Because it does not receive government funding, Cancer Council Queensland receives donations from the Queensland public, through bequests and fundraising events.
Its original purpose was to purchase medical equipment for the Queensland Radium Institute, a part of the state health department.
On 1 May 2007, the Queensland Cancer Fund was renamed to Cancer Council Queensland and adopted the daffodil, the international symbol of hope, as its logo.
It replaced the caduceus, a staff with an entwined snake, which was its original logo.
The name change more closely aligned the organisation with other states and territories of Australia, all of which have an anti-cancer organisation named Cancer Council, all of which are members of Cancer Council Australia.