Ending Cancer in All 50 States: A Donation Challenge
Audaxity begins with one bold and unifying mission: to end cancer. By funding groundbreaking research at the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center, we bring together riders and supporters, researchers and doctors, families and patients—united in one purpose.
With 100% of every dollar raised going directly to cancer research, every moment counts in fueling the next lifesaving discovery. The MCW Cancer Center is a national leader, with an expansive research network and a team of globally renowned scientists whose breakthroughs are shaping cancer outcomes around the world.
As the inaugural Managing Director for Audaxity, it was important to me to lead by example. To set the tone for fundraising, I set a personal challenge: collect at least one donation from every state. My initial goal? Raise $1,000 through this 50-state effort—and see how quickly I could do it.
I started with a simple list of all 50 states and jotted down contacts who might help. Some states were easy wins—my home state of Wisconsin, of course, and neighboring Iowa and Minnesota. Using the messaging tool on my Audaxity fundraising page, I wrote personalized emails to send to people in each state where I had contacts.
The tool made it easy: copy, customize, add recipients, and send. Each email sparked a conversation—and often, a donation. With every contribution, I got a notification and sent a personal thank-you through the platform, which also tracked who had been acknowledged.
In the first day, I reached out to my personal contacts in Idaho, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Colorado, and saw support coming in from across the country. Seeing my fundraising thermometer rise quickly was incredibly motivating to charge ahead.
Day two brought even more momentum. I reached out to trusted friends and family in places like Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Montana. Having worked on events across the country, I also tapped into my professional network—receiving support from Oregon, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada through past colleagues.
After just three outreach sessions, totaling around 2.5 hours of time, I received donations from 28 states and surpassed my initial $1,000 goal. But something even better happened: the project created new connections. A friend in Oregon offered to reach out to people in states where I hadn’t filled in. Just a few days later, I received a donation from that friend’s family member in California. Someone I had not met, supporting a shared mission to end cancer. Another close friend shared the fundraising link with their biking friend in Arkansas who happily donated to the cause. Thanks to their generosity, two more states were checked off the list, and the team to end cancer gained more members.
Messages of support from committed donors.
For many, the idea of asking for donations can be intimidating—and that hesitation can sometimes stand in the way of saying yes to incredible opportunities like Audaxity. But I’ve found it doesn’t have to be that way. Fundraising can actually be fun. It can be meaningful, and it can help you reconnect with people you haven’t talked to in a while, and it opens doors to new relationships.
Each message becomes more than just a request for support—it becomes a story, a spark, a step toward something bigger than any of us. This 50-state challenge started as a way for me to get started on raising $1,000, but it’s turned into a ripple effect of generosity, connection, and purpose. I’ve increased my fundraising goal twice now, and the quest to fill in the states continues. 34 and counting!
If you’re not sure where to start, take it from me—just start somewhere and let the momentum carry you forward. You’ll find moving that thermometer is easier than you thought once you get going! Check out our fundraising toolkit for easy tips to get started. Keep it simple, keep it personal, and have fun with it. Bring your network into the mission. You never know who’s ready to say yes—or how far your impact can reach. After giving, a few of my donors dedicated themselves to helping me check off more states and are reaching out to their networks on my behalf!
Here’s the best part: it’s even easier, and more fun, to do the 50 States Challenge with a group. It’s a perfect team activity and a great way to bring teams together. I built my team through my personal network of donors, and now we’re tackling the challenge as a group. Seeing the map fill up is energizing and makes every donation feel like a shared win.
And hey—if you know anyone in Delaware or Rhode Island, I’d love your help checking those two states off the list! Donate here or share the link and put the name of the state in the comments when donating. Together, we’re forming the team to end cancer – all across the country.
– LB
Lauren Bennett, Audaxity Managing Director
