You’ll get the opportunity to rally members of your community for a very important cause, while promoting healthy activity and guaranteeing a fun day out for all involved.

When organizing a fitness or activity-based fundraiser, it’s important to ensure that your event is accessible to the largest number of participants possible. Like with any charity event, you’ll need to gather a dedicated fundraising team to help with organization and set a realistic donation goal to work towards on the day.

Here are just a few of the many ways that you can incorporate fitness and activity into your breast cancer fundraising event.

  • Charity walk: Spread the word, rally your community and raise vital funds with a charity walk fundraiser for breast cancer awareness. Choose a safe venue that’s accessible to all, and use our charity walk fundraiser ideas to bring a touch of creative flair to your event.
  • Team relay race: Promote the spirit of community while encouraging some healthy competition with a team relay race event. Allow participants to register in groups of 4 or 5, and set a course for teams to compete over a set distance.
  • Adrenaline-based activities: The most exciting breast cancer fundraising events involve some degree of challenge. Get hearts pumping and donations flooding in with an adrenaline-fuelled activity like zip lining or charity skydiving.
  • Dance-a-thon: Nothing promotes fun and good spirits quite like getting your groove on. Encourage members of your local community to get active and let their hair down with a dance-a-thon fundraiser, where participants pledge to pop, lock and pirouette over a set period of time.
  • Virtual fitness challenge: If you’re seeking a challenge, why not organize a virtual fundraising event and walk, run or cycle over a lengthy, predetermined distance? Supporters can take part at their own pace from the comfort of their homes or a local gym, and you can use a dedicated fitness app to keep track of everyone’s progress.

2. Themed events and parties

A successful fundraising event should raise donations for your chosen charity or cause while giving all participants a truly memorable experience. Hosting a themed event or crowdfunding party is an excellent breast cancer fundraising idea, attracting large crowds of potential donors while making a long-lasting impact on attendees.

Once you’ve found a venue, organized refreshments and recruited a fundraising team to help out on the day — all that’s left to do is select a meaningful theme that ties in with your fundraising efforts.

  • Pink-themed party: The Pink Ribbon has become a powerful symbol of the fight against breast cancer. Bring a touch of history to your fundraising event by hosting a pink-themed tea party, picnic or gala dinner — and encourage guests to show their support by tailoring their outfits to the color-based theme.
  • Girls’ night in: It’s no secret that breast cancer is a disease which disproportionately affects women, so why not celebrate girl power with a traditionally-feminine fundraising event like a makeover night, manicure session or a charity spa day?
  • Haircut party: Hair loss is a challenging symptom of the breast cancer treatment process, and has led to a long tradition of charity hair donation and wig-making for patients. Try partnering with a local salon, and encourage participants to donate some of their hair at an in-person event.
  • Movie night: Unite your friends, family and wider community in the spirit of giving with a movie night for breast cancer fundraising. You can choose a documentary or film that ties in with your chosen theme, and set up a basic concession stand to sell refreshments on the night.
  • Decades dance: Celebrate the long tradition of breast cancer advocacy by organizing a dance party fundraiser that features popular fashion and music from decades gone by.

3. Corporate and workplace fundraisers

Bringing your breast cancer fundraising efforts to the workplace is an effective way of boosting awareness for your cause while maximizing the number of donations you receive. If your employer plays an important role in supporting your local community, try getting them involved by pitching company-sponsored event ideas or encouraging them to match the donations to your fundraiser.

Once your employer is on board, try using these creative workplace fundraising ideas to supercharge your fundraiser and boost camaraderie among your colleagues.

  • Wear pink days: Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month by organizing company-wide Wear Pink Days throughout the month of October. Encourage your fellow employees to bring a small contribution on the chosen days, and request that your employer matches the total donation amount.
  • Bake sale: Everybody loves when there are sweet treats lying around the workplace, so why not capitalize on this enthusiasm with a bake sale fundraiser? Encourage your colleagues to provide pink-themed goodies, and sell them throughout the day with all proceeds going to your fundraiser.
  • Workplace auction: Create a buzz around the office while raising valuable funds for your chosen cause with an entertaining workplace auction. Choose a diverse range of themed and general items to auction off at an appropriate price, and encourage your employer to donate ‘Day Off Coupons’ and other attractive prizes.
  • Pink ribbon raffle: Get every member of your corporate team engaged with a Pink Ribbon Raffle that’s filled with appealing prizes. Offering in-demand rewards like concert tickets, gift cards and gourmet food baskets will ensure that you sell the most amount of tickets possible.
  • Breast cancer trivia night: Boost breast cancer awareness and encourage maximum participation with a themed trivia night in your workplace. Include some important statistics around the prevalence of breast cancer, and charge a fee for participation.

4. Creative and artistic fundraising ideas

Bring some artistic flair to your breast cancer fundraising efforts by hosting an event that centers around creativity. Using creative fundraising ideas is an effective way of making your event stand out from the crowd, while engaging the maximum number of participants and boosting contributions to your cause.

Start by sourcing a suitable venue and ensuring you’ve got a sufficient fundraising budget, then choose a creative fundraising idea that ties in with the theme of breast cancer awareness.

  • Pink fashion show: Pink is a universal symbol of the struggle against breast cancer, so why not encourage positivity by hosting a radiant and rosy fashion show? You could recruit local textile designers to donate designs, and encourage breast cancer survivors to model their creations.
  • Art installation: Spotlight the beauty of breast cancer advocacy by organizing an art installation or exhibition in your local gallery. Request breast cancer-themed artworks from local artists or community members, and use social media to spread the word about your show.
  • Talent show: Every local community is home to plenty of hidden talent, and you can bring it to life for a good cause by organizing a talent show for breast cancer awareness. Set a small admission fee and request donations on the night, and organize prizes for the most show-stopping participants.
  • Poetry or songwriting contest: Encourage your local wordsmiths, poets and songbirds to showcase their talents with a writing contest themed around breast cancer. Establish guidelines and a deadline for submission, then organize an in-person showcase where judges select a winner.
  • Craft workshop: Enable your supporters to create their own artwork while raising money for breast cancer with an engaging arts and crafts workshop. Supply clay, paints and embellishments on the day, then encourage participants to produce breast cancer-themed creations.

5. Online fundraising and crowdfunding

You can provide meaningful support to the countless women who are diagnosed with breast cancer each year through the power of crowdfunding. Online fundraising platforms like GoFundMe provide the easiest way to quickly raise funds for any charitable cause, giving you access to a global network of potential donors and like-minded individuals.

Here are some creative and impactful ways to successfully carry out an online breast cancer fundraiser.

  • Crowdfunding fundraiser: Setting up an online GoFundMe page is simple and safe, and gives you the perfect way to spread the word about breast cancer treatment, research and awareness. Try to source some pink ribbons from a registered breast cancer charity, and send them to supporters in return for donations to your cause.
  • Social media fundraiser: Utilizing online social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter is a quick and effective method of attracting attention to your cause. Write meaningful posts and upload images to engage your audience, and encourage your friends and family to support and share your content.
  • eCards for donations: Digital eCards can easily be created using free online platforms, and distributed to your followers to give your fundraiser a personal touch. You can even encourage your audience to design and share their own eCards to boost attention and donations.
  • Online challenges: Charitable social media trends like the Ice Bucket Challenge have great potential to increase engagement around your online breast cancer fundraiser. Try coming up with a unique challenge that ties in with your chosen cause, and create a custom fundraiser hashtag that your participants can use.
  • Online merchandise sale: If you or a loved one is skilled in art and design, try selling custom fundraiser merchandise through a low-cost online platform. Create original t-shirts, tote bags or simple accessories that tie in with your fundraiser’s theme, and sell them online with all proceeds going to your chosen cause.

6. Community and family events

While online crowdfunding and marketing can be useful in raising awareness, the power of your local community should not be underestimated when choosing breast cancer fundraiser ideas. The simplest fundraising ideas can often be the most impactful, and gathering your supporters in person can give your charity efforts a meaningful and memorable touch.

Ensure that you’ve engaged with local authorities to receive the relevant permissions for your community fundraiser, then use the following ideas to give your charity event an innovative spin.

  • Community barbecue: Gather friends, families and neighbors around the table to raise money for a good cause through the power of delicious food. Encourage local businesses and community members to bring along their favorite dishes, and charge a small fee for admission to the event.
  • Karaoke night: Whether you know some skilled singers or just want to give your community a memorable night of fun, organizing a karaoke event is a great way to encourage camaraderie and friendship among your neighbors and local community.
  • Community concert: An entertaining night of music is something that everyone can get behind, so why not raise money for breast cancer with a community concert night? Encourage local musicians and organizations to perform, and try to partner with a local events space to draw a larger crowd on the night.
  • Sporting event: Encourage activity among your community members while aiding the fight against breast cancer by organizing a community sports day or event. Choose an activity that’s popular in your local area, and charge an entry fee for teams to participate.
  • Educational workshops: Boost awareness and understanding of breast cancer in your local community by hosting an educational workshop. Invite relevant professionals and breast cancer survivors to speak and contribute, and ensure that details about your fundraiser are communicated to attendees.

7. Corporate and business partnerships

Impactful breast cancer fundraiser ideas can be tough to accomplish on your own, which is why winning the support of local businesses can be so powerful. It’s important to select fundraising partners whose purpose and values align with those of your fundraiser, and can provide adequate financial and organizational support.

Once you’ve decided to include a corporate partnership in your fundraiser, here are some creative ideas for ensuring that your efforts are successful.

  • Local restaurants: Enjoying quality food in an enjoyable atmosphere is something that everyone enjoys, so why not organize a dedicated fundraising night in your favorite local restaurant? Reach out and request that a percentage of sales are donated to breast cancer charities, and promote the event online to achieve the maximum number of bookings.
  • Donation boxes: Contact multiple businesses in your local area to see if they are willing to fit dedicated donation boxes for your fundraiser. You can buy donation boxes online or craft some simple ones yourself, then make sure they’re placed in visible locations in the local businesses you’ve partnered with.
  • Checkout charity: A modern fundraising tool that’s used throughout many stores and businesses, checkout charity encourages customers to round up their purchases as a donation to a particular cause. Customers can donate easily by opting in at checkout, and donations can multiply surprisingly quickly over time.
  • Business sponsorships: Another way to partner with local businesses for your breast cancer fundraiser is to seek direct contributions or sponsorships for your events. In-kind donations of food, drinks and raffle prizes can all go a long way in keeping your fundraising budget from diminishing when hosting events.
  • Promotional partnerships: Local businesses often have an established base of supporters, and can reach a far wider audience than you as an individual. Cross-promoting each other’s events and activity can boost awareness significantly, while creating co-branded merchandise and materials is a great way to benefit both parties.

Boost your breast cancer fundraising through crowdfunding

You can personally join the battle against breast cancer by using crowdfunding to harness the power of public generosity and attract donations. By organizing a cancer fundraiser with a focus on breast conditions, you are directly improving survival rates and impacting the lives of countless affected women.  Finding a cure for breast cancer remains a vital cause in the public eye, and offering your support makes a meaningful difference for those who have received a diagnosis.

Here are some ways GoFundMe makes it easy to raise money to aid in the fight against breast cancer:

  • Creating your own GoFundMe page is free, and provides a quick, safe and secure platform for raising money.
  • Funds can immediately be deposited directly into the beneficiary’s bank account for treatment costs.
  • Sharing your unique GoFundMe link through email and social media platforms  is simple, and can massively increase the number of donations you receive.

Start using these breast cancer fundraiser ideas today

Breast cancer is a widespread disease that creates immense suffering and significant financial stress in the lives of those affected. By starting your own breast cancer fundraiser and putting these creative crowdfunding ideas to good use, you can become a force of positive change for the countless people who receive a diagnosis every day.

Whether you or a loved one are struggling with breast cancer, or you simply want to make a meaningful impact for future patients, join the fight today and start a GoFundMe for breast cancer.