Taking a month off the booze can leave people feeling healthier, better rested, more mentally agile and generally quite rightly proud of themselves.

But for many Australians, a month of abstinence also leaves them feeling quite philanthropic.

More than 300,000 Australians have taken part in Dry July over the past 15 years after the charitable foundation was set up, suitably, over a couple of frosty ones in a pub.

Three mates decided to get sponsored to give up drinking for the month to raise $3000 to buy their local cancer clinic a new TV for their waiting room.

But the campaign snowballed and in their first year they raised a quarter of a million dollars.

To date, Dry July has raised some $82 million.

The money is spent on invaluable services for cancer patients, their families and carers - everything from transporting them to vital appointments, guidance from a specialist nurse, connection to information and access to therapy programs or a bed close to treatment. Not to mention a few waiting room TVs.

Not bad for a low-cost, low-effort fundraising option that aims to improve the lives of beneficiaries and participants.

"It really is that win-win," Dry July CEO Katie Evans told AAP.

"You're getting something out of it, you're getting healthy, and people are feeling the personal health benefits, but they're able to raise money for people affected by cancer at the same time.

"It's a two-pronged benefit."

Participants have given feedback about the sense of achievement they feel at completing their own personal challenge while knowing they've also helped people.

"You're held accountable on your profile page. You put the word out to your friends and family and you have to stay true to the challenge," Ms Evans said.

"If people were considering taking a break off alcohol, doing it with Dry July is a great way to stay motivated and stay on track."

Cancer is so prevalent most people would know somebody affected by it, so the tangibility of seeing their charity dollars spent on services that mean so much to so many makes the Dry July charity a popular choice.

Cancer wasn't really on Lee Strong's radar until a few years ago when her mother died from a brain tumour.

Two weeks before her mother's death, Mrs Strong's sister Heather was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 39.

All of a sudden, cancer was playing a big part in their lives, as the sisters grappled with grief and parenting young children and Heather battled illness, endless surgeries and treatments, remissions and relapses.

"I've felt so helpless through the whole thing, even though I've supported her where I could," Mrs Strong tells AAP.

"I know, she's thankful for that, but I just feel that I haven't really done much. I feel like (Dry July) is really one of the only things that I could do."

Mrs Strong was hoping to raise $500, which she wanted to go towards paying for McGrath Foundation breast care nurses, who were a "godsend" for her sister.

At last count, she's raised more than $3500.

"People are just amazing and generous. And obviously, cancer affects lots of people," Mrs Strong said, although she does wonder how much she'll miss the occasional glass of wine.

"I'm overthinking it because I do like the odd one or two," Strong admits.

"But I think it's good for me because it's going to let me reassess my relationship with alcohol.

"And I think my dependence on it probably isn't as big as I believe it is."