Breast cancer association Netherlands

What Breast cancer association Netherlands does

Borstkankervereniging Nederland (BVN) is the leading Dutch patient association for breast cancer, founded in 1980 and based in Utrecht. It serves breast cancer patients, people with hereditary/familial breast cancer risk (BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK2, CDH1 mutations), relatives and caregivers (naasten), and — explicitly — male breast cancer patients. The organization operates from a single headquarters (Domus Medica, Utrecht) with a small professional staff (roughly 18 named personnel across management, advocacy, communications, and operations) supplemented by approximately 130 active volunteers, of whom 120+ are trained peer supporters and experience experts placed in over 120 Dutch hospitals.

Its core product surface is a suite of proprietary digital tools and content products: B-bewust (an online shared-decision-making checklist used by 20+ hospitals), Monitor Borstkankerzorg (hospital quality comparison), Mijn B-Traject (step-by-step treatment journey guide), the dedicated Platform Uitgezaaide Borstkanker launched in November 2023, the Roze Olifant Toolbox for sexuality in cancer care (co-developed with Pfizer Oncology), B-force (patient experience collection), the BVN Academie (volunteer training), and Blad B (quarterly digital magazine). It also operates a nationwide activity network (B-actief), the Serviceteam phone/online peer-support line, the Borstkankeragenda events calendar, and a multilingual patient video library (Dutch, English, Arabic, Turkish) co-produced with Patiëntenbegrijpen and NABON.

The business model is a nonprofit, ANBI-status association (vereniging) funded by individual membership subscriptions, individual donations (€25/€50/€100 tiers or custom), and limited project/research funding. Its primary go-to-market motion is community-led: events such as the annual Ontmoetingsdag/Samen Verder Dag (100+ attendees), regional contact persons across Dutch provinces, partnerships with CancerConnect (one-on-one peer matching), and policy advocacy through NFK, KWF, IKNL, BOOG, and NABON. A fee-for-service PAG research advisory (€1,000 per assessment) is the only meaningful commercial revenue stream. BVN is not backed by private equity or venture capital and has no parent or subsidiary structure.

Name

Breast cancer association Netherlands

Legal name

Borstkankervereniging Nederland

Website

https://borstkanker.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Borstkankervereniging Nederland is the leading Dutch nonprofit patient association for breast cancer, founded in 1980 and based in Utrecht. It serves patients, hereditary-risk individuals, and relatives through peer support, hospital-based volunteers in 120+ facilities, decision-support tools, and policy advocacy with the Dutch cancer ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Advocacy Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Breast cancer advocacy
• Patient support services
• Cancer research funding
• Healthcare policy advocacy
• Patient information resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Individuals can become members of Borstkankervereniging Nederland for an annual fee, providing them with access to Blad B magazine, newsletters, and member services.
2. Donations: One-time or recurring donations from individuals and organizations supporting the mission of the breast cancer patient organization. The organization accepts donations via bank transfer and online collection pots.
3. Project and research funding: The organization participates in research projects and advocacy initiatives, sometimes receiving grants or funding for specific programs such as the B-force patient experience surveys and the PAG (Patient Adviesgroep) advisory services.
4. ANBI charitable organization status: Borstkankervereniging Nederland holds ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) status, qualifying it as a public benefit institution that can receive tax-deductible donations and legatees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Borstkankervereniging Nederland (BVN) is a Dutch nonprofit patient association (ANBI-registered) that supports people affected by breast cancer — patients, survivors, family members, and individuals with a hereditary or familial risk — through information, peer support, advocacy, healthcare quality monitoring, and funding of scientific research. It operates programs such as Blad B (magazine), B-bewust (awareness), B-force (community advocacy), Mijn B-Traject (personalized care trajectory), and Monitor Borstkankerzorg (quality of care monitoring), and represents patient interests in policy, guideline development, and scientific research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Blad B: Quarterly digital magazine covering breast cancer developments, medical information, and patient stories.
• B-actief
• B-bewust
• B-force
• Serviceteam
• BVN Academie
• Monitor Borstkankerzorg
• Mijn B-traject
• Platform Uitgezaaide Borstkanker
• Borstkankeragenda

Products and services

• Blad B Membership magazine of the Breast Cancer Association Netherlands providing information, lived experiences, and updates on research and policy to members (patients, survivors, and relatives).
• B-bewust Awareness program aimed at informing the general public and those at risk about breast cancer, early detection, and hereditary risk factors.
• B-force Community and advocacy initiative that mobilizes members to influence breast cancer care policy, research priorities, and healthcare quality at national and European level.
• Mijn B-Traject Personalized care trajectory tool supporting breast cancer patients in navigating diagnosis, treatment, follow-up, and aftercare decisions.
• Monitor Borstkankerzorg Independent quality-of-care monitor tracking and reporting on breast cancer care delivery across Dutch healthcare providers, enabling transparency and benchmarking.
• Wetenschappelijk onderzoek (Scientific research funding) Funding program supporting scientific research into breast cancer, with patient-representation involvement in setting research agendas and reviewing proposals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20 Dutch hospitals actively use the B-bewust patient decision-support tool
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CancerConnectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCancerConnect is a national volunteer organization that matches breast cancer patients with trained peer supporters ('maatjes') who have undergone similar treatment experiences. BVN refers patients to CancerConnect for one-on-one peer support. The partnership enables patients to be matched by cancer type, age, or treatment stage.
• PatiëntenbegrijpencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Patiëntbegrijpen to produce a series of 20 patient education videos covering breast cancer topics from diagnosis through aftercare. Videos are available with multilingual subtitles (Dutch, English, Arabic, Turkish) and are hosted on the BVN YouTube channel.
• Nationaal Borstkanker Overleg Nederland (NABON)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNABON collaborated with BVN and Patiëntbegrijpen to produce patient education videos. NABON represents Dutch breast cancer care professionals and ensures medical accuracy of the content.
• Nederlandse Borstkankeronderzoekgroep (BOOG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOOG is the Dutch Breast Cancer Research Group. BVN operates the Patiënten Adviesgroep (PAG) as a joint initiative with BOOG. Twenty patient experts provide patient perspective in clinical and non-clinical breast cancer research, and BOOG coordinates the study center (tel. 085-4883050).
• InvolvminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvolv supports patient organizations with knowledge and advice. BVN volunteers are entitled to free training courses through Involv on topics such as peer support, presentation skills, and media training. BVN coordinates access to Involv training for its volunteers.
• Pfizer OncologyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPfizer Oncology is a co-development partner in the Roze Olifant toolbox project, which supports healthcare teams in addressing sexuality and intimacy with breast cancer patients. The collaboration also includes the 'Sick and sex' platform and healthcare professionals passionate about the topic.
• Sick and sexminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA group of healthcare professionals passionate about sexuality in cancer care, co-developing the Roze Olifant toolbox with BVN and Pfizer Oncology to make intimacy and sexuality a discussable topic in breast cancer care.
• IKNL (Integraal Kankercentrum Nederland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIKNL collaborates with BVN and MUMC+ to compile factsheets and data on metastatic breast cancer. IKNL maintains cancer registration data and contributes to advocacy for improved care and national registration of metastatic breast cancer patients.
• Maastricht UMC+ (MUMC+)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMUMC+ collaborated with BVN and IKNL on a factsheet with statistics on metastatic breast cancer, contributing expertise from the SONABRE register. BVN sends letters to all relevant healthcare professionals about metastatic breast cancer care in partnership with MUMC+.
• Kanker.nlminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKanker.nl is a Dutch cancer information platform hosting BVN's breast cancer discussion group where patients, relatives, and healthcare professionals can ask questions and share experiences. BVN also participates in the AYA (Adolescent & Young Adult) community on Kanker.nl.
• AYA Zorgnetwerk (Nationaal AYA 'Jong & Kanker' Zorgnetwerk)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAYA Zorgnetwerk coordinates age-specific care for adolescents and young adults (18-35) with cancer. BVN participates by providing breast cancer-specific information and connecting young breast cancer patients to AYA services through Kanker.nl's AYA community.
• Nederlandse Federatie van Kankerpatiëntenorganisaties (NFK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNFK is the Dutch Federation of Cancer Patient Organizations. BVN collaborates with NFK on patient experience research (B-force / Doneer je ervaring), advocacy initiatives, and the 'Uitgezaaide kanker in beeld' report on metastatic cancer care.
• KWF KankerbestrijdingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKWF Cancer Fighting collaborates with NFK and BVN on the 'Uitgezaaide kanker in beeld' report and broader cancer advocacy. KWF funds cancer research and prevention in the Netherlands.
• University Medical Centers and hospitalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarious UMC and hospital collaborations for video production, research (e.g., Leiden University psychologists on communication research, UMC Utrecht for multiple presentations), and clinical care improvement. BVN volunteers are present in over 120 hospitals.
• Suur Ten OeverminorOthersExecutive search firm conducting the recruitment for Borstkankervereniging Nederland's open director position.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nederlandse Federatie van Kankerpatiëntenorganisaties (NFK): Dutch federation of cancer patient organizations that BVN belongs to. Conducts shared patient experience research (Doneer je ervaring) and joint advocacy, making it both a partner and an umbrella-level peer with overlapping patient-research outputs.
• Susan G. Komen: The world's largest breast cancer organization, running research, community health, and advocacy programs in the US and globally. A globally dominant incumbent peer in breast cancer patient advocacy and fundraising.
• KWF Kankerbestrijding: The largest Dutch cancer charity, funding research across all cancer types and running national awareness campaigns. A formal BVN partner (NFK/KWF) but also a broader incumbent competing for donor mindshare and policy influence.

Direct peers

• Breast Cancer Now: The UK's largest dedicated breast cancer charity, providing research funding, information, and support services. Functionally analogous to BVN at a larger scale, with similar information/policy/support pillars.
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC): US-based breast cancer organization focused on information, support, and education for patients and caregivers, particularly around survivorship and metastatic disease. Operates a similar support-plus-information-plus-advocacy model to BVN.
• Europa Donna: European breast cancer coalition advocating for breast cancer education, research, and quality care across Europe. Closely comparable mission and advocacy orientation to BVN, with a broader geographic remit.
• Pink Ribbon (Netherlands): Dutch charity dedicated specifically to breast cancer awareness, research funding, and patient support in the Netherlands. Closest direct peer to BVN, competing for the same Dutch breast cancer donor and awareness audience.

Regional players

• Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA): Australia's peak national breast cancer consumer organization, providing information, advocacy, and peer support. Comparable role and offering set to BVN, but operating in the Australian healthcare context.
• Canadian Breast Cancer Network: Canadian national network linking patient organizations and advocating for breast cancer patients. Provides information, policy advocacy, and patient voice in research — closely analogous to BVN's role in the Netherlands.

Emerging players

• CancerConnect: Digital peer-support community and patient content platform used by BVN to match Dutch breast cancer patients with trained peer supporters. Direct functional peer in the peer-matching sub-vertical that BVN partners with rather than builds internally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL041_OXlrP-fEb1jcXiwcX3SX7Gr5da64
• Facebookfacebook.com/borstkanker
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/borstkanker
• Instagraminstagram.com/borstkankernederland
• Xx.com/borstkanker

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Breast cancer association Netherlands