Cancer Lifeline

What Cancer Lifeline does

Cancer Lifeline is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1973 in Seattle, Washington by Gloria Gutkowski to address gaps in community-based emotional, informational, and financial support for cancer patients and their families. It serves cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and family members across western Washington State, with specialized programming for BIPOC communities affected by cancer and for disease-specific populations (breast, GI, lung, pancreatic, prostate, ovarian, oral/head/neck, and metastatic cancers). The organization delivers a comprehensive service portfolio including professionally facilitated support groups, experiential classes spanning creative expression, exercise and movement, nutrition, and stress reduction, free individual and family counseling, three-day immersive retreats in partnership with Harmony Hill, a Telephone Lifeline for emotional support and resource navigation, and a Patient Financial Assistance Fund that awards up to $500 to low-income patients at or below 225% of the federal poverty level.

The core operational technology is the Zoom videoconferencing platform, which enables virtual delivery of support groups, classes, and presentations and which the organization adopted as a primary channel and retained post-COVID. In-person programming is delivered at the Dorothy O'Brien Center in Seattle and at partner hospital locations across western Washington. The organization uses a multi-channel marketing approach built around its website (cancerlifeline.org), email newsletters, Facebook and Instagram, and hospital partner referrals. There is no proprietary technology platform, no mobile application, and no disclosed API or AI/ML capabilities; service delivery is human-mediated by licensed therapists, registered dietitians, and credentialed instructors.

Cancer Lifeline generates revenue through four donation and grant streams: individual donations (one-time, recurring monthly EFT, and planned/estate gifts), corporate sponsorships (Commerce Bank, Genentech, D.A. Davidson, Pathstone, ROI Technology, Mercer, Freestone Capital, Northwest Medical Specialties), foundation and tribal grants (Foster Foundation, Norcliffe Foundation, Puyallup Tribe, Gary Milgard Family Foundation, Verdant Health Commission, Harnish Foundation, Robert & Helen Hitchman Foundation, Glaser Foundation, Muckleshoot Tribe), and hospital partnership funding (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Providence Swedish, Exelixis, Multicare). Almost all programs are free to beneficiaries; 3-day retreats and 11-week group series are fee-based with scholarships available. The organization also operates Orion Center for Integrative Medicine as an adjacent subsidiary for adjunctive clinical services and has begun monetizing organizational expertise via Cancer Support Consultation Services for external organizations. The organization is governed by a 20-member Board of Directors and an approximately 28-member Advisory Council, currently operating with 1-10 employees under Interim Executive Director Barbara Green while conducting a permanent Executive Director search.

Name

Cancer Lifeline

Legal name

Cancer Lifeline

Website

https://cancerlifeline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cancer Lifeline is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1973, that delivers free cancer support services including support groups, counseling, financial assistance, retreats, and experiential classes to patients, survivors, caregivers, and families across western Washington State.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Support Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Chronic Condition Lifestyle Coaching (Non-Clinical) (HSADAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Family Aftercare) (HSABAFAI), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

Keywords

• Cancer support services
• Cancer support groups
• Counseling services
• Patient financial assistance
• Nonprofit cancer programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Cancer Lifeline is primarily funded through individual donations. The organization invites one-time gifts, recurring monthly donations via EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer), and planned giving through estate bequests. The website emphasizes that monthly recurring gifts sustain programs over time.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors including Commerce Bank, Genentech, D.A. Davidson, Pathstone, ROI Technology, Mercer, Freestone Capital, and Northwest Medical Specialties provide financial support.
3. Foundation Grants: Grant funding from foundations including Foster Foundation, Norcliffe Foundation, Puyallup Tribe, Gary Milgard Family Foundation, Verdant Health Commission, Harnish Foundation, Robert & Helen Hitchman Foundation, Glaser Foundation, and Muckleshoot Tribe.
4. Hospital Partnership Funding: Hospital partners including Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Providence Swedish, Exelixis, and Multicare provide programmatic funding and support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cancer Lifeline provides a comprehensive, free or reduced-cost portfolio of cancer support services for patients, survivors, caregivers, and family members, including professionally facilitated support groups covering specific cancer types, experiential classes in creative expression/exercise/nutrition/stress reduction, free counseling, a Patient Financial Assistance Fund, 3-day immersive retreats at Harmony Hill, and a Telephone Lifeline for emotional support and resource navigation. Services are delivered primarily online via Zoom and in-person at the Dorothy O'Brien Center and partner hospital locations across western Washington State.

Product overview

Cancer Lifeline is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of free or reduced-cost support services for individuals affected by cancer. The organization provides a portfolio of interconnected programs including professionally facilitated support groups covering 14+ cancer-specific categories (such as breast, GI, lung, pancreatic, prostate, ovarian, metastatic, BIPOC, and caregiver groups), experiential classes in creative expression, exercise/movement, nutrition, and stress reduction, a 3-day immersive cancer retreat program, a Patient Financial Assistance Fund for low-income patients, Telephone Lifeline emotional support, free counseling services, the Orion Center for Integrative Medicine for adjunctive care, and professional Cancer Support Consultation Services for organizations. The core offering is delivered primarily online via Zoom with some in-person components at partner locations throughout western Washington State.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Support Groups Professionally facilitated support groups for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and family members covering specific cancer types (breast, GI, lung, pancreatic, prostate, ovarian, oral/head/neck), general cancer, metastatic cancer, BIPOC communities, lymphedema, and caregivers.
• Experiential Classes Educational and experiential classes in creative expression, exercise and movement, nutrition, stress reduction and relaxation, and presentations and special events for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers.
• 3-Day Cancer Retreats Immersive in-person 3-day retreats at Harmony Hill providing community and wellness strategies for individuals affected by cancer.
• Patient Financial Assistance Fund Financial assistance for low-income patients in western Washington State who are actively in cancer treatment or within three months of active treatment, providing awards up to $500 to cover living expenses or unreimbursed medical expenses.
• Telephone Lifeline Emotional support hotline providing resource navigation, information about programs, and assistance with registration; available to patients, caregivers, family and friends impacted by cancer.
• Counseling Services Free individual, couples, children, families and healthcare workers counseling for those struggling with challenges of cancer diagnosis, treatment, or having a loved one with cancer.
• Orion Center for Integrative Medicine

Quantifiable outcome

• 18,000+ annual points of contact with cancer patients and caregivers

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• EvergreenHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor hospital partner providing sponsorship and hosting support groups and classes. EvergreenHealth Halvorson Cancer Center hosts Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer Support Group and other programs.
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor cancer research and treatment center partner. Hosts Proton Prostate Cancer Support Group and other programs.
• Overlake Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiCare affiliated hospital partner sponsoring caregiver support groups, yoga classes, and other programming.
• Swedish Cancer InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Seattle cancer center partner providing sponsorship and hosting programs.
• Virginia Mason Franciscan HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor healthcare system partner sponsoring numerous support groups, exercise classes, and programs including pancreatic cancer support and proton therapy support groups.
• Valley Medical Center (UW Medicine)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUW Medicine affiliated hospital partner sponsoring women's cancer support groups, chair yoga, and nutrition programs.
• St. Anne's Cancer CentersecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cancer center partner hosting programs for cancer patients.
• GenentechsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting Cancer Lifeline programs.
• Commerce BanksecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting Cancer Lifeline programs.
• Northwest Medical SpecialtiessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical specialty partner sponsoring Cancer Lifeline programs.
• Harmony HillcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 3-day cancer retreats. Cancer Lifeline partners with Harmony Hill to provide immersive in-person retreat experiences for cancer patients.
• Orion Center for Integrative MedicinesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Bonnie McGregor founded Orion Center in 2015 to provide adjunctive and supportive care services integrated with Cancer Lifeline programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Susan G. Komen: Large national breast-cancer-focused nonprofit funding patient support services, financial assistance, and education — comparable breast-cancer-specific support groups and patient financial assistance to Cancer Lifeline but at much larger single-disease scale.
• Cancer Support Community: National nonprofit operating a network of 175+ locations and a virtual platform delivering free psychosocial support, education, and healthy lifestyle programs to cancer patients — directly comparable service mix and free-of-charge model to Cancer Lifeline, but at much larger national scale.
• Livestrong Foundation: National cancer survivorship nonprofit providing emotional support navigation, fertility resources, and lifestyle programs for cancer survivors — comparable patient-navigation and survivorship focus, though a much larger national brand than Cancer Lifeline.
• American Cancer Society: The largest U.S. cancer nonprofit, providing a broad portfolio including 24/7 helpline, patient lodging, free wigs, and online support communities — overlaps heavily with Cancer Lifeline's information, emotional-support, and financial-assistance missions but at vastly larger national scope and budget.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Large national disease-specific nonprofit offering peer support, financial assistance, education, and online chats for blood cancer patients — directly comparable peer-support and financial-assistance services for cancer patients.

Direct peers

• CancerCare: National nonprofit providing free counseling, support groups, educational workshops, publications, and financial assistance to people affected by cancer. Near-identical program mix to Cancer Lifeline (emotional support, education, financial aid) with a comparable free-of-charge donor-funded model.
• Smith Center for Healing and the Arts: Small Washington, DC-based nonprofit offering cancer support groups, integrative classes (nutrition, movement, art, stress reduction), retreats, and counseling — essentially a direct functional analogue to Cancer Lifeline at similar small-nonprofit scale but in a different geography.
• Harmony Hill Cancer Retreats: Washington State retreat organization partnering with Cancer Lifeline to deliver the 3-day immersive cancer retreats — directly comparable in-person wellness retreat offering for cancer patients, and an existing operational partner.
• Gilda's Club (now part of Cancer Support Community): Community-based nonprofit offering free emotional support, healthy-lifestyle classes, and social activities for cancer patients and families in clubhouse settings — virtually identical operating model to Cancer Lifeline's Dorothy O'Brien Center.

Regional players

• Hope & Cope: Canadian nonprofit at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital offering support groups, wellness classes, and one-on-one emotional support to cancer patients — directly analogous community-hospital-anchored psychosocial support model, scaled to Canadian geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CancerLifeline
• Instagraminstagram.com/cancerlifeline
• Xx.com/cancerlifeline
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cancer-lifeline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cancer Lifeline