Cancer, no matter the form it takes, can be devastating to not just the person it’s happening to, but to their family members and friends as well. While you may not always be in control of what happens, you can make an impact, and it’s easier than you think to join the fight!
As many may know, both of my parents died from cancer, each a different form of cancer, and each suffering through it before the end came and brought relief. Last year, I had a scare that changed my life completely. On a routine visit, I was told that there was something “wrong” with my mammogram and that it needed to be repeated IMMEDIATELY.
Getting a phone call just a day after going in for a screening can be devastating because you have no idea what to expect. Is it cancer? Will I die? How much longer will I have with my family and friends before I pass away? These are all thoughts that ran through my head even as I made my follow-up appointment. While it was scary going in for a second mammogram, the wait was even worse. Luckily after a few weeks of waiting, we found out that while I’m at a higher risk for breast cancer, at the moment, I was going to be OK.
Some may never get the news that they’re going to be OK. It’s why I’ve been a staunch supporter of breast cancer studies and research and have donated many of my hard-earned dollars to charities to find cures for this dreaded disease. But now I can do even more, and it’s so easy thanks to the American Cancer Society’s Raise Your Way Fundraising Platform.
Cancer doesn’t see color, social status, or any of the things that humans may tend to look at, and each of us has had at least one family member, friend, or acquaintance (someone we know) who’s either passed away or dealt with this dreaded illness. That’s why the American Cancer Society (ACS) is making it their mission to eliminate cancer, but they need our help!
Here is where you get to turn your passion into purpose!
Do you have something that you enjoy doing? How about turning it into a fundraising? With the ACS Raise Your Way Fundraising Platform, you can turn any activity that you’re passionate about into a fundraiser, whenever, however, wherever you want. And it’s effortless to do.
If you require ideas to get you started, here are 3 easy fundraising ideas!
A GARAGE SALE
We all have stuff that we’d love to get rid of. How about organizing a garage sale and have people make a donation instead of paying for the time. You can even have neighbors and friends donate items that they no longer need for a good cause.
DONATE YOUR BIRTHDAY
I enjoy my birthday as much as the next person, but this year I have donated my birthday to charity (yes, that link takes you to my fundraiser where you can give to my birthday cause). Instead of gifts (monetary and tangible) and cards, I’d personally prefer donations to fund cancer research.
BAKE SALE
Baking cupcakes are also something I enjoy. There is always a cupcake mixture in my pantry just waiting for the weekend when we can create some delicious goodies. However, instead of baking for family, how about hosting a bake sale and donate the proceeds once again. Considering creating cupcakes of different colors to represent a form of cancer, such as pink for breast cancer, teal for ovarian cancer and so on.
So how does the ACS Raise Your Way Fundraising Platform work?
It’s straightforward and takes less than 5 minutes of your time.
- Follow the prompts to “start a fundraiser.”
- Choose where you’d like your donations to go
- Create a Crowdrise account with Facebook, or manually through form entry
- Continue prompts to name your fundraiser and set a goal
- Be sure to share your fundraiser on social
It’s really that easy!
The American Cancer Society is on a mission to attack cancer from every angle, but they need your help. Let us eradicate cancer and celebrate life!
