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Lung cancer is a devastating disease, sometimes even affecting those who have never smoked a day in their life. And to make matters worse, it continues to be one of the most expensive cancers to treat—with expected lifetime costs of treatment between $59,000 and $200,000. Whether you want to support a loved one or friend with cancer, or fundraise for research, organizing a lung cancer fundraiser is a beautiful way to show financial and emotional support for those struggling and spread awareness about the disease. Discover top lung cancer fundraising tips, including how to set your fundraiser up for success, and see what kind of impact you can make.
Five shocking lung cancer facts you need to know
- Lung cancer is a surprisingly common disease—and accounts for about 13% of all new cancer diagnoses.
- It is responsible for more deaths in the US than colon, prostate, and breast cancer combined.
- The 5-year survival rate for patients is only 18%, according to data collected by the Cancer Statistics Center.
- Approximately one in five people diagnosed have never smoked.
- According to the BBC, women get cancer far more often than men. Studies have shown that women are nearly twice as likely to receive a diagnosis, whether they have smoked or not.
How to help lung cancer patients using crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is a powerful tool to raise funds for causes that matter, used by millions of people all over the world. If you’re considering fundraising for cancer, the following three ideas will give you the inspiration you need to get started.
Raise money for lung cancer research
A fundraiser is a great way to raise a substantial amount of money for research—often into the tens of thousands of dollars. And involving your community in your fundraiser, like through a fun charity event, means that you’ll spread more awareness for the research organization as well as encourage more donations both from people you know and strangers alike.
Fundraising with a lung cancer charity walk
A charity race will benefit the recipient of your fundraiser, as well as everyone who participates. Decide on the type of race: whether that’s a walk, a hike, or a run, and plan a route that makes the most sense for your location. Consider planning to shoot video of your event that you can then share afterwards on your fundraiser’s Facebook page.
Lung cancer donation drive
Help raise money for a family in need by dedicating your fundraiser to someone you know who is battling this disease. Share details of the person’s unique struggle in your fundraiser story, to make a strong emotional connection with your audience and collect even more donations. Also include a breakdown of specific medical expenses, as knowing exactly where funds are needed will encourage people to donate more.
Four steps to organizing a fundraiser
Follow the steps below, and you’re well on your way to creating a successful fundraiser and meeting your donation goals.
1. Find your inspiration
First, find a person or organization who inspires you, and designate them as the beneficiary of your cancer fundraiser. Maybe you have a co-worker who is bravely battling the disease, a cousin who has just been diagnosed, or a favorite center that helped a loved one in their time of need. Choosing a person or organization to rally around will inspire excitement in your supporters, and help them understand exactly where their donations will go.
2. Gather a team
Fundraising is fun with friends. Increase your network of supporters, and decrease your workload by inviting team members and assigning tasks. Decide on the type of fundraiser together, and then delegate tasks based on the interests and specialities of your team members. For example, a person may love promoting your fundraiser on social media, while another may prefer to ask for donations in person and share the fundraiser offline. Regularly check-in to be sure all team members are on the same page. Find out more tips about how to build a fundraising team.
3. Share knowledge
Because so many families are affected by the disease, make certain that part of your fundraising effort educates people about how to reduce risks. Consider including tips on how to help someone who is sick, as this is often a source of worry for friends and family. Organize coverage from your local media to further raise awareness, or simply share a link that provides more information about preventative measures.
4. Collect donations
Determine how you will collect donations before you launch your online fundraiser, and decide what forms of payment you will receive. Hosting a fundraising event is another great way to inspire more donations, and help your local community get involved in your cause.
Fundraisers that work
Every day, people turn to GoFundMe to start their own medical fundraiser for the people and causes that matter most. See how others are raising money in the hope of a cure, below.
Help Doug fight lung cancer
Doug, a father with three young daughters, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer—with no prior history of smoking. His wife, Kim, started a fundraiser to help pay for Doug’s treatment, including enrollment in a new drug trial. Through her fundraiser, she was able to collect over $17,000 to help pay for the best treatment available. Doug responded positively to the drug trial.
Fundraising for lung cancer research
After Daniel’s father passed away from lung cancer, he was determined to do his part to further lung cancer research into this devastating disease. He started a fundraiser on behalf of Memorial Sloan Kettering, recognized as one of the best centers in the world. Daniel raised over $16,000 to donate toward research—and personally matched donations dollar-for-dollar.
Ian’s lung cancer treatment
After a months-long bout of bronchitis followed by pneumonia, Ian was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer—including six tumors that had spread to his brain. After discovering that his lung cancer was caused by a rare genetic mutation—something that could be treated with targeted gene therapy rather than radiation—Ian and his wife Nina started a fundraiser to help cover the cost of his $15,000-per-month treatment plan. The couple was able to collect over $70,000 through their fundraiser, and he has since responded well to treatment.
Start lung cancer fundraising today
No matter the impact the disease has made on your life, know that there is hope. Together, we can raise funds to support the people we love, access new and potentially life-saving treatments for the disease, or fundraise to support lung cancer research that could save the lives of millions
