Frequently Asked Questions
Walk for Hope Basics
- What is Walk for Hope?
Walk for Hope is a national series of live and virtual fundraising walks that benefit the women's cancer research, treatment and educational programs at City of Hope. Walk for Hope is not just a walk, it is a movement. It is a movement to come together to end all women's cancers once and for all. By coming together and using our resources to fundraise for this great cause, we can make the dream of one day living in a cancer-free world more of a reality. Not just a reality for all women, but for the spouses, brothers, sons, and friends that are all affected by these terrible cancers.
- What is City of Hope?
City of Hope is one of only 40 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers nationwide and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. An independent biomedical research, treatment and educational institution, City of Hope is a leader in the fight to conquer cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases.
On the park-like campus just northeast of Los Angeles, City of Hope researchers advance ideas into discoveries, physicians bring emerging therapies to patients, and students learn to transform the landscape of modern medicine – all supported by the generosity of philanthropists from across the country.
Every day City of Hope staff pursue new and better ways to improve the lives of men, women and children here and around the world – and have for almost 100 years. Click here to learn even more about City of Hope.
- What are the locations and dates for Walk for Hope?
Click here to view all locations and dates.
- Why is the Walk for Hope color purple?
We chose purple as our official Walk for Hope color because purple is representative of all women's cancers. As we expand our demographic to help more women, we look to purple as representative of all women who have been affected by breast and gynecological cancers. Purple is a powerful yet feminine color that we believe defines our survivors and their families. We are proud to call purple our color.
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Registration and Teams
- How do I register?
Click here to choose your Walk for Hope location. This is the fastest and easiest way to register AND begin your fundraising today. To register by mail, please contact your regional Walk for Hope office.
- I am having trouble with my online registration. How can I get help?
If you have any problems registering, please contact your regional Walk for Hope office.
- How do I join a team?
Click here to select which team you want to join from the list of existing teams. If you are registering by mail or fax you will need to write in the name of the team where it is indicated on your registration form. Please note, when registering offline, if you do not write the exact name of the team you wish to join, you may not end up on the correct team. Please be sure to write in the team name correctly.
- What is a Virtual Walker?
This year, Walk for Hope in San Francisco and Chicago have all gone completely virtual. All other locations also have a Virtual Walk option. Participants can register for any of these events regardless of where they live.
Participants still raise funds for women’s cancers research treatment and education just like in past years. But instead of participating in a one-day walk event, you choose your fitness goal, and when and where to complete your walk.
- You set your fundraising goal and your mileage. As in years past, you will have a personal fundraising page at walk4hope.org where you can send your family and friends to donate to you or join your team.
- You choose when and where to walk. Walk with family, friends or even your pets. Walk around your neighborhood or pick your favorite trail, track or park. You can even split the miles up over multiple days. After all, our scientists have shown that regular exercise can reduce cancer risk and lengthen lives for many women with the disease.
- Every dollar counts. Every mile counts. No goal is too small. Every dollar helps speed up research that brings us closer to the day when women’s cancers are a thing of the past.
- Is my registration fee tax-deductible?
Registration fees are not tax-deductible. The registration fee is used to offset the cost of producing the event and is not considered a donation. Registration fees are not included in individual participant fundraising totals. Registration fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable.
- What do I do after I register?
Once you have registered, please log in to your Participant Center and begin your fundraising. We encourage all Walkers to set a goal of raising at least $150 in support of women's cancers. It may seem like a lot of money as a single sum but if you can get 15 friends to contribute $10 each you will have reached your goal! Small donations add up fast! The best advice we can give you for fundraising is to start early and keep asking.
- Do children need to register in order to attend?
Yes all participants must be registered. However, any child that is young enough to be in a stroller (or age 2 and under in Phoenix) does not need to register.
- Can my team have more than one team captain?
Yes our new online fundraising system allows up to two captains per team. Please contact your regional Walk for Hope office for assistance.
- Can I change the team captain?
Yes. Please contact your regional Walk for Hope office for assistance.
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Fundraising and Donations
- Is there a minimum fundraising requirement?
No, there is no fundraising minimum requirement to participate in Walk for Hope. We strongly encourage all participants to raise at least $150. If you are interested in receiving more materials and tips on successful fundraising, please contact your regional Walk for Hope office. We would be more than happy to help you help us!
- Are donations tax-deductible?
All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please work with your tax professional to determine eligible deductions.
- How can I make an online donation?
To make a donation, please select a location and then click on the Donate link on the location's homepage. You'll be prompted to enter the name of the walker you wish to support and you will be directed to their fundraising page to make a donation.
- Do you accept donations by check?
Yes. To ensure that donations are applied to the correct walker, offline donations should be sent with a donation form. This donation form can be downloaded from the personal fundraising page of the participant you are supporting (click here to search for a participant). All offline donations should be made payable to City of Hope and mailed to the address on the form.
- How long does it take for donations to be posted to my Personal Page?
Credit card donations made via the website are posted immediately. Check and/or credit card donations sent in through the mail will take up to two weeks to post to your Personal Page. Any donation made on the day of the Walk can take up to one month to post.
- Can I submit donations in cash?
Please do not send cash in the mail. If you receive cash donations, you may write a check or purchase a money order to submit the donation. Please be sure to tell us the name of the donor by filling out a donation tracking form to send along with the donation.
Walkers participating in a local (non-virtual) location may turn in cash donations on event day at designated drop off spots on event day.
- What is a matching gift?
Many companies have employee matching gift programs. These companies will match the donations made by their employees to a nonprofit organization. Please click here to see a list of companies that have matching gift programs. If your company is not listed, we encourage you to inquire at work. Please note, that matching gifts can only be counted toward incentive prize fundraising totals if they are received within 30 days following the event.
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Your Personal Page
- What is the Participant Center?
Your Participant Center is an online tool to help you with your year-round fundraising efforts. All registered participants have access to their own Participant Center. You log in at www.walk4hope.org with your username and password. In the Participant Center you will have access to tools to keep track of your donations, customize your personal fundraising page and send emails to donors and team members. Team captains also will have access to their Team Page from the Participant Center. Log in today to get started! If you have any questions about how to access or best use the tools in the Participant Center, please call your regional Walk for Hope office for assistance.
- What is a Personal Page?
Your Personal Page is a Web page dedicated to you and your year-round fundraising efforts. Your friends, family and co-workers can visit this Web page to donate to you online or to print out a donation form to mail in a check. This Web page is automatically created for you once you are registered. There is default content on the page about Walk for Hope. We strongly encourage participants to customize their Personal Page to tell visitors why you are joining Walk for Hope and raising money to fight women’s cancers. You can add pictures of the person you walk in honor of or a picture of your team. You can also write a message about your reasons for walking — perhaps a tribute to the person you honor by walking.
- How will people find my Personal Page?
If you send an email from your Participant Center, a link to your Personal Page will automatically be there at the bottom of the email that will take donors directly to your Personal Page. Donors can also find your Personal Page by clicking on the “Donate to a Walker” button on the homepage of the Walk for Hope location that you are supporting. They can then search for you by name or by your team's name.
- How do I send an email asking for donations from my Participant Center?
Participants can log in to the Participant Center and click on “Email”. Then click on “Contacts” to choose who you would like to email. You will then have the option of emailing particular members of your team or your entire team. You also have the option of customizing your emails with various fonts and colors. We also have suggested letter templates for you to use when emailing your team, friends and family.
- How can I upload my own photo to my Personal Page or Team Page?
In order to upload your own photo onto your Personal Page you must first have the picture saved on your computer as a .jpg file. Log in to your Participant Center and click on “Personal Page”. Then click on the link that says “Photos/Video”. Next, click on the “Browse” button below the photo. Please select the photo you wish to upload from your computer files and click “Open”. Click on "Save/Upload" and your photo will appear. If you experience any trouble with uploading your photo, please contact your regional Walk for Hope office. Team captains can update the photo on the Team Page. Click on “Team Page” from the Participant Center first and then follow the same steps.
- How do I change my fundraising goal?
Log in to your Participant Center and locate your current goal at the top of the page. Click on “Change” to change your goal to the amount you wish to raise to fight women’s cancers.
- Can I change my team name?
Only Team captains can change the name of the team. Team captains can log in to their Participant Center and click on “Team Page”. On the upper righthand side of the page, there is the option to change your team name and resave.
- How can I see who is on my team?
Participants can log in to the Participant Center, click on “Team Progress” and then “View Team Roster”.
- Can I email my team?
Team captains can log in to the Participant Center and click on “Email”. Then click on “contacts” to choose who you would like to email. You will have the option of emailing particular team members, your entire team, or adding new contacts to your email list. You also have the option of customizing your emails with various fonts and colors. We also have suggested letter templates for you to use when emailing your team, friends and family. There is also a “Send Email” link on the upper right hand side of the home page of your Participant Center.
- What do I do if I forget my username and/or password?
Your username and password are emailed to you when you register if you provided an email address during registration. If you have tried to log in and cannot remember your username or password, use the email reminder. If you did not provide an email during registration, please call your regional Walk for Hope office for assistance.
- How will I know who donated to me? Can I send them a thank you note?
Log in to your Participant Center and click on “Progress”. There is a list of your donors with their email address (if provided), the amount of the donation, the date of the donation and a link to find out more about the donation. Click on the donor’s name and you will be prompted to send a thank you email for his or her kind donation.
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Event Day (not applicable to Virtual Walk for Hope participants)
- Can I come to the event to cheer on family and friends even if I am not walking?
Yes, we encourage everyone to come out to Walk for Hope in support of their family and friends that are walking for women's cancers. Everyone that does attend Walk for Hope – whether to walk the route or to be a cheerleader – does need to register and pay the registration fee. The registration fee is an event fee as there are costs to having each and every person at the venue.
- How can I volunteer?
To volunteer please click here to find out more about volunteering for a Walk for Hope near you.
- Is the event wheelchair accessible?
Yes, all Walk for Hope venues will be wheelchair accessible, but not all Walk routes are. Please contact your regional Walk for Hope office with any specific questions or concerns you may have about the venue.
- Can I register on event day?
Yes, we accept event day registrations although the registration fee is higher for walkers who register on event day. Please visit the homepage of the location where you plan to walk for specific details about registration fees. Anyone planning on registering on event day should arrive earlier to allow plenty of time to complete the process before the event begins.
We strongly encourage walkers to register in advance of event day so that they have plenty of time to fundraise. Walkers may also continue to fundraise for 30 days following the event.
- What should I wear for Walk for Hope?
We recommend comfortable workout clothing. You may need to dress in layers as it can be cool in the morning and warmer as the day progresses. A good pair of running or walking shoes is also recommended. It is also a good idea to protect your skin from the sun. Please wear a hat with a brim, sunscreen and a pair of sunglasses. Also, please be sure to check the weather before the Walk. Walk for Hope goes on rain or shine.
- What time is the Walk?
Please visit the homepage of the location you are attending for the schedule for the day.
- Where do I park?
Please visit the homepage of the location you are attending for maps and specific parking instructions.
- Can I turn in donations at Walk for Hope?
Yes, you can turn in donations on event day. Please have your donations organized so we can easily identify who the donor is and properly credit you for your efforts. Please look for the registration area or a donation drop off area at the event to turn in the donations. Fill out a donation tracking form ahead of time.
- How do I get my Walk for Hope T-shirt?
Each Walk for Hope has its own T-shirt pickup policy. Please visit the event details page of the Walk for Hope location you are attending. All the details for the T-shirt pickup process will be listed as they become available. Please note T-shirts are available to all registered Walkers on a first-come, first-served basis and size preference is not guaranteed. We order our T-shirts months in advance of the event in bulk for all Walk locations to keep costs low. We are not able to special order based on current registrations. We use the information gathered from the previous year’s Walk to place our order.
- Can I be a Walk for Hope corporate sponsor or have an exhibitor booth?
If you are interested in becoming a Walk for Hope sponsor or having a booth at Walk for Hope, please contact the regional Walk for Hope office for the Walk you wish to participate in.
- What if I misplace my bib prior to the Walk?
Please feel free to contact a Walk for Hope representative from your regional Walk for Hope office to obtain a new Walk for Hope bib.
- Can I bring my dog to the Walk?
Please contact your regional Walk for Hope office for more information on whether your dog can walk with you. Certain Walk for Hope venues do not permit dogs. All Walk for Hope venues permit service animals.
- Will there be refreshments and food at the event?
Yes, there will be water and snacks available to all walkers at the event, in addition to food sampling opportunities in the Expo area. We recommend you eat a hearty breakfast prior to Walk for Hope so you have plenty of energy for the day’s activities.
- Will there be restrooms available at Walk for Hope?
Yes, there will be restrooms at the event venue.
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About City of Hope
Ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” in cancer by U.S.News & World Report,
City of Hope is recognized worldwide for its compassionate patient care, innovative science and translational research, which rapidly turns laboratory breakthroughs into promising new therapies. Learn more >>
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