Paws Parade of Hope Fund

It is a virtual fundraising event with a huge online auction, memory paws, and a pet contest to honor our pets for their healing presence in our life. Reels continue to run all year with our sponsors, pet contestants and memory paws. Susan Gee,
President of Cancer Fighters, started the “Paws Parade of Hope” fundraiser in 2007. She was inspired to do this after her close childhood friend, Linda, was diagnosed with cancer and was given virtually no hope to recover. While Linda was recovering, she found great comfort in the friendship that Susan’s Yorkie, “Gidget”, provided to her, and felt that this dog’s love contributed greatly to her healing.

After Linda regained her health, Susan and Linda started a Cancer Fighters Chapter in Green Bay in 2006. They wanted to give back to the community and to inspire others with Linda’s story of hope and healing. Because she was moved by the relationship between Gidget and Linda, Susan, with her Yorkie, Chyna as inspiration, started the “Paws
Parade of Hope” fundraiser. The event is held to honor our pets for their therapeutic and healing presence in our lives, and more importantly, in the lives of people battling catastrophic illness. Linda sadly passed away on 11/20/23 at the age of 69 but was blessed with 22 more years than she was told in 2001. Cancer Fighters partnered with Community Benefit Tree in 2010 to start the Paws Parade of Hope Impact Fund that administers the funds to help with financial support for families struggling with cancer along with supporting them with education, resources, emotional support and fundraising.