Walk to Conquer Cancer FAQ
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Why is there a registration fee?
Whether you participate in-person or virtually, registration fees are required and non-refundable. Your registration fees help cover administrative and operational costs related to the event. This way, more of the donations raised can be used for life-saving cancer research and care.
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Why is there a fundraising minimum?
Our vision is to Conquer Cancer In Our Lifetime. It takes significant dollars to fund the breakthrough research and enhanced care initiatives at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
The minimum is put in place as a bold but achievable goal to help raise a significant amount of money for cancer research. Without this minimum, we would not be able to continue raising record-breaking amounts of money for cancer research and new standards of care for all Canadians who benefit from research at The Princess Margaret.
We deliver an event that enables our participants to challenge themselves and secure support from their friends, families and colleagues that they never thought was possible before. Walkers sign up with a commitment to make the biggest impact possible.
From the moment they register, our Walkers will have access to a full support system. Friendly Walk Coaches are available to guide participants: fundraising tips, training advice and support every step of the way!
We provide fundraising tools and resources to help our Walkers with their fundraising.
The website allows participants to access their own personal webpage where they can receive donations instantly thanks to a secured hyperlink. -
Why do you need to keep raising money for cancer research? Millions have been spent on cancer research and yet we haven’t found a cure?
To understand why there has been no single cure to cancer, the most important thing to know is that cancer is not one disease. Instead, it’s an umbrella term for more than 200 distinct diseases. Types of cancer vary considerably in their causes and the way in which they spread and are treated. The complexity of cancer means one single cure for all cancer types is unlikely. That said, thanks to decades of investment in cancer research at The Princess Margaret and centres around the world, we have made remarkable advances in technologies that have enabled us to greatly improve outcomes and quality of life for patients with cancer.
Did you know that the 5-year survival rate for Canadians with cancer has improved from 25% in the 1940s, to 64% today? Or that the female breast cancer death rate has dropped by nearly half since the mid-1980s? This progress is remarkable, and a profound reminder of how our efforts in raising funds through events like the Walk to Conquer Cancer are translating into real hope for cancer patients across the globe.
We invite you to visit our website to learn more about The Princess Margaret’s recent cancer discoveries and to see how your investments are accelerating promising advancements in cancer research and care. -
Where does the money from the Walk to Conquer Cancer go?
Each participant can decide what area of cancer they would like to support. We have many areas of research, patient care and programs that need your help. Please see the Impact section for more info.
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How does the fundraising minimum work? I really want to walk with my team again, but I preferred the no minimum requirement from the previous two years. I’m not able to raise $1,500 on my own.
We will continue to offer team based fundraising to participate. So as long as the total raised by your team equals $1,500 per person or more, you can all walk together. For example, if you are a team of 10, as long as your team has raised $15,000 together, you can all participate. Fundraising incentives will only be offered to those who individually earn them though.
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How do I donate online?
It's easy with our secure online credit card process. Click the "Donate" button at the top of this page and select the participant or team you want to donate to. Choose a donation amount and follow the instructions. It's easy with our secure online credit card process. Click the "Donate" button at the top of this page and select the participant or team you want to donate to. Choose a donation amount and follow the instructions. All donations over $15 will receive a tax receipt via email
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How do I donate by mail?
Simply visit the participant’s Personal Page and click on the ‘Donate’ button. You will then be directed to another page that will give you the option to download our donation form, print and mail your completed form in with a cheque or relevant credit card information. If preferred, you can email our team for your copy of the form: walk@thepmcf.ca.
Please include a valid email address to receive your receipt by email, otherwise, we can mail it out to you directly. Note: Please do not mail in cash donations. -
How do you keep information (like my credit card number) safe?
We make every effort to protect your personal information. The software we use for registrations and donations on our website uses industry-standard SSL encryption techniques to make sure that your credit card information, passwords, and personal information travel securely over the Internet. Credit card information is never stored in our database or our software provider's database.
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Can I receive cash donations? Do I mail in the cash?
Yes, you can absolutely receive cash donations but please do not mail the cash to us! We cannot be held responsible for cash donations that get lost in the mail. Instead, write a cheque for the donation amount and mail it in with your donation form. Just be sure to enter the donor’s information (all fields) on the donation form. You can also make the donation online using your credit card, just be sure to put the donor’s information in the required fields.
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Can I make or receive donations via traditional mail?
Yes! Just mail in your cheque donation (we cannot accept cash). Each donation must have a completed donation form that has the Participant ID Number of the Walker or Volunteer you are sponsoring. You can download a copy of the individual donation form here and team donation form here. Please make sure to mail both items to the address indicated in the upper right corner of your donation form.
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What is the Participant Centre and how do I use it?
The Participant Centre is the password protected area of the website available to you once you register. Once registered, login with your username and password to access some excellent tools which will allow you to monitor your donations, set up or edit your Personal Page, send emails to potential donors or teammates, and more!
Below is a summary of what is available to you in the Participant Centre:
My Page
Your Personal Page serves as your main communication piece to tell your story to potential donors, appeal to sponsors, and show your fundraising progress. Update your page with photos and video to let people know why you are participating. You can also change your fundraising goal and personalize your webpage URL name.
Send Emails
The E-mail Centre provides a host of e-mail templates that you can customize, or create your own, to help support your fundraising efforts.
My Contacts
Your address book allows you to add or import contacts from other e-mail programs, edit contact information, send, monitor, and track responses relating to your fundraising efforts.
My Account
Contains your user information including: ID and password.
Donation History
Donation History allows you to keep your campaign on track by monitoring the funds raised in relation to your goal, viewing donation details, re-issuing Tax Receipts and even adjusting your fundraising goal.
Follow-Ups
Follow-Ups help you track and monitor your campaign communications with handy reminders letting you know who has visited your Personal/Team page, who has donated, who you need to send a “Thank You” e-mail to, and much more. Take a look at our helpful Participant Centre Guide for more information -
How do I change my personal fundraising goal?
Are your friends and family overwhelming you with their donations? Why not increase your fundraising goal? Simply login to your Participant Centre and click on 'Donation History'. Type in your 'New Fundraising Goal' in the box and click on the 'Update Goal' button to submit your new goal