Cancer Support Community

What Cancer Support Community does

Cancer Support Community (CSC), headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2009 through the merger of The Wellness Community and Gilda's Club Worldwide. The organization provides free cancer support services — including support groups, short-term counseling, educational workshops, 22 weekly healthy lifestyle classes, supportive care navigation, emergency financial assistance, and decision-support programming — to patients, survivors, caregivers, and families across all cancer types and stages. Services are delivered through two physical locations (Walnut Creek and an East County site at Epic Care in Antioch), a digital on-demand platform featuring mind/body and meditation content, and bilingual (English/Spanish) channels.

The underlying technology layer is a content-distribution platform: a bilingual website, a calendar/registration system, on-demand video and audio libraries, virtual support groups, and a staffed helpline. In March 2026, CSC launched the CSC-867-5309 hotline — leveraging the iconic phone number from Tommy Tutone's 1981 song — in partnership with health marketing agency Klick Health and lead singer Tommy Heath. The campaign produced a 216% increase in inbound calls within five days and a 118% increase in total call activity, demonstrating the platform's capacity to absorb step-function demand growth.

The business model is donation-funded. CSC charges no fees to participants and has no insurance or income prerequisites; revenue is generated through charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization states that 87% of each gift is directed to program services. Corporate and foundation sponsors include Valley Foundation, William Girwin Foundation, Exelixis, Gilead, Stanford Health Care, Eisai, John Muir Health, and the NBA Warriors. CSC operates within a federated model of over 50 global affiliates, though the Walnut Creek entity serves as the primary Bay Area delivery vehicle with 11-50 employees.

Name

Cancer Support Community

Legal name

Cancer Support Community

Website

https://cancersupport.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cancer Support Community is a Walnut Creek-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free counseling, support groups, education, and healthy-lifestyle programs to cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and families across the San Francisco Bay Area. It operates within a global network of 50+ affiliates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cancer Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• Cancer support services
• Nonprofit health support
• Patient counseling programs
• Caregiver support groups
• Cancer education workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Walnut Creek

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a nonprofit organization, CSC is funded through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The website states that 87% of each gift goes directly to services for people with cancer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cancer Support Community provides free, comprehensive cancer support services to patients, caregivers, and families regardless of cancer type, stage, insurance, or income. Core offerings include weekly and cancer-specific support groups, short-term counseling, educational workshops, 22 weekly healthy lifestyle classes (yoga, Pilates, meditation, guided imagery), supportive care navigation, emergency financial assistance, a decision support program, and Kids Circle/Teen Talk family programs. Services are delivered in person at Walnut Creek and Antioch locations, on-demand via digital video, and through the 867-5309 helpline.

Product overview

Cancer Support Community provides a comprehensive suite of free cancer support services. The core offering includes Support Groups and Counseling, Educational Programs, and Healthy Lifestyle Classes (22 weekly sessions). These are complemented by Supportive Care Navigation, Emergency Financial Assistance, Decision Support Program, and financial education services. Family-focused offerings include Kids Circle and Teen Talk programs and Family Counseling. The organization also provides digital access through On Demand programs featuring mind/body classes and meditation audio. All services are provided at no cost to patients and families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Support Groups and Counseling Weekly and cancer-specific support groups plus short-term counseling available at no cost to cancer patients and their caregivers.
• Educational Programs Educational workshops and programs covering cancer-related topics for patients, caregivers, and families.
• Healthy Lifestyle Classes 22 weekly classes helping people regain strength and movement, be more active, manage stress, and help prevent recurrence.
• Supportive Care Navigation A free service connecting cancer patients and loved ones with resources, programs, and support throughout the cancer journey.
• Emergency Financial Assistance Financial support services for cancer patients experiencing economic hardship during treatment.
• Decision Support Program Program helping cancer patients make informed decisions about their cancer care and treatment options.
• Kids Circle and Teen Talk Monthly program for families with school-aged children who have a parent with cancer, featuring separate activities for children, teens, and parents.
• Family Counseling Short-term counseling provided by doctor of psychology students under clinical staff supervision for those with cancer and their families.
• On Demand Programs Free on-demand programs including mind/body and movement classes (Chair Yoga, Pilates, Hula Fit), meditation and guided imagery audio, and educational programs accessible online 24/7.
• East County Programs Weekly in-person support group and lunch bunch program at Epic Care in Antioch for East Contra Costa County residents.
• Understanding Finance and Money Management Financial literacy and money management education for cancer patients and families.
• CSC-867-5309 Hotline Memorable free cancer helpline (867-5309) answered by trained staff, providing immediate support and resource navigation for cancer patients and families.

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

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Klick HealthcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 March 2026Health marketing agency partnership for the 867-5309 hotline launch campaign. Klick Health helped develop and promote the iconic phone number initiative to increase awareness and accessibility of cancer support services.
• Tommy Heath (Tommy Tutone)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 March 2026Lead singer of Tommy Tutone collaborated to leverage the iconic 1981 song '867-5309/Jenny' for the cancer helpline campaign, using cultural nostalgia to attract new patients.
• Epic CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost site for weekly in-person support group and Lunch Bunch program in Antioch. Cancer center providing space for patient support services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Stupid Cancer: A nonprofit focused on young adults with cancer, providing support, education, and community programs. Comparable to CSC's Kids Circle/Teen Talk and broader community support function, though narrower in age segment.
• Triage Cancer: A national nonprofit providing free education, resources, and one-on-one navigation on cancer-related financial, legal, and insurance issues. Comparable to CSC's Decision Support, Understanding Finance, and Supportive Care Navigation offerings, though with a narrower focus.

Direct peers

• Imerman Angels: Nonprofit providing free one-on-one peer mentorship for cancer patients and caregivers. Comparable to CSC in providing free, personalized emotional support to anyone affected by cancer, though narrower in modality (mentor matching only).
• CancerCare: A national nonprofit offering free, professional support services including counseling, support groups, financial assistance, and educational resources to anyone affected by cancer. Closest peer to CSC in mission, service mix, and free-to-patient delivery model.
• LIVESTRONG: Nonprofit providing free, one-on-one cancer support, navigation, and survivorship resources for patients and caregivers. Closely aligned with CSC's mission of helping people affected by cancer navigate the practical, emotional, and financial aspects of the disease.

Broad incumbents

• Susan G. Komen: The largest breast cancer nonprofit, providing patient navigation, financial assistance, and support resources alongside research funding. Comparable to CSC as a free cancer support organization with both community-based programs and a national brand.
• American Cancer Society: The largest US cancer nonprofit, providing a 24/7 helpline, support programs, navigation, and patient lodging. Directly comparable to CSC as a free, donation-funded cancer support organization, but operates at a national scale with a much broader portfolio.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS): A leading blood-cancer nonprofit funding research and providing patient support, education, and financial assistance. Comparable to CSC in operating free patient support programs funded by donations, though focused on hematologic cancers.
• Cancer Research Institute: A nonprofit primarily funding immunology and immunotherapy research while also providing patient education. Tangentially comparable to CSC as a national cancer nonprofit operating in the broader cancer support ecosystem, though weighted toward research versus direct services.

Others

• National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN): An alliance of leading cancer centers that publishes clinical guidelines and provides patient resources including treatment navigation. Related to CSC through the patient education and decision support domain, but it is a provider alliance rather than a community-based nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CancerSupportSF
• Facebookfacebook.com/CSCBayArea
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cancersupportsf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Cancer Support Community