Teen Cancer America

What Teen Cancer America does

Teen Cancer America, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Its mission is to improve cancer care for adolescents and young adults (AYA) by supporting hospitals and outpatient facilities in developing specialized, age-appropriate care programs and facilities. The organization funds and develops programs including hospital grants, the Play It Back Music Program (a creative-expression initiative with a companion podcast, "The Real Me"), Cancer 101 educational resources, the Cancer Rebellion storytelling initiative, the Young Advocates program, The Monthly Drip newsletter for healthcare professionals, and convening activities such as the AYA Program Advisory Group and the Global Adolescent & Young Adult Cancer Congress. Co-founder Roger Daltrey of The Who anchors a celebrity-driven brand, and the organization maintains major corporate partnerships with First Citizens Bank, AEG, Merrill Lynch Private Banking, and Universal.

The organization's business model is donation-based, with revenue generated from individual contributions (online giving, donor-advised funds, stock donations, legacy giving), corporate sponsorship of signature events such as the Annual Golf Outing and Rock 'N' Polo, and merchandise sales (hoodies, t-shirts, beanies, and Spinal Tap tribute items). Annual events including the Philadelphia Sound of America musical fundraiser serve as both fundraising and awareness channels. Operating scope is US-domestic only, and the organization runs with a small staff of 1-10 employees, supported by named leadership including CEO Shannon Sullivan, Chairman Rebecca Rothstein, and co-founder Roger Daltrey, alongside a network of hospital partners, healthcare professionals, and patient/survivor community members.

Name

Teen Cancer America

Legal name

Teen Cancer America, Inc.

Website

https://teencanceramerica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Teen Cancer America is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports hospitals in developing specialized cancer care programs and facilities for adolescents and young adults, funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, merchandise, and signature charity events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Healthcare Support / Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Cancer Care

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Adolescent cancer care
• AYA oncology programs
• Nonprofit healthcare grants
• Hospital partner programs
• Charitable cancer support

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations & Contributions: Charitable donations from individual supporters through online giving, donor-advised funds, stock donations, and legacy giving planned gifts. The organization is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with corporate sponsors including First Citizens Bank, AEG, Merrill Lynch Private Banking, and Universal for funding and sponsorship support.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise including apparel (hoodies, t-shirts, beanies) and specialty items (Spinal Tap tribute merchandise). Orders ship within 5-7 business days domestically.
4. Event Fundraising: Revenue generated from charity events including Rock 'N' Polo, Annual Golf Outing, and musical fundraisers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Teen Cancer America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports hospitals and outpatient facilities in developing specialized, age-appropriate care programs and facilities for adolescents and young adults (AYA) diagnosed with cancer. Its work spans hospital grants, community programs (Play It Back Music Program, Cancer 101, Cancer Rebellion, Young Advocates), resources for healthcare professionals (The Monthly Drip, AYA Program Advisory Group), and event-driven fundraising supported by individual donors and corporate sponsors.

Product overview

Teen Cancer America operates as a nonprofit organization focused on improving cancer care for teens and young adults. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including the Play It Back Music Program for creative expression, educational resources like Cancer 101, and community-building initiatives such as Cancer Rebellion and the Young Advocates Program. The organization also sells branded merchandise (hoodies, beanies, t-shirts) through its online shop to raise funds. Additionally, Teen Cancer America provides resources for healthcare professionals through The Monthly Drip newsletter and operates hospital grant programs to support adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Play It Back Music Program: Music program featuring artists and podcasts for AYA cancer survivors and patients who love music.

Products and services

• Play It Back Music Program Music program for young cancer patients and survivors that supports creative expression through music and includes the "The Real Me" podcast featuring interviews between host Erin Alden and program artists.
• Cancer 101 Educational resource program designed to help teens and young adults navigate cancer-related information and care.
• Cancer Rebellion Community storytelling initiative featuring stories from teens and young adults affected by cancer.
• Young Advocates Program Program empowering young people to become advocates for adolescent and young adult cancer awareness and care.
• The Monthly Drip Monthly newsletter resource for healthcare professionals working with adolescent and young adult cancer patients.
• Hospital Grant Programs (including 2025-26 Community Grants) Direct grants from Teen Cancer America to hospital partners to support the development of age-appropriate AYA oncology facilities and programs.
• Spinal Tap Tribute Merchandise Spinal Tap branded merchandise sold through the Teen Cancer America shop to raise funds for the organization.
• TCA Blue Hoodie Branded blue hoodie merchandise available for purchase through the Teen Cancer America shop, with multiple variants.
• The North Face Yellow Beanie Yellow branded beanie merchandise available for purchase through the Teen Cancer America shop.
• Quadrophenia T-Shirt Quadrophenia branded t-shirt available in dark gray with multiple variants through the Teen Cancer America shop.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Teen Cancer Trust: The UK-based counterpart organization also co-founded by Roger Daltrey (with Heather Daltrey), focused on improving cancer care for teenagers and young adults in the UK. Directly comparable mission, founder lineage, and hospital partnership model.
• Stupid Cancer: US-based nonprofit specifically focused on supporting adolescents and young adults affected by cancer through programs, advocacy, and community. Directly comparable AYA cancer focus and target population.
• The Samfund: US nonprofit providing financial support and resources to young adult cancer survivors. Overlaps with TCA's AYA survivor support mission, particularly around transition challenges post-treatment.
• Young Survival Coalition: US nonprofit focused on young adults affected by breast cancer, addressing similar age-specific gaps in cancer care, peer support, and resources for the AYA demographic.
• Cassie Hines Shoes Foundation: Foundation supporting young adults facing cancer through peer support programs and survivor engagement. Comparable AYA cancer survivorship focus and program-based model.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer-focused nonprofit with broad mission across research, patient support, and prevention. Competes for donor dollars and attention in the cancer charity space, though its focus is not AYA-specific.
• Livestrong Foundation: Established cancer nonprofit supporting cancer survivors through programs, resources, and advocacy. Overlaps with TCA's patient and survivor support mission across age groups.
• St. Baldrick's Foundation: Major US nonprofit funding childhood cancer research and supporting affected families. Comparable in mission (pediatric/AYA cancer), event-driven fundraising model, and donor base, though broader in age scope.
• National Children's Cancer Society: US nonprofit providing financial and emotional support to children with cancer and their families. Overlaps with TCA's family/patient support mission, though covers broader pediatric population.
• Children's Oncology Group: Largest pediatric cancer research organization globally, supported by NCI. While primarily research-focused, COG shapes clinical care standards for pediatric and AYA oncology that TCA's hospital partners operate within.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/teencancerusa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/teencanceramerica
• Facebookfacebook.com/teencanceramerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/teen-cancer-america
• Instagraminstagram.com/teencanceramerica
• TikToktiktok.com/@teencanceramerica?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Teen Cancer America