Any excuse to get together with friends is a good one, right? What about doing it for a good cause?

The Canadian Cancer Society Ontario has launched Girl's Night In where you bring your friends together for a good cause. In lieu of going out and spending money on dinner, drinks, movie tickets and taxis, host your pals at your place and ask them to bring a cash donation in the amount they would have spent for the night out and donate it to the Cancer Society.

Even if you don't know anyone affected by cancer, consider this:

In 2009, an estimated 12,050 women in Ontario are expected to be diagnosed with breast, uterine, ovarian and cervical cancers. The Girls Night In fundraising initiative aims to reduce this number by funding leading-edge research and creating awareness about cancers that affect women.

Through the support of generous donors, the Canadian Cancer Society is able to fund leading-edge cancer research that has led to new methods of early detection and advances in treatment that will improve the quality of life of women living with cancer.

In conjunction with the launch of the Girls Night In fundraising initiative, a new website www.GirlsNightInForCancer.ca makes it easy to host a Girls Night In with online event registration, a downloadable host kit, party theme ideas and e-vites. The site features an online community for hosts and a photo and video gallery. There is also a link to the Canadian Cancer Society’s e-boutique where women can buy Canadian Cancer Society and Girls Night In merchandise to further support the program’s fundraising efforts.

The site also offers information on breast, uterine, ovarian and cervical cancers and highlights research progress on cancers that affect women.

Women interested in hosting a Girls Night In or finding out more about the initiative should visit www.GirlsNightInForCancer.ca or contact their local Canadian Cancer Society unit office.