Kidney Cancer Association

What Kidney Cancer Association does

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit patient advocacy organization founded in 1990 by Eugene P. Schonfeld, an advanced kidney cancer patient. Headquartered in Houston, Texas (EIN 36-3719712), KCA serves the 675,000+ Americans living with kidney cancer and the estimated 81,000 newly diagnosed each year, along with their caregivers and the clinicians who treat them. Its programs are delivered free of charge and funded entirely through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, planned giving (including the Eugene P. Schonfeld Legacy Society), and event-based fundraising such as the 81K Challenge. Tiered giving circles range from monthly Cornerstones donors to President's Circle members contributing $100,000 or more.

KCA's product portfolio centers on a digital ecosystem for education, navigation, and research enablement. Core tools include a Treatment Center Finder covering 212 centers across 47 states and Washington, DC (powered by Komodo Health's AI-driven real-world data), a Clinical Trials Finder with 155 active trials sourced from clinicaltrials.gov, the Patient Navigator Program staffed by a dedicated Patient Liaison, peer mentoring and virtual support groups, and the Kidney Cancer Unfiltered podcast. Research infrastructure is delivered through partnerships rather than in-house technology: an Observational Research Platform with xCures that converts consented patient records into regulatory-grade data via AI and NLP, and a tissue donation program with pattern.org, MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Emory/Aflac focused on rare kidney cancer subtypes. The Kompass digital platform, launched in February 2026 in collaboration with Eisai, KCCure, KidneyCAN, and the National Kidney Foundation, extends this ecosystem into a multi-stakeholder branded destination.

Commercially, KCA generates no product revenue. Income derives from donations (giving circles, memorial and tribute gifts, planned giving), corporate sponsorship, and a nascent pharma data-licensing stream via xCures. The organization supplements donor funding with federal advocacy outcomes, notably Congressional restoration of $15 million for the Kidney Cancer Research Program. Distribution is digital-first through kidneycancer.org and the podcast, supported by phone-based patient liaison services and in-person education events co-hosted at leading NCI-designated cancer centers, while the annual International Kidney Cancer Symposium (IKCS) anchors clinician engagement.

Name

Kidney Cancer Association

Legal name

Kidney Cancer Association

Website

https://kidneycancer.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kidney Cancer Association is a 501(c)(3) patient advocacy nonprofit founded in 1990 that serves kidney cancer patients, caregivers, and clinicians through free education, treatment and clinical trial finders, patient navigation, peer support, and research-enabling partnerships with pharma and academic centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Patient Advocacy — Kidney Cancer Support Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Patient Advocacy, Navigation & Access to Care (BPAGACAH), Hospitals, Clinics & Charitable Healthcare Providers (BPAGACAB)

Keywords

• Patient advocacy services
• Cancer research funding
• Patient education resources
• Clinical trial navigation
• Nonprofit health support

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaverton

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. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 36-3719712), KCA generates revenue primarily through donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and foundations. The organization operates giving circles (Cornerstones monthly donors, Champions at $1,000+, Innovators at $10,000+, President's Circle at $100,000+), memorial and tribute gifts, and planned giving through estate planning tools. The website explicitly states that 100% of donated dollars fund kidney cancer research and patient programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Kidney Cancer Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit patient advocacy organization that delivers free education, navigation, peer support, and research resources to kidney cancer patients, caregivers, and clinicians. Its offerings include a Treatment Center Finder (47 states + DC, 212 centers), a Clinical Trial Finder (155 trials), a Patient Navigator Program, support groups, peer mentoring, caregiver resources, the Kidney Cancer Unfiltered podcast, and research-enablement platforms (xCures observational research and pattern.org tissue donation) funded entirely through donations.

Product overview

The Kidney Cancer Association (KCA) operates as a nonprofit patient advocacy organization offering a comprehensive digital ecosystem of educational, supportive, and research-oriented products and services for kidney cancer patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. The core portfolio includes the Kompass Digital Platform for patient support, Treatment Center Finder and Clinical Trials Finder tools for navigating care options, the Patient Navigator Program providing one-on-one guidance, and the Kidney Cancer Unfiltered Podcast for peer storytelling. Research initiatives are supported through partnerships with xCures (observational research platform) and pattern.org (tissue donation platform). Additional offerings include educational events, caregiver resources, peer mentoring, support communities, and the 81K Challenge fundraising campaign. The organization maintains affiliations with Komodo Health for provider data and collaborates with advocacy partners KCCure, KidneyCAN, and the National Kidney Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kidney Cancer Unfiltered: A podcast presented by the KCA featuring raw, intimate conversations between individuals touched by kidney cancer from patients and caregivers to family members and healthcare professionals.
• 81K Challenge

Products and services

• Treatment Center Finder A searchable directory of urologists, surgeons, and medical oncologists across 47 states and Washington DC who meet KCA's evidence-based criteria for kidney cancer provider selection, powered by Komodo Health real-world data analytics. Patients filter by state and specialty.
• Clinical Trials Finder An educational tool enabling patients and caregivers to search for clinical trials by kidney cancer condition type, with information sourced from clinicaltrials.gov and updated monthly, covering 155 active trials across multiple kidney cancer subtypes.
• Patient Navigator Program One-on-one support service connecting patients with a dedicated Patient Liaison (Rosemary Chustak) who provides personalized guidance on resources, financial assistance, doctor connections, and emotional support. Reachable at (800) 544-3KCA.
• Patient & Caregiver Support Services Comprehensive free support including peer mentoring, online support communities, end-of-life care resources, financial assistance guidance, and care packs for patients and caregivers navigating kidney cancer.
• Kompass Digital Platform A website-based digital platform for kidney cancer patients providing curated support services, patient stories, guides, treatment information, doctor discussion guides, survivor advice, and peer support to help patients and caregivers navigate diagnosis and treatment decisions.
• xCures Observational Research Platform A data-driven research partnership with xCures that collects real-time, regulatory-grade patient data using AI and natural language processing to understand treatment outcomes and advance kidney cancer science. KCA receives funding from data licenses to pharmaceutical companies to support ongoing clinical research.
• pattern.org Tissue Donation Platform A patient-driven platform partnering with MD Anderson Cancer Center and Emory University/Aflac Cancer Center that empowers rare kidney cancer patients to consent to donate excess fresh tumor tissue to support scientific research into rare subtypes (chromophobe RCC, renal medullary carcinoma, translocation RCC, papillary RCC).
• Kidney Cancer Unfiltered Podcast A podcast series featuring raw, intimate conversations between patients, caregivers, family members, and healthcare professionals covering diagnosis, intimacy, young-age cancer, mental health, and survivorship. Hosted by two-time cancer survivor Annamaria Scaccia across 5 seasons and over 30 episodes on Acast, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms.
• Video Library / Common Questions About Kidney Cancer Educational video library featuring expert answers to commonly asked questions about kidney cancer basics, diagnosis, subtypes, genetics, treatment options (surgery, radiation, medications), clinical trials, side effects, and living with cancer.
• Caregiver Essentials Comprehensive resource hub for caregivers covering roles, coping strategies, self-care guidance, and future decision-making support, including a monthly virtual Caregiver Connections support group.
• Patient & Caregiver Education Events Virtual and in-person educational symposiums including the annual Virtual Patient Symposium (VPS), Fred Hutch Kidney Cancer Patient and Caregiver Education Symposium, and Empowering You education events hosted at partner cancer centers (MD Anderson, Fox Chase, Duke, UNC Lineberger, Ohio State, UT Southwestern).
• International Kidney Cancer Symposium (IKCS) KCA's flagship annual medical conference held each November in North America, convening researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates to share kidney cancer research and clinical advances.
• KCA Awards Program (Research Grants) Research grant funding program for medical researchers conducting novel kidney cancer studies, supporting early detection tools and new treatment options.
• 81K Challenge Fundraiser Annual fundraiser campaign held during Kidney Cancer Awareness Month in March, named for the estimated 81,000 people diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2026, raising funds for kidney cancer research and awareness activities.
• Honor Wall An online tribute wall where patients, caregivers, and families can honor loved ones affected by kidney cancer by sharing stories and photos.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 81,000 Americans estimated to be diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2026; more than 675,000 currently living with the disease.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability1 record

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• EisaiflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerEisai Inc. partnered with KCA and other advocacy organizations (KCCure, KidneyCAN, National Kidney Foundation) to launch Kompass, a digital resource platform for kidney cancer patients and caregivers. The platform provides treatment information, doctor discussion guides, survivor stories, and peer support services. Eisai manufactures Lenvima (lenvatinib), approved for use with Keytruda as a first-line treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma.
• Komodo HealthcoreTechnology or IntegrationKCA partners with Komodo Health, an AI-powered life sciences company, to power its Treatment Center Finder tool. Komodo Health provides data used to evaluate providers based on patient volume and kidney cancer diagnosis rates, helping KCA identify and list high-quality kidney cancer treatment providers across 47 states.
• xCurescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCA partnered with xCures to create an Observational Research Platform for kidney cancer patients. The platform collects and structures patient medical records using AI and natural language processing, making regulatory-grade clinical data available to academic, nonprofit, and government researchers. KCA receives funding from data licenses to pharmaceutical companies to support ongoing clinical research.
• pattern.org (Rare Cancer Research Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKCA partners with pattern.org, an initiative of the Rare Cancer Research Foundation, to enable rare kidney cancer patients to donate fresh tumor tissue for scientific research. Partner institutions include MD Anderson Cancer Center and Emory University/Aflac Cancer Center. The partnership focuses on rare subtypes (chromophobe RCC, renal medullary carcinoma, translocation RCC, papillary RCC) which represent 20-25% of all kidney cancer diagnoses.
• MD Anderson Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMD Anderson Cancer Center is a key research partner in the KCA/pattern.org tissue donation initiative, working to generate models, explore cell lines, and make genomic insights for rare kidney cancers.
• Emory University / Aflac Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmory University / Aflac Cancer Center is a research partner in the KCA/pattern.org tissue donation initiative, contributing to the generation of models and genomic insights for rare kidney cancer subtypes.
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer CentermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFred Hutch hosts the annual Kidney Cancer Patient and Caregiver Education Symposium in partnership with KCA. The August 2026 virtual event is co-branded and co-promoted by both organizations.
• Fox Chase Cancer CentermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFox Chase Cancer Center hosts an in-person patient education event (Empowering You: A Kidney Cancer Education Event) in partnership with KCA on October 30, 2026.
• KCCuremajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKCCure is a kidney cancer advocacy organization that partnered with Eisai and other groups (KCA, KidneyCAN, National Kidney Foundation) to co-develop the Kompass digital hub for kidney cancer patients and caregivers.
• KidneyCANmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKidneyCAN is a kidney cancer advocacy organization that partnered with Eisai and other groups (KCA, KCCure, National Kidney Foundation) to co-develop the Kompass digital hub for kidney cancer patients and caregivers.
• National Kidney FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe National Kidney Foundation partnered with Eisai and other advocacy groups (KCA, KCCure, KidneyCAN) to co-develop the Kompass digital hub, expanding the reach of kidney cancer patient resources through a broader kidney health organization.
• Savor Health / InaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKCA partners with Savor Health to provide free access to Ina, a dietitian-on-demand service that offers evidence-based nutrition support during cancer treatment. Ina helps caregivers and patients with nutrition-related questions and side effect management through personalized recipes and dietary guidance.
• Imerman AngelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKCA refers caregivers and family members to Imerman Angels, which provides one-on-one peer mentor support connecting those going through similar cancer journeys. This complements KCA's own peer mentoring program.
• FreeWillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKCA partners with FreeWill to provide a free online estate planning tool for supporters, enabling members of the community to create or update their legally-binding will at no personal cost. This supports KCA's planned giving and legacy society programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Kidney Foundation: The largest US nonprofit focused on kidney health, NKF overlaps KCA on patient education, advocacy, and research funding. It is a co-marketer of the Kompass platform alongside KCA, making it both a partner and a direct competitor for kidney cancer donors and patient audiences.
• KCCure: A kidney cancer-specific patient advocacy nonprofit that co-developed the Kompass platform with KCA, KCCure, KidneyCAN, and Eisai. It competes directly for the same donor base and patient community while also being a co-marketer, similar to how KCA engages with NKF.
• KidneyCAN: A kidney cancer advocacy nonprofit with a strong research funding and legislative advocacy focus — closely aligned to KCA's mission and a co-developer of the Kompass platform. Directly competes for federal advocacy influence and donor dollars in the same disease space.
• Cancer Research Institute: A nonprofit that funds cancer immunology research and patient education across tumor types, including kidney cancer. Comparable to KCA in its blend of research funding, patient resources, and educational programming, though broader in disease scope.
• V Foundation for Cancer Research: A cancer research funding nonprofit with a grant-making model similar to KCA's KCA Awards Program. Both organizations fund investigator-initiated oncology research and host research symposia, though V Foundation operates across all cancer types.
• Rare Cancer Research Foundation: Parent organization of pattern.org, KCA's tissue donation partner. RCRF's mission to accelerate research for rare cancers (including rare kidney cancer subtypes) directly aligns with KCA's pattern.org initiatives and shares the same research infrastructure and partner institutions.
• PAN Foundation: A national nonprofit providing financial assistance for out-of-pocket costs for underinsured patients with serious illnesses, including kidney cancer. Overlaps with KCA's financial assistance resources and patient navigation services, drawing from the same patient population and pharma copay-funding pool.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: The largest US cancer nonprofit, operating across all cancer types including kidney. While not kidney-cancer-focused, ACS's patient navigation, research grants, and clinical trial tools broadly overlap with KCA's offerings and draw from the same donor and corporate partnership pool.

Emerging players

• Imerman Angels: A cancer peer-mentoring nonprofit that KCA refers caregivers to through its support program. While Imerman Angels serves all cancer types, its 1:1 mentor matching model mirrors KCA's own peer mentor program, making it both a complementary partner and a partial substitute for KCA's caregiver services.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: A pediatric-focused cancer research and patient support nonprofit that overlaps with KCA in research funding mechanisms and patient navigation models, though its disease scope is narrower (children) and distinct from KCA's adult kidney cancer focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KidneyCancer
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLuGZSg_5j8KSoEfzmyv4Moa452WAHEWSb
• Facebookfacebook.com/kidneycancerassociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kidney-cancer-association

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 Kidney Cancer Association