Children's Cancer Research Fund - Website Redesign & Digital Growth

When I joined Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF) in 2016, I walked into an organization with a powerful mission but a digital presence that wasn’t living up to its potential. At the time, our website was more of an encyclopedia for cancer information than a tool for storytelling or engagement. It was static HTML—outdated, clunky, and difficult to manage without a CMS. To make matters worse, we were using an outdated fundraising platform that limited our ability to grow online revenue. Visitor engagement was low, and our online donations reflected that reality. It was clear that we needed to reimagine not just the website, but how we connected with people.

Redesigning with Purpose

The redesign planning began with a question: How can we make our website a place that inspires action?

I chose WordPress as our CMS for its flexibility and ease of use. Then, I got to work designing a new site from the ground up. Every decision—from user experience to visual design—centered on telling stories that resonated. Instead of outdated statistics and static pages, the new site became a dynamic hub for real stories from families impacted by childhood cancer. I worked directly with these families, helping them share their journeys and inviting them to be part of our mission.

To address the limitations of our outdated fundraising platform, I transitioned the organization to FundraiseUp. This new platform provided modern tools that significantly improved the donor experience and allowed us to optimize for conversions. The combination of a redesigned website and a powerful fundraising platform set the stage for exponential growth.

The transformation didn’t stop at content. I implemented robust analytics and conversion tracking to measure our impact and optimize donor journeys. We integrated the site with our CRM and FundraiseUp, ensuring a seamless experience for both donors and our internal team. By the time we launched in 2017, CCRF had a website that didn’t just look better—it worked harder.

A Culture Shift Toward Digital

Beyond the website, CCRF was still heavily focused on traditional marketing. I saw an opportunity to expand our reach by investing in email marketing and paid media. Building out these channels was uncharted territory for the organization, but it was a challenge I was ready to tackle.

I started with email. By refining our messaging and segmenting our audience, I turned one-time donors into loyal supporters. At the same time, I launched our first paid media campaigns. These campaigns focused on reaching new audiences with compelling stories, driving both awareness and donations.

Leadership as Marketing Strategist

In 2019, I was promoted to Marketing Strategist. In this role, I became a leader within the organization, meeting with every department to understand their goals and creating campaigns that leveraged technology to achieve them. I led organization-wide planning sessions and collaborated directly with other leaders to align strategies across departments.

Continuing Growth as Marketing Manager

My success as Marketing Strategist led to another promotion—Marketing Manager. With this role, I took on direct reports and expanded my responsibilities. In addition to continuing my work on email marketing, paid media, and digital growth, I oversaw our social media efforts and much of our copywriting. I worked to ensure our messaging was consistent, impactful, and aligned with the mission of CCRF.

The Results

The impact of these efforts was transformative:

• Annual online revenue quadrupled, growing from $300,000 to $1.2 million.

• Monthly sustaining gifts increased from less than $10,000 to over $40,000.

• The website became a hub for engagement, with measurable improvements in traffic, time spent on page, and conversions.

Why This Work Matters

Looking back, the success of CCRF’s digital transformation wasn’t just about the numbers—though they were impressive. It was about building something meaningful. We created a space where families felt seen and supported, and where donors could see the tangible impact of their generosity.

This experience taught me that growth comes from the intersection of strategy and heart. When you lead with empathy and back it up with smart, data-driven decisions, the results can be extraordinary.