Empowering patient groups: new fundraising guide released

When a patient organisation is just starting out, funding can feel like a daunting challenge. Without resources it is hard to organise events, share information and respond to the needs of patients and their families. To make fundraising easier, we are delighted to release a new guide, “How to raise funds for your patient group.”

A toolbox of ideas

The guide encourages organisations to mix different income streams instead of relying on just one. It explains how:

• Fundraising events such as walks, runs or awareness days bring people together and spark donations.
• Charitable gifts and grants from individuals, governments or companies can provide crucial support.
• Membership fees and legacy gifts offer a stable base of income.

Building trust with donors

Fundraising is about relationships. The guide highlights that:

• Getting to know your community and using Bladder Cancer Awareness Month in May to combine awareness and fundraising helps build momentum.
• Sharing stories and photos of your impact lets donors see the difference they make.
• Saying thank you promptly and making it easy for people to donate, online or in person, inspires confidence.

Case studies from around the world

To inspire you, the guide offers snapshots of success:

• Canada: Local bladder‑cancer walks started small and now raise nearly CA$600 000 each year.
• Australia: Anna’s Walk honours a loved one and brings communities together.
• France: A €20 annual membership fee helps Cancer Vessie France create a reliable funding base.
• United Kingdom: Fight Bladder Cancer’s “Wee Walk/Run” and celebration donations let supporters choose their own way to give.
• Sweden: The Swedish Bladder Cancer Society receives annual support from the national Cancerfonden and stresses that keeping things simple and transparent builds trust; they also seek regular individual donations for long‑term sustainability
• Spain: CANVES planned a patient day and secured multiple sponsors while keeping the focus on patients.

Why this matters

We have also developed a concise guide on creating an online community, which shows how online support groups can become a lifeline and reduce feelings of isolation. We encourage you to explore both guides and to share your fundraising stories with us at info@worldbladdercancer.org.