Kom Op Tegen Kanker

What Kom Op Tegen Kanker does

Kom Op Tegen Kanker is a Belgian non-profit association (vzw), headquartered in Sint-Joost-ten-Node in the Brussels-Capital Region, operating primarily in Flanders and Brussels. Founded in 1998 (with organizational roots dating to 1924), the organization is Belgium's leading independent cancer charity, funded almost entirely through donations, legacies, and event proceeds with minimal government support. It employs 101-250 staff and funds approximately 150 researchers and project coordinators full-time, in addition to mobilizing 261 care volunteers who conduct over 35,000 annual conversations with cancer patients and relatives.

The organization's core offerings span five pillars: cancer patient and family support, research funding, public information, policy advocacy, and prevention/early detection. The flagship support service is the Kankerlijn, a free multi-channel helpline accessible via phone (0800 35 445), email, online chat, and video calling through Microsoft Teams. Complementary services include the Kankerfonds financial support program, vacation camps and youth programs for children with cancer, the Brussenweekend for siblings, and the allesoverkanker.be information portal. Educational outreach extends to primary schools through De Pet op tegen Kanker and to healthcare professionals via a monthly newsletter.

The business model is community-led and event-driven. Major annual events include the 1000 km cycling event (raising 7.39M euros in 2026), the 100km-run (3.40M euros in 2026), the 1000 strokes swimming event (305K euros in 2026), Plantjesweekend (annual plant sale), and the Dag tegen Kanker awareness day with 26,187 lichtpuntjes (lights of hope). Revenue is supplemented by individual donations (tax-deductible from €40 annually with a 30% tax reduction), legacies and testaments, and third-party action campaigns. Distribution is omnichannel: physical events, the helpline, direct mail, owned magazines (Leven for patients, Komop for volunteers), social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Bluesky), and owned web properties. The technology stack is commodity web tooling (Google Analytics, Hotjar, Facebook pixel, Microsoft Teams, CleanTalk); no AI/ML capabilities are evident in the source material.

Name

Kom Op Tegen Kanker

Legal name

vzw Kom op tegen Kanker

Website

https://komoptegenkanker.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Kom Op Tegen Kanker is a Belgian non-profit (vzw) that funds cancer research and provides free patient support through the Kankerlijn helpline, Kankerfonds financial aid, vacation camps, and flagship fundraising events like the 1000 km cycling and 100km-run across Flanders and Brussels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cancer Patient Support and Research Funding

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Cancer charity fundraising
• Cancer research funding
• Patient support services
• Helpline and counseling
• Community fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Gifts: Individual donors make financial contributions to support cancer research, patient care, and advocacy. Donations are tax-deductible starting from 40 euros per year.
2. Legacies and Testaments: Individuals can leave bequests to Kom op tegen Kanker in their wills, providing long-term financial support for the organization's mission.
3. Event Fundraising Revenue: Revenue generated from participation fees and fundraising through events such as 1000 km cycling, 100km-run, Plantjesweekend, and other organized activities.
4. Action/Campaign Fundraising: Organizations and individuals organize their own fundraising campaigns and donate proceeds to Kom op tegen Kanker.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kom Op Tegen Kanker is a Belgian nonprofit association that funds cancer research and delivers free patient and family support services. Its core offering is the Kankerlijn free helpline (phone, email, online chat, and Microsoft Teams video calling) for cancer patients and relatives, complemented by the Kankerfonds financial aid fund, allesoverkanker.be patient information portal, vacation camps and weekend programs for children and young adults affected by cancer, and large-scale fundraising events (1000 km, 100km-run, Plantjesweekend, 1000 strokes) that channel donations into cancer research and patient care projects.

Product overview

Kom op tegen Kanker is a Belgian non-profit organization offering a multi-channel support ecosystem for cancer patients, relatives, and the general public. The core offering is the Kankerlijn (cancer helpline) providing free, anonymous support via phone, email, chat, and video calling. The organization operates several fundraising events including the 100km-run, 1000 km cycling event, Plantjesweekend, and 1000 strokes swimming event. It publishes two magazines: Leven (for patients and relatives) and Komop (for volunteers and action organizers). The De Pet op tegen Kanker program provides educational materials for schools. Additional services include vacation camps for children with cancer, youth programs, the Lichtpuntjes memorial initiative, and the Dag tegen Kanker awareness day. Financial support is available through the Kankerfonds for patients facing high care costs. The allesoverkanker.be portal provides comprehensive patient information. Supporters can manage their interactions through the Gebruikerszone online portal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kankerlijn: Free information and support helpline for cancer patients and relatives, offering listening ear, expert advice, and information on medical, psychological, social, and legal aspects of cancer.
• Kankerfonds
• Dag tegen Kanker
• 1000 km
• 100km-run
• Plantjesweekend
• Lichtpuntjes tegen Kanker
• De Pet op tegen Kanker
• 1000 strokes
• Leven
• Komop

Products and services

• Kankerlijn (Cancer Line) Free multi-channel helpline where current and former cancer patients or relatives can anonymously receive a listening ear, expert advice, and information about medical, psychological, social, and legal aspects of cancer. Available via phone, email, online chat, and video calling.
• Kankerfonds (Cancer Fund) Financial support fund providing aid to cancer patients who face high healthcare costs despite statutory social provisions; accessed through social workers at health insurance funds, hospitals, or social services.
• Allesoverkanker.be patient information portal Online information portal providing reliable, plain-language information about cancer, treatment options, benefits, side effects, risks, costs, and patient stories for people affected by cancer.
• Vakantiekamp voor kinderen met kanker (Vacation camp for children with cancer) Vacation camp providing recreational support and respite for children with cancer and their families.
• Jongerenvakantie (Youth vacation for young adults after cancer) Vacation program designed for young adults who have or have had cancer, providing age-appropriate peer and recreational support.
• Brussenweekend (Siblings weekend) Weekend program dedicated to siblings (brothers and sisters) of children with cancer, addressing their specific psychosocial needs.
• 1000 km fundraising cycling event Multi-day cycling event held across Flanders that raises funds for cancer research; the 2026 edition raised €7,390,500.
• 100km-run fundraising event Annual team running event held at De Schorre in Boom that raises funds for the fight against cancer; the 2026 edition raised €3,396,250.
• Plantjesweekend fundraising weekend Annual plant sale weekend held on the third weekend of September where volunteers sell azaleas to raise funds for cancer patient support and care projects in Flanders.
• 1000 strokes fundraising swimming event Swimming event raising funds for the fight against cancer; the second edition raised €305,000.
• Dag tegen Kanker (Day Against Cancer) Annual national cancer awareness day held on October 15, expressing solidarity with everyone living with or after cancer; the 26th edition was celebrated in 2026.
• Lichtpuntjes tegen kanker (Lights against cancer memorial initiative) Memorial light initiative creating moments of hope and support for people affected by cancer, with thousands of lights (26,187 'lichtpuntjes') displayed annually.
• De Pet op tegen Kanker school education program School-based campaign and educational materials (featuring the superhero MegaMona) that help kindergarten and primary school teachers make cancer discussable in classrooms.
• Magazine Leven Quarterly magazine for people who have or had cancer and people in their surroundings, featuring inspiring stories, testimonials, and information about the organization's work; published in January, April, July, and October.
• Magazine Komop Free community magazine for action organizers, volunteers, and staff of Kom op tegen Kanker, sharing inspiration and stories about what becomes possible when people stand together against cancer.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7.39 million euros raised for cancer research in 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• INTER-LOCAL Consortium (Swedish Cancer Society, Norwegian Cancer Society, FCAECC, KWF Dutch Cancer Society)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Five leading European cancer charities joined forces to launch INTER-LOCAL, an international funding call aimed at accelerating clinical research into local treatment strategies for rare and hard-to-treat cancers. The initiative focuses on cross-border clinical trials in surgery and radiotherapy with a budget of up to 8.5 million euros.
• FORCE ConsortiumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFORCE consortium supports international pragmatic clinical trials to optimize diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for patients with rare and/or hard-to-treat cancers, with emphasis on quality of life integration.
• EORTC (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKom op tegen Kanker funds EORTC clinical trials and research initiatives in cancer treatment.
• Vlaamse Kinderoncologische Centra (UZ Gent, UZ Leuven, UZ Brussel, UZ Antwerpen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKom op tegen Kanker funds all pediatric oncology centers in Flanders to enable active participation in international clinical studies for children with cancer.
• Cédric Hèle InstituutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Kom op tegen Kanker to develop adapted tips for general practitioners and home care providers on communicating bad news to cancer patients.
• De Aanstokerij and CartamundiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped the educational game 'Kan'k er iets aan doen?' for primary school students to discuss cancer in age-appropriate ways.
• Het Geluidshuis and Uitgeverij PlantynminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduced the audio story of MegaMona with Het Geluidshuis and accompanying educational package with Uitgeverij Plantyn for primary school education about cancer.
• VRT (Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroep)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerVRT provides significant media support to Kom op tegen Kanker and participates in policy bodies to ensure transparency. VRT represents public broadcaster interests and contributes to organizational governance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Macmillan Cancer Support: UK cancer charity focused primarily on patient support (information, financial guidance, helpline). Direct peer: closely aligned on patient-support service model and donor-funded independence, though with less research-funding emphasis.
• Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer: French federated cancer charity funding research, patient support, and prevention. Direct peer: similar federated volunteer model (103 departmental committees), patient support services, and donor-funded independence posture.
• Cancerfonden (Swedish Cancer Society): Sweden's leading cancer charity funding research and patient support. Direct peer: same fundraising model (donations + legacies), and an existing INTER-LOCAL consortium partner of Kom op tegen Kanker.
• Kreftforeningen (Norwegian Cancer Society): Norwegian national cancer charity funding research, patient support, and prevention. Direct peer: parallel donor-funded model, and an INTER-LOCAL consortium partner of Kom op tegen Kanker.
• Deutsche Krebshilfe: German cancer aid organization funding research, information, and patient support. Direct peer: equivalent donor-funded independence model, large research-grantmaking activity, and patient information services.
• Cancer Research UK: UK's largest cancer charity funding research, information, and policy advocacy. Direct peer: comparable five-pillar model, event-based mass fundraising (Race for Life, Stand Up to Cancer), and grantmaking to academic and clinical research.
• KWF Kankerbestrijding: Dutch cancer society funding research, patient support, and prevention across the Netherlands. Direct peer: similar five-pillar model (research, patient support, information, advocacy, prevention), event-driven fundraising (e.g., collecteweek), and shared language/cultural border with Flanders.
• Stichting tegen Kanker / Fondation contre le cancer: Belgian national cancer charity active across both Flanders and Wallonia, funding research, patient services, and prevention. Direct peer: same Belgian market, same disease focus, competing for the same donor and corporate CSR pool.

Emerging players

• Childhood Cancer International: Global network of pediatric cancer organizations. Emerging player: comparable focus on childhood oncology advocacy and family support, intersecting with Kom op tegen Kanker's pediatric oncology funding and Brussenweekend / Vakantiekamp programs.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer charity with research funding, patient services (24/7 helpline, Road to Recovery, Hope Lodge), and advocacy. Broad incumbent: comparable patient-support and research-grantmaking pillars at much greater scale, but operates in a different regulatory and donor market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/komoptegenkanker
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/komoptegenkanker
• Instagraminstagram.com/komop_tegenkanker
• Xx.com/komop_tgkanker

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Kom Op Tegen Kanker