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How to Organize, Prepare, and Host a Breast Cancer Fundraising Event

October 21, 2014 by

October is all about pink
Breast cancer fundraising events are a fantastic way to show support for someone you know who has breast cancer, or support awareness breast cancer awareness and research. Like most events, fundraising for breast cancer requires these important event planning steps:

  1. Organizing
  2. Preparing
  3. Hosting

However, unlike most events, breast cancer fundraising requires a few key, specific steps for raising money and registering your event with the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

(By the way, if you’re looking for breast cancer fundraising ideas, we recently wrote 10 things you can do to fundraise for breast cancer.)

In this post, we’ll cover the event planning steps you need to follow for success, as well as what you must do to properly host a fun breast cancer fundraising event for your friends, family, colleagues, or community!

Organizing

Before you host your event, you should determine the details and tasks required, so you can assign responsibilities accordingly. Some of the questions to answer include:

  • Where will the event take place?
  • When will the event happen
  • Who will you invite?
  • What’s your budget?
  • How much do you plan to raise? (setting a goal provides a target number to work toward)
  • How many people can you accommodate at your event?

After you’ve outlined the specifics of your event, register your breast cancer fundraiser with the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF). Registering your event as soon as possible allows the Community Fundraising Team have plenty of time to help you. This team is a free resource from the NBCF, so it would be smart to take advantage of it!

Before moving onto the next step, preparing for your event, make a checklist of all the things that need to be done. This way, you can mark off tasks as you complete them.

Preparing

Once you have all roles assigned, a clear vision of your event, and a list of tasks required, it’s time to prepare for your breast cancer fundraising event. During preparation, your role is to keep everything running smoothly. Make sure the people you choose to help you don’t have any problems with completing their duties.

Another major thing to considering during preparation of a breast cancer event is promotion. Tap into friends and family networks to get the word out. Call local media outlets and local businesses for free promotion. Many local businesses will support your event and give you free promotion in their newsletters or regularly scheduled announcements.

Lastly, you can make it easy for people to make a donation by setting up an online donation page. The National Breast Cancer Foundation provides instructions on how to set up a webpage for donations do so here.

Hosting

As the host of the event, people will look to you for information. This is why it’s important to educate yourself on breast cancer prior to your gathering. The NBCF site has everything you should know about breast cancer, including the latest research, statistics, and news.

Be sure to thank everyone who shows up in person. They’ve taken the time out of their day or evening to come to your event — let them know how much that means to you!

To collect donations, you may want to put a note near the donation area (or include something in the announcements) that says any donation over $2 is tax-deductible, and you will provide them a receipt upon request.

If you follow these guidelines, your event will be a success!

Let us know if you have any questions, or if you’d like us to promote your next Charleston area event in our newsletter!

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10 Breast Cancer Fundraising Ideas

September 1, 2014 by

<alt="fundraising"/>If you’re looking for a different approach to raising awareness for breast cancer, we’ve got you covered. The list of ideas below will help you get interested people to participate in a worthy and very important cause. Use these tips for yourself, or forward this list to your favorite business, colleagues, loved ones, and friends, and get them involved in the fight against breast cancer.

 

  1. Get active. You will see plenty of 5k runs and walkathons for breast cancer, but those are not the only physical activities you can participate in or host to support this cause. You can also swim, play tennis, or even golf for breast cancer. The more people who support breast cancer, the more money your community can raise for research.
  2.  Dress up. Get your office to wear pink for an entire week. Surely this will get the attention of clients, guests, and coworkers. It also gives a great chance for you to explain why’re everyone has pink clothes on, allowing you the perfect opportunity to ask for a donation. Make sure to post photos of your group on social media, in company emails, etc. to spread the word. Maybe your office isn’t onboard with this idea? Do this with a group of friends.
  3.  Check Meetup. Meetup is a website for people to form groups and participate in face-to-face activities. Check Meetup for breast cancer fundraising activities in your city, and get involved with your community.
  4.  Have a yard sale. Have a lot of stuff piling in your garage? With a yard sale, you can get rid of things you don’t need, make money, and forward all profits to a breast cancer organization of your choice. Plus, people are more likely to buy your stuff when you support a fantastic cause!
  5.  Create fliers. Fliers are great way to raise awareness. You can make thousands of them for just pennies, and you’ll reap the rewards in a big way. You can use fliers to show that your business or organization supports the fight against breast cancer, and you can promote upcoming awareness events, 5Ks, walks, and fundraisers.
  6.  Organize with your local Chamber of Commerce. Create partnerships with other local businesses and groups who support breast cancer. Doing so will broaden your message to a larger group of people. Referrals a great way to get people to donate.
  7.  Have a car wash. Get your neighborhood together and get the word out about a donation based car wash. Offer to wash cars for free and mention that you’re raising funds for breast cancer research. People will love the idea of having a clean car, and they’ll thank you for your commitment to raising awareness for breast cancer and donate to your cause.
  8.  Volunteer. You don’t have to start your own fundraising movement—there are many fundraising organizations out there who need help and lots of volunteers! This is something to keep in mind if you’re struggling to come up with an original breast cancer fundraising strategy, or you don’t have the time to create your own event.
  9.  Have a BBQ. Ask a local BBQ place to offer food at a significant discount in support of breast cancer. Tell them you will organize the event, and they just need to bring the grub! They’ll be able to support a good cause, you’ll raise money, and they now have new customers who have tasted their food. They get free marketing and PR for partnering with you at your event.
  10.  Create a trend. Surely you’ve seen the popular ice bucket challenge happening right now. The sensation has currently raised $44 million dollars for ALS! You can create a similar trend for breast cancer. If it catches on, you could be responsible for millions of dollars for breast cancer research!

The most important thing to keep in mind when starting a fundraiser is to take action. Someone has to get out there and get the ball rolling—it could be you.

 

Photo Credit: HowardLake

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How to Get Ready for Your 5K Race Day

August 20, 2014 by

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5K races are a great way to raise money and support causes you care about, like breast cancer research. Not only do you help non-profits financially, but you benefit from participating in a healthy and fun exercise.

If you’ve ever done a 5K, you know preparation is key to making sure the race goes smoothly and successfully. If you haven’t done a 5K before and you’re training for your first race, read below to get some helpful tips to run your best on race day.

 Prepare for your run the day before.

Before going to bed, prepare your 5K outfit and have it ready to go when you wake up. The last thing you want to have happen when you’re ready to leave for your race is to lose your lucky socks or find out that your favorite sports bra is still in the washing machine. When you wake up in the morning, you’ll likely feel some anxiety about the upcoming race. This is normal. Preparing in advance keeps you on time, even in a state of panic. The less you have to worry about, the more relaxed you’ll be.

Eat a healthy, balanced dinner the night before. It’s best to prepare something you’re used to eating so you can ensure you won’t get sick and your body will react normally. Don’t get too adventurous before your race. Make sure you’re eating substantial complex carbs in your meal so you can be properly fueled up and ready to run the next morning.

Use appropriate racing gear.

Similar to how you shouldn’t eat new food before your race – don’t do anything else that takes you out of your regular running routine. This means you don’t want to wear new shoes, new clothes, or anything else you’re not used to wearing while running.

Why?

Because running a 5K is just as much a mental activity as it is a physical one. The more you change your behaviors, the more your body won’t recognize how to optimize your peak performance. Plus – when you wear new gear for your race, you put yourself at higher risk for injury, chafing, skin irritation, and more.

Imagine you’re a racecar driver who practices the same track, day after day. After a while, you know every inch of the track, and you perform much better on it than you would a brand new track. This is how your body works. The more familiar you are with it and how it reacts to gear and your regular routine, the better.

Arrive early!

Get to your race very early so you get a good parking spot and have plenty of time to warm up before the 5K. It’s better to leave yourself enough time to run a light run than it is to arrive without free time, so you end up stretching cold muscles. Give yourself some room to jog around a little, stretch your legs, grab a snack and water, and mentally prepare for the race.

When the race starts, it’s okay to be nervous. It’s a natural reaction you’ll probably have, especially if it’s your first one. You probably also aren’t used to running around so many people at the same time. Just remember: it’s all in your head. Running is a mental race. As long as you have a great experience and get a good workout in, that’s all that matters. Relax!

Pace yourself, and have fun!

It’s important to pace yourself throughout the run. Don’t worry about being first or letting your adrenaline take over. A 5K is about stamina. You may even want to think of the first 10-15 minutes of your 5K as a warm-up. It’ll help the race go by more quickly!

As you run, breathe from your inner stomach. Doing so allows you to have deeper breaths and sustained energy. It’s important to conserve your energy for the final mile, because that’s when you will get your second wind. The finish line is your goal. When you see it, keep your eyes on it and run like a cheetah!

5K runs are both fun and beneficial to your community. Be sure to replenish your workout with a healthy carb and protein-based meal, so you can stay healthy for your next 5K – and be sure to keep spreading the word about the 5K charity, foundation, or cause you supported.

Photo Credit: jacsonquerubin

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Let Bread Be Your Friend, Not Your Foe

October 28, 2011 by

breadIn their desire to eat healthy, many people have lumped all breads and grains together and given them something of a negative reputation, which they do not deserve. This post will touch on the differences between the breads and grains you should be eating and those you should minimize.

Remember, you can eat anything you like in moderation.

We won’t tell you not to eat something, but we will suggest reducing your intake. We set ourselves up for failure when we say that we won’t eat something, because then we tend to crave it. Have a little, not a lot. Have one slice of bread instead of three, or one cup of grains instead of two. Sensible is the way to go.

Go for brown instead of white, and eat as much whole grain bread as possible.

In general, brown grains and rice are nutritionally superior. White bread and white rice have been processed, meaning they have lost some of their nutrients and fiber. The closer you can stay to the grain as it appears in nature, the better.

Whole-grain bread is better than wheat, which is better than white. To know if you have whole-grain bread, the first ingredient will contain the word whole. Sometimes wheat bread isn’t truly whole wheat—it’s mostly white bread with enough wheat added to change its color. Look at what kind of flour is used in the bread. Wild rice is healthier than brown rice, which is healthier than white.

A note about seeded breads: sometimes these are nothing more than white bread with seeds, so read the label to see which type of flour is used. And don’t let the words unbleached or enriched fool you, as they often mean processed. The key word is whole.

Check fiber content.

Bread should have at least 3 grams of fiber per slice. Less fiber means you’re not eating whole-grain bread.

Read labels.

Often, it’s not the grain that’s the issue, but the sweeteners, additives, and preservatives that have been added to the finished product. Many companies add high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils and vegetable shortening (trans fats) to baked goods, so read your labels. Some bakers now avoid using those harmful chemicals in all their products.

It’s not enough for the label to say 0 trans fats, as a food can have a small amount of trans fats and claim to be trans fat free. You need to read labels.

Eat bread with proteins and fats.

As bread is a carbohydrate, it can raise your blood sugar. Eating bread with proteins and fats, especially if you choose white bread, can somewhat blunt the rise in blood sugar. Many margarines contain trans fats, so be careful what you spread on the bread.

Have you been participating in breast cancer awareness activities this month? If so, what did you do?

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7 Ways to Celebrate Pink Sunday Wherever You Are

October 19, 2011 by

pink sundayPink Sunday is a breast-cancer awareness program sponsored by the Susan G. Komen for the Cure ® Lowcountry affiliate and takes place Sunday, October 23, 2011. Nonprofit organizations and churches will be celebrating with their own Pink Sunday events, but we thought this was such a great idea that we’d like to let everyone know about it.

A highlight of Pink Sunday is the Commitment Challenge, which simply means that by signing the Commitment form you promise your friends and family that you’ll get a mammogram this year. The form has a space for your email address, and if you choose to include it, Komen Lowcountry will send you updates.

Ideas for celebrating Pink Sunday no matter where you are include . . .

  • Wearing pink and asking others to as well.
  • Ordering or making pink pins to give to friends and family.
  • Asking others to take the Commitment Challenge with you.
  • Collecting donations for Komen Lowcountry, or asking people to make donations online at www.komenlowcountry.org.
  • Creating a Wall of Hope with names of those who have lost the breast cancer battle and names of survivors.
  • Celebrating survivors you know with a candle lighting ceremony, pink ribbons, or flowers.
  • Asking a survivor to share her story with your family or group of friends while honoring her with a special lunch or dinner.

For more ideas and the Commitment form, visit:  http://www.komenlowcountry.org/get-involved/pink-sunday/.

Do you have any ideas to celebrate Pink Sunday?

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Time for the 2011 Komen Lowcountry Race for the Cure®

October 10, 2011 by

Logo to the left taken from the Komen.org website.

The largest sequence of 5K run / walks in the world, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® Series benefits education, research, and treatment programs for breast cancer. Three-fourths of the money raised by the Lowcountry Affiliate is invested into local projects, while the remainder supports the national research programs.

The 2011 Komen Lowcountry Race for the Cure® takes place Saturday, October 15, 2011 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Daniels Island, SC. You have the option to run or walk, by yourself or as part of a team, or you can Sleep in for the Cure. Registration fees are $25 for individuals, $20 for team members, and $35 for sleepers.

The registration fee includes the official Komen Race for the Cure® t-shirt and bib. If you’re a breast cancer survivor, let the organizers know, and you’ll receive a pink survivors t-shirt, hat, and bib. Please consider participating in Zeta Tau Alpha’s Race Day Survivor Recognition Program at 8 a.m. on Race day.

Team registration is due by Friday, September 23, and team bib and shirt pickup takes place Thursday, October 6 and Friday, October 7. Online registration ends Wednesday, October 12, and in-person registration ends Race morning. Individuals may pick up shirts and bibs Friday, October 14 or Race day.

Each Race participant receives his or her own fundraising website, which can be shared by encouraging others to visit the site and donate. If each Racer raised $100 over the registration fee, the Komen Lowcountry Affiliate would raise over a million dollars.

Race day schedule is as follows:

7 a.m. Survivor Tent, Sponsor Village, and Expo open.

8 a.m. Survivor Celebration begins.

8:30 a.m. Fun Run / Walk begins.

9:15 a.m. Timed 5K Run begins.

9:20 a.m. Untimed 5K Run / Walk begins.

10 a.m. Awards Ceremony begins.

Awards are given for the following finishers in the timed race:

  • Top 3 overall male and top 3 overall female
  • Top 3 in each division
  • Top 3 overall breast cancer survivor finishers
  • Top survivor age 40–59
  • Top survivor age 60+

Volunteers are always needed, and their help is appreciated. For more information on the Race, to register, or to find out how you can help, click here.

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Lowcountry Pink for the Cure Event Starts Soon

September 28, 2011 by

pink for the cureThe Komen Lowcountry Race for the Cure® is sponsoring the Lowcountry Pink for the Cure Window Display Competition 2011 to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The group challenges local business to get creative and decorate their storefronts with the Race for the Cure’s® signature color pink.

Windows will be judged on their use of the color pink, their creativity, and their breast cancer awareness. Winners will be announced on ABC News 4 Lowcountry Live and the radio, and the grand prize-winning business will receive a live radio broadcast from their location.

Registration has begun, and all signups are due by Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 5 p.m. Windows must be decorated by Friday, September 30, 2011, and remain decorated through the Komen Lowcountry Race for the Cure® on October 15, 2011. Photos of the decorations are due Tuesday, October 4, 2011, and judges will be visiting participating businesses in person. Winners will be announced on Friday, October 14, 2011, and the radio broadcast from the grand prize winner’s location will take place.

Participants may decorate their windows any way they choose, but they must display the Race for the Cure® poster.

Local sponsors for the event include:

  • Roper St. Francis Cancer Care
  • Roper Radiologists
  • TBonz Restaurant Group
  • TBonz Gill & Grill
  • Liberty
  • Pearlz
  • Flying Fish
  • Liberty Tap Room & Grill
  • Kaminsky’s Baking Co.
  • Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse
  • Bi-Lo Charities
  • Sherwin Williams

For more information about the event, visit http://www.komenlowcountry.org/komen-race-for-the-cure/lpftc-competition/.

Is your business going to participate?

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Celebrating National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week

September 21, 2011 by
Image to the left taken from the FacingOurRisk.org website.

In the United States, at least one million people carry genes, such as the BRCA or breast cancer gene, that put them at risk for cancer. In 2010, a Congressional resolution created National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) Week.

From September 25–October 2, 2011, HBOC Week raises awareness of hereditary cancer and recognizes those affected, including those with a family history of cancer, ovarian and breast cancer survivors, and previvors, those with a high risk of cancer who have not yet developed it.

Previvor Day is Wednesday, September 28, 2011, and a free teleconference with inspirational speaker and previvor Merit Gest will be held at noon EST. This event will focus on empowering previvors to understand the complex choices they face and make decisions about their health. To register, visit http://meritgest.com/national-previvor-day-september-28-2011.html.

HBOC Week falls in the week transitioning from Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During HBOC Week, Passing the Torch Ceremonies across the country pass a ceremonial flame from an ovarian cancer survivor to a breast cancer survivor to commemorate the transition.

The group FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered) is a community dedicated to fighting hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, and it has chapters throughout the U.S. Events during HBOC Week are scheduled by local FORCE groups and can be found at http://www.facingourrisk.org/events/HBOCWeekEvents.php. This year, chapters will be sponsoring walk / runs, film screenings, conferences, discussions, and charity events.

FORCE’s website offers the latest information and research on HBOC, and features webinars, books, and movies, as well as support to hereditary cancer victims and their families. FORCE holds an annual conference and HBOC forum during the summer, and focuses on cancer advocacy, education, and peer support. Visitors to the site will find inspiring artwork and blogs, a tribute wall, and the latest news about HBOC.

For more information, or to find out how you can help, visit http://www.facingourrisk.org.

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Kicking Off Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Columbia, SC

August 29, 2011 by

breast cancer awarenessIn or near the Columbia, SC area? If so, join The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction team and other physicians and clinicians from all over South Carolina and the Green Hair Salon as we host our very own breast cancer awareness party.

During this fun-filled evening, you’ll have the opportunity to socialize with various physicians from across the state and ask questions about breast cancer, prevention, and breast reconstruction. Throughout the night, our team members, as well as other physicians, will speak about breast cancer and what you need to know to make smart, informed decisions about breast cancer.

Whether you know of someone who has faced breast cancer, or are currently fighting the battle with breast cancer, this event is for all women who are eager to educate themselves about their breast health options.

green hair salon

center for natural breast reconstruction

See below for more details on this event:

When: Monday, October 3, 2011, at 6 p.m.

Where: 2000 Park Street, Suite 104, Columbia, SC 29201

Food & Drink: Wine and cheese will be offered

Admission: FREE

RSVP appreciated, but not required: (866) 374-2627

We hope to see you there! And don’t forget, bring your questions.

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An Unforgettable Ladies’ Night: East Cooper Medical Center’s Garden Party

May 4, 2011 by

garden partyDon’t miss the East Cooper Medical Center’s exciting Garden Party Event happening Thursday, May 12 from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. This wonderful event will take place in the front lobby and outdoor garden area of the East Cooper Medical Center, and will feature free wine tastings, cheese, appetizers, and chocolates, as well as great giveaways! In addition to yummy snacks and beverages, guests will also enjoy live music in the garden, a unique “Peace, Love, & Hip Hop” exercise performance, maternity floor tours, and will have the chance to enter to win great giveaways.

Event attendees will also have the opportunity to listen to 12 informational talks given by local doctors and health professionals and ask questions pertaining to healthcare. In fact, one of the information talks will be given by The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction’s Dr. James Craigie and Dr. Richard Kline on Flappers Do the Charleston: The Free Flap Breast Reconstruction Method.

Some of the other talk topics of the night include:

  • How to Talk to Your Teenagers
  • Breast Screening and Diagnosis: It Could Save Your Life
  • Shining Light Where the Sun Don’t Shine: From Hemorrhoids to Colon Cancer
  • Face Lifts: Rejuvenate Your Look
  • And more!

The address of the event is East Cooper Medical Center Lobby & Garden, 2000 Hospital Drive, Mount Pleasant, SC.

Women are encouraged to register for this event so that the East Cooper Medical Center can purchase enough food and wine for all attendees to enjoy! To register for this free event, please call 843-884-7031.

All women are invited to this event, so share this post with your mothers, sisters, aunts, best friends, and grandmothers. We hope to see you there!

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