do what you want

Three Cayman Islands moms ran a half marathon to raise money for children’s cancer research in honor of Hannah, a 6-year-old girl battling medulloblastoma. Start your own fundraiser to help kids with cancer!

There are two things you should know about me: I’m not a morning person and I’m not a runner.

As the mother of two young children who are not the world’s greatest sleepers, it feels deeply counter-intuitive to struggle from my duvet during the hours of darkness when I’m not being beckoned from my sleep by a small, distressed voice.

And running — well, it’s hard work, isn’t it? Particularly when it’s 80 degrees at 5 a.m. and the humidity makes it feel closer to 95.

So, it would take something pretty big to will me from my king-size slumber and run.

It was. I met a child with cancer.

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Judy, mom to Ambassador Alan, explains how she turned a simple game into a fundraiser for childhood cancer research.

I had an epiphany last fall. I was at a fundraising gala and started chatting with the people sitting at our table, asking them what brought them out that night. I expected to hear about their child, or a child that was dear to them. In fact, over half our table came because they were on the restaurant’s email list, with no connection to the nonprofit we were supporting that night. A great dinner and a good cause to boot — what’s not to like?

My conclusion was that the way to boost your fundraising is to reach beyond your constituency, beyond the people who have a vested interest in fighting childhood cancer. So, to mark the first anniversary of Alan’s passing, two groups of friends held Bunco events to raise money for Alan’s Hero Fund. This would be our first event since the announcement that Alan was one of the five St. Baldrick’s Ambassadors for 2014, and we would be unveiling the banner with his picture. It would also be our first event for the Hero Fund in 2014 and a good start to a new fundraising year.

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Start a Do What You Want fundraiser and help cure childhood cancer!

Sometimes being a superhero doesn’t have anything to do with a cape. Everyday superheroes seem to be changing the world without them.

Superman Sam Sommer showed us all what a true superhero looks like. In 2012, Sam was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. This past November, at 8 years old, Sam lost his battle with leukemia — but not before proving that he did indeed have super powers.

Super Power 1: The Power to Bring People Together

Not only did Superman Sam rally more than 50 Reform Rabbis to shave their heads in support of St. Baldrick’s, but his powers reached all the way to West Coast Party, our biennial three-day retreat for teens from all over the West Coast.

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Add a fundraiser to your team or event and surpass your fundraising goal even faster! (Not a St. Baldrick’s participant? Get involved!)

A Do What You Want fundraiser can be just about anything: a hula-hoop contest, a walkathon, a bake sale…get creative!

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Celebrate a big game with a Do What You Want tailgate fundraiser.

In the town of Kirkwood, Missouri, high school football is a pretty big thing. Especially when the home team happens to be the reigning state champion. You just know it’s gonna be an exciting season!

Lisa Schmitz, a long time volunteer and supporter of St. Baldrick’s, knew that and wasted no time organizing a Do What You Want fundraiser for the Kirkwood High School home game.

Her plan? A tailgate party in the parking lot selling food and drinks to hungry football fans. She would promote it through the school as well as throughout the community. It was simple, easy, and she could get the food and drinks donated.

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At Avery’s fifth birthday party, she wasn’t frantically opening present after present, surrounded by friends crowding in to see yet another Barbie beneath the colorful wrapping.

Instead, she and her friends were coloring cards and making presents for two children battling cancer — kids she had never met, but whom she had decided, all on her own, that she wanted to help.

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How can you use your love for photography to fundraise for childhood cancer research? Start a Do What You Want fundraiser with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation!

Photo booths are all the rage right now, and it’s a simple way to raise money and awareness for childhood cancer research. Last month, Susan Heard held her own Do What You Want fundraiser called Flashes of Gold in honor of her son, David, who has passed away from childhood cancer.

This fundraiser helped meet two criteria on David’s final bucket list: fund cures and embrace life!

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