CanCare
CanCare is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1990 that provides free emotional peer support to cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers through a network of 500+ trained volunteer survivors across 60+ cancer types, delivered nationwide via referrals from major health systems and Zoom-based virtual groups.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What CanCare does
CanCare, Inc. is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1990 by Anne Shaw Turnage, a survivor of metastatic colon cancer, that provides free emotional peer support to cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. The organization operates a community-led service model that matches individuals facing cancer with a nationwide network of 500+ trained volunteer survivors and caregivers who have personally experienced 60+ different cancer types; matches are made on dimensions including cancer type, stage, treatment, age, and gender. Its service suite comprises one-on-one patient and caregiver support (delivered by phone, text, email, or in person), online support groups via Zoom (Survivors, Stage 4, and Caregivers cohorts), in-person healthcare visitation services in Houston-area hospitals, prayer support, and healthcare referral services that help providers meet Commission on Cancer Standards.
The underlying technology stack is intentionally thin: CanCare does not build or own proprietary technology and instead leverages Chronus for its volunteer/client onboarding portal (cancare.chronus.com), Zoom for virtual support group delivery, Givecloud for online donations, and Printify for the CanCare Store. Service quality depends on the trained volunteer base rather than software differentiation. Its go-to-market is dual-sided: end users (patients, survivors, caregivers) self-serve through the website, while healthcare-provider referrals — from partners including Houston Methodist (six locations), Memorial Hermann (five locations), Oncology Consultants, and American Oncology Network — channel patients into the program at the point of care, with in-person visitation concentrated in the Houston market and virtual services extending nationally.
As a nonprofit, CanCare generates no fee revenue; its operating model is funded entirely by donations and charitable contributions from individuals, corporations, and foundations, with current leadership under President and CEO Darcie Champagne Wells. Customer segments are primarily cancer patients/survivors and caregivers, with healthcare providers serving as referral channels and secondary beneficiaries. The organization carries Charity Navigator 4-Star, Candid Platinum Transparency 2025, and BBB Accredited Charity credentials, and has cumulatively supported 40,000+ individuals nationwide.
CanCare firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CanCare
- Legal name
- CanCare, Inc.
- Website
- https://cancare.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- CanCare is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1990 that provides free emotional peer support to cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers through a network of 500+ trained volunteer survivors across 60+ cancer types, delivered nationwide via referrals from major health systems and Zoom-based virtual groups.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CanCare industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cancer Peer Support Services
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO)
Keywords
Where CanCare is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CanCare business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, CanCare relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund operations. The organization offers multiple donation channels including online giving through Givecloud and the CanCare Store.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
CanCare product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CanCare is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides free emotional peer support to cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers through a national network of more than 500 trained volunteer survivors and caregivers. Its core service is one-on-one matching of individuals facing cancer with volunteers who have personally experienced the same cancer type, stage, treatment, age range, or gender, delivered via phone, text, email, in-person, or through hospital visitation and virtual support groups.
Product overview
CanCare is a nonprofit cancer support organization that provides a coordinated suite of emotional support services for cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. The core offerings center on one-on-one peer matching programs where trained volunteer survivors and caregivers connect with individuals facing cancer. The main products include: One-on-One Cancer Patient Support (matching survivors with patients), Caregiver Support, Online Support Groups via Zoom (three groups for survivors, stage 4 patients, and caregivers), and Healthcare Visitation Services (in-person support at Houston-area hospitals). Additional services include Prayer Requests and Healthcare Referral Services for providers. The organization leverages a nationwide network of 500+ trained volunteers and partners with hospitals including Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann, and Oncology Consultants to deliver support across more than 60 cancer types.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- One-on-One Cancer Patient Support Matches trained cancer survivor volunteers with cancer patients on cancer type, stage, treatment, age, and gender, providing empathy, understanding, and encouragement through phone, text, email, or in-person interactions on a one-time or ongoing basis. Intended for individuals facing cancer diagnosis, in treatment, or in survivorship.
- Caregiver Support
Quantifiable outcome
- 40,000+ individuals supported with emotional peer support
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CanCare
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
CanCare technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
CanCare partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- American Oncology Network (AON)corePartnership to provide whole-person cancer care combining medical treatment with emotional peer support. Builds on successful pilot programs at four AON partner practices and will expand free peer support services across AON's network of community oncology practices nationwide. CanCare volunteers (cancer survivors or caregivers) will be matched with patients based on diagnosis or life experience.
- Houston Methodist HospitalscoreCanCare partners with Houston Methodist for healthcare visitation services. Includes multiple locations: Houston Methodist Clear Lake, Sugar Land, The Medical Center, West, Willowbrook, and The Woodlands. Volunteers provide in-person emotional support to patients undergoing cancer treatment.
- Memorial Hermann Health SystemcorePartnership for healthcare visitation services at Memorial Hermann hospitals including Greater Heights, Memorial City, Northeast, The Medical Center, and The Woodlands locations. System Oncology Nursing Director Shelita Anderson stated: 'We consider CanCare a critical part of our cancer care team.'
- Oncology ConsultantsminorHealthcare partnership for in-person cancer patient support services at Katy, Memorial City, and Cypress locations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CanCare competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CancerCare: CancerCare provides free emotional support, counseling, and resources to people affected by cancer, including one-on-one support from oncology social workers and support groups. It is a directly comparable peer serving the same patient and caregiver segments with a similar nonprofit donation-based model.
- Imerman Angels: Imerman Angels provides one-on-one cancer peer support by matching patients, survivors, and caregivers based on cancer type and life experience. It is the closest direct competitor to CanCare's core matching model, operating on a similar volunteer-driven nonprofit basis.
- Friend for Life Cancer Support Network: Friend for Life connects cancer patients and caregivers with trained survivor volunteers through personalized one-on-one matches. It is a smaller but directly comparable nonprofit peer to CanCare operating a similar survivor-matching emotional support model.
- Cancer Hope Network: Cancer Hope Network matches cancer patients and caregivers with trained survivor volunteers for one-on-one emotional support, mirroring CanCare's central service offering. Both organizations rely on a volunteer network and serve a similar patient population nationwide.
- 4th Angel Mentoring Program: The 4th Angel Mentoring Program (run by Cleveland Clinic) matches cancer patients and caregivers with trained survivor mentors for one-on-one telephone-based support. It offers a directly comparable peer mentoring model, though anchored to a major hospital system rather than operating as a standalone nonprofit.
Broad incumbents
- American Cancer Society: The American Cancer Society is the largest U.S. nonprofit dedicated to cancer, offering patient support, lodging, transportation, and a 24/7 helpline. It is a broad incumbent that overlaps with CanCare's psychosocial support mission but operates at a much larger scale across the full cancer continuum.
- Livestrong Foundation: Livestrong Foundation provides programs and resources supporting cancer survivors and their families, including navigation, fertility, and emotional support services. It is a broad incumbent in the cancer survivorship space, comparable in mission but materially larger in scope and brand recognition.
- Cancer Support Community: Cancer Support Community operates a global network delivering emotional support, education, and hope to people impacted by cancer through in-person and online programs. It is a larger, broader incumbent in the same cancer psychosocial support space with overlapping service categories.
Emerging players
- Stupid Cancer: Stupid Cancer focuses on young adults (ages 15-39) affected by cancer, providing peer support, community, and educational programs. It is an emerging player addressing a specific demographic segment that intersects with CanCare's broader survivor network.
- SurvivorNet: SurvivorNet is a digital media platform producing expert-vetted cancer information and survivor stories. It is an emerging player in the cancer information and emotional support space, competing for survivor attention via digital channels rather than volunteer matching.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CanCare social profiles
Digital presenceCanCare compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
CanCare financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CanCare leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
CanCare funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CanCare M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CanCare
What does CanCare do?
CanCare is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides free emotional peer support to cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers through a national network of more than 500 trained volunteer survivors and caregivers. Its core service is one-on-one matching of individuals facing cancer with volunteers who have personally experienced the same cancer type, stage, treatment, age range, or gender, delivered via phone, text, email, in-person, or through hospital visitation and virtual support groups.
Is CanCare a public or private company?
CanCare is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was CanCare founded?
CanCare was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CanCare based?
CanCare is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does CanCare make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are CanCare's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CancerCare, Imerman Angels, Friend for Life Cancer Support Network, Cancer Hope Network and 4th Angel Mentoring Program. Broad incumbents are American Cancer Society, Livestrong Foundation and Cancer Support Community. Emerging players are Stupid Cancer and SurvivorNet.
Does CanCare have an API?
No public API is recorded for CanCare.
What industry is CanCare in?
CanCare's product category is Cancer Peer Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFAEAO, Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked). Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8300.