Perhaps you’re an avid rock climber, knitter or have long dreamed of trekking one of Australia’s premier hikes. A Shine a Light DIY community fundraiser lets you create a unique event while doing something you love or find interesting.
Lung Foundation Australia’s Community Fundraising Specialist William Ho says Shine a Light DIY fundraising is one of the most powerful ways supporters can come together to drive real change.
“They give supporters the freedom to create something deeply personal, an event that reflects their story, honours their loved ones, and invites their community to rally in a meaningful way,” he says.
“These authentic, heartfelt moments of generosity and support are often where we see the most incredible impact—not just in funds raised, but in the awareness built and hope inspired for all those impacted by lung cancer.”
We spoke to a few Lung Foundation Australia fundraisers about events they’ve created and hosted in their own communities.
Pat and Tania – Trivia night
Pat and Tania, both living with lung cancer, have become firm friends from hosting their evolving DIY fundraiser together.
Tania initially hosted a Shine a Light community walk and Pat heard about it on the radio before volunteering to help run a community event. Now a few years down the track the dynamic duo (along with the help of family and friends) have switched tack hosting a trivia night so successful they’ve already put out a date claimer for 2026.
“This year we set ourselves the goal to raise $10,000 for Lung Foundation Australia and we’ve come in at around $16,200,” Tania shares.
“We’ve already had locals asking us if they can donate items for our auction or raffle next year.”
For someone considering hosting their own DIY fundraiser for Lung Foundation Australia, Pat and Tania suggest something that is fun and encourages people to enjoy themselves.
“People like to go out and have a good time, laugh. You can still let people know the seriousness of why we’re fundraising,” Pat says.
Steph – The most wuthering heights day ever
Steph raises money for Lung Foundation Australia in honour of her husband Chris. Chris was diagnosed with lung cancer and sadly passed away in 2021.
It was during Chris’s time living with lung cancer that Steph followed Lung Foundation Australia on Facebook and discovered it offered her valuable information and guidance.
After Chris passed away, Steph’s friend Hazel mentioned there was a Kate Bush Wuthering Heights Day cancer fundraiser in Bunbury.
“Hazel and I have always liked Kate Bush’s music and when we heard there was a whole event around it, we couldn’t get in the car quickly enough,” she says.
“We loved the wonderful vibe at the event and meeting all the other Cathy/Kates for a good cause.”
It was this event that sparked Steph’s own inspiration to organize her own Wuthering Heights Day fundraiser in her and Chris’s old neighbourhood Guildford for the following year.
“We held the first event in 2023 and started fundraising for Lung Foundation Australia and in honour of Chris.
“We didn’t know if 10 or 100 Kates would show up but Hazel and I wanted to do something to raise awareness about lung cancer and lung disease in general.”
The event has grown each year and Steph says the highlight is seeing people from all walks of life come to celebrate.
“If you’re thinking of hosting an event like ours to raise funds for Lung Foundation Australia I would say reach out to them. It is made so much easier with their support and knowing you are doing something for such a great cause.”
Simon – 1,000,000 steps for lung cancer
After losing his father to lung cancer and learning that his sister-in-law was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, Simon wanted to embark on a journey in honour of both his loved ones. And what better journey than one of the world’s most iconic pilgrimages, the Camino de Santiago.
The 800km trail through Spain had been on Simon’s bucket list for years. But this year, he felt especially motivated to complete it, emboldened with a higher purpose.
“When my gorgeous sister-in-law, Tracey, was diagnosed with lung cancer, the pilgrimage suddenly made perfect sense,” he says.
“Walking in the heat of the Spanish summer, doing 30 kilometres a day, sometimes even 40 kilometres, it was definitely one of the most challenging experiences in my life. But it was also one of the most incredible.”
Along the way, Simon was met with a groundswell of support. From people sharing stories of their experiences with lung cancer to fellow pilgrims donating to his Shine a Light fundraiser, Simon was overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers.
One of the milestone moments of the trail is the summit to Cruz de Ferro, where pilgrims leave behind a stone they had been carrying up until that point to symbolise the unburdening of troubles. Simon collected his stones from Palm Beach on the Gold Coast and dedicated a stone to Tracey and another to his wife and daughters.
Facetiming Tracey from the summit, Simon says, “we both got a bit emotional. It felt incredibly meaningful to take part in such a spiritual tradition. I think Tracey felt proud to be part of the Camino.”
Tracey is in a stable condition now thanks to the advancements in treatment and care for lung cancer patients over the past decade. Simon’s father wasn’t so lucky.
“13 years ago, there wasn’t a lot of hope after a lung cancer diagnosis. There was no real treatment, and dad struggled for 15 months with his terminal diagnosis.”
“But Tracey is able to live well with lung cancer. She still works, she’s moving house next year, she’s leading her life with purpose.”
After 34 days and 1.2 million steps, Simon has raised over $14,000 for Shine a Light, almost tripling his original goal of $5,000.
“Shine a Light is an opportunity to raise vital funds for life-changing research and support services that directly benefit people like my sister-in-law. If it can prevent a family from going through what Tracey has been through, then that’s fantastic.”
Got an idea?
If you’re inspired to raise funds for lungs like Pat, Tania and Steph, you can create your own fundraiser here.
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