Characteristics of Crowdfunding Campaigns for Proton Therapy

Advanced radiation oncology techniques such as proton therapy allow more precise treatment delivery, with improved toxicity profiles; however, insurance coverage is variable. In addition to direct treatment-related costs, radiation treatment contributes to the financial toxicity of cancer treatment through indirect costs such as lodging, lost wages, and travel. GoFundMe is a leading crowdfunding platform, with one-third of donations supporting health care costs. We sought to identify characteristics of proton crowdfunding campaigns that met their fundraising goal.

GoFundMe was queried for fundraisers with keywords such as proton therapy, proton radiation from February 2024 to March 2025. Details, such as treatment site, patient demographic characteristics, and use of funds, were abstracted from the campaign website. Campaigns were considered fulfilled if they met 100% of the goal.

Six hundred ninety-nine campaigns were included in this analysis, with a median fundraising goal of $20,000 (IQR, $10,000-$40,000) and a median amount raised of $7790 (IQR, $3470-$15,418). The most common malignancies noted in campaigns were of the central nervous system (45%, 313/699), followed by head and neck (16%, 108/699). Twenty-two percent of campaigns (150/699) noted that proton therapy was not covered by insurance, which was associated with a greater likelihood of being fully funded (P = .023). Campaigns with links to additional information (hospital where proton therapy would be delivered, and external sites with information about the malignancy being treated) were also more likely to be fully funded (P = .021). On univariate analysis, pediatric beneficiaries and lack of insurance coverage for proton therapy were associated with funds raised (P ≤ .001 for both).

Crowdfunding may be a financial safety net for patients with cancer. The success of crowdfunding campaigns may be influenced by patient demographics, insurance coverage, and donor engagement.