I've found that the quilts donated for fundraisers around here are rarely promoted and go for very low amounts and at the last fundraiser I went to nobody even bid on two donated quilts in the silent auction. When the organizers were cleaning up after the fundraiser, one of the men cleaning up said you might as well just toss those in the garbage and the other man said he couldn't do that, he'd just take them home and maybe his wife could figure something out to do with them. What outrage!!! I wish I would have thought quick enough to tell them I'd take them and even make a small donation for them.
A few months ago, a teacher at the school where I work was diagnosed with breast cancer (she's only 29) and was having both chemo and radiation treatment. I thought about donating to a fundraiser, but decided to make a quilt to give to her instead. I had all of her students and co-workers sign the quilt and presented it to her. The back of the quilt is my avatar. She loved it and has said many times how comforting it has been to her.
I think after reading your stories here, if the fundraiser is for a person who is very ill, I will make a quilt, but not for the fundraiser, it will be given to the person and then I will make a small donation to the fundraiser in cash. At least then I will know the quilt is being used to comfort someone.