KIDS BEATING CANCER

What KIDS BEATING CANCER does

Kids Beating Cancer is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 and headquartered in Winter Park, Florida, focused on providing children with cancer, leukemia, and related life-threatening diseases access to bone marrow and stem cell transplantation, cellular therapy, and clinical trials. The organization operates the Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center at AdventHealth for Children (formerly Florida Hospital for Children), the first and only dedicated pediatric transplant center in Central Florida, which provides pre-transplant testing and donor identification services at no cost to patients — expenses that are not covered by Medicaid and only partially covered by insurance. In 2024, the organization supported the ribbon-cutting of the KBC Cellular Therapy Facility at AdventHealth Orlando through a $1.2 million equipment donation, enabling on-site CAR-T cell production and reducing cell processing time from 6-8 weeks (industry standard with external shipping) to 3-4 weeks. Beyond clinical programs, Kids Beating Cancer funds pediatric oncology research through grants to institutions including Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Washington University School of Medicine, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and operates the Science is the Cure Research Symposium.

The organization's business model is donation-based across four primary streams: individual giving (anchored by the $11/month "Be a Hero" recurring program), corporate partnerships and sponsorships (Talk of the Town Restaurant Group's Round Up for Charity since 2017, Paradise Grills presenting sponsorship since 2017, Massey Cadillac annual holiday campaign), signature events (Hats & Heroes Ball, Hats & Hearts Fashion Show, The Villages chapter events), and research grantmaking. The organization has raised over $35 million cumulatively since founding, with the Hats & Heroes Ball alone raising $2.5 million+ in 2024 and earning the Orlando Magazine Best Charity Gala designation for eight consecutive years. Founder Margaret Guedes leads the organization alongside a small team (1-10 employees), with execution heavily reliant on corporate partners, hospital co-location with AdventHealth, and volunteer-led regional chapters such as Kids Beating Cancer – The Villages. A $20 million capital campaign for a Safe Haven Children's Center is active, signaling the next phase of facility expansion.

Name

KIDS BEATING CANCER

Legal name

Kids Beating Cancer

Website

https://kidsbeatingcancer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kids Beating Cancer is a Winter Park, Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and operates the first dedicated pediatric bone marrow and stem cell transplant center in Central Florida (at AdventHealth for Children) and supports CAR-T cellular therapy and pediatric oncology research, serving over 8,000 children through donation-funded programs since 1992.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Cancer Treatment Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Pediatric Hematology & Oncology (HLAKAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Children’s Hospitals & Pediatric Health Systems (HLAFAJAG), Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine Practices (HLAFAJAF)

Keywords

• Pediatric cancer treatment
• Bone marrow transplantation
• Stem cell therapy
• Childhood cancer research
• Nonprofit health services

Headquarters

HQ city

Winter Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Recurring monthly donations ($11/month Be a Hero program) and one-time gifts from individual donors. Direct appeals through website and email campaigns.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors fund events (Hats & Heroes Ball presenting sponsors, etc.) and campaigns (Round Up for Charity). Partners include Talk of the Town Restaurant Group, Paradise Grills, Massey Cadillac, and others.
3. Special Events: Revenue from signature events including the Hats & Heroes Ball (raised $2.5M+ in 2024), fashion shows, luncheons, and community fundraising events.
4. Research Grants: Funding awarded to research institutions for pediatric oncology research. KBC has granted over $500,000 in research grants to institutions including Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Washington University, and UNC Chapel Hill.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kids Beating Cancer is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds and operates a dedicated pediatric transplant center and cellular therapy facility at AdventHealth for Children, providing free pre-transplant testing and donor identification for children with cancer, leukemia, and related life-threatening diseases. The organization also funds pediatric oncology research through grants to institutions including Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Washington University, and UNC Chapel Hill, and delivers direct support services to children and families throughout treatment.

Product overview

Kids Beating Cancer is a nonprofit organization (founded 1992) focused on three core areas: pediatric transplant center programs, children and family support services, and outreach and education. The organization provides funding for pre-transplant testing and donor identification costs at its Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center at AdventHealth for Children, which are expenses never covered by Medicaid and only partially covered by insurance. It also funds groundbreaking pediatric cancer research through grants to major research institutions. The organization raises funds through signature events (Hats & Heroes Ball, Hats & Hearts Fashion Show, Round Up for Charity campaigns), local chapters (The Villages), an online store, and various fundraising initiatives. As of 2025, the organization has raised over $35 million to fund life-saving programs for children and their families, serving over 8,000 children throughout Florida and nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pediatric Transplant Center Programs Provides pre-transplant testing and donor identification services at no cost to children with cancer, leukemia, and related life-threatening diseases, enabling access to marrow or stem cell transplantation at the Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center at AdventHealth for Children in Orlando.
• KBC Cellular Therapy Facility State-of-the-art laboratory at AdventHealth Orlando enabling on-site processing of stem cells and development into cancer immunity cells for CAR T therapy, reducing cell processing time from 6-8 weeks (shipping to external facilities) to 3-4 weeks for pediatric cancer patients.
• Children and Family Support Services Provides resources and support for children with cancer, leukemia, and related life-threatening diseases and their families throughout the treatment process.
• Bunky's Pals Patient Services Patient support services program providing emotional and practical support to children battling cancer and their families throughout treatment.
• Donor & Recipient First Meetings Program facilitating first meetings between bone marrow donors and recipients, supporting emotional closure and connection for families involved in pediatric transplantation.
• Research Programs and Grants Funds innovative pediatric cancer research through grants to research institutions including Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Washington University School of Medicine, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with over $500,000 in research grants awarded to date.
• Be a Hero Monthly Giving Program Recurring monthly donation program at $11 per month for individual donors supporting the organization's life-saving programs for children with cancer.
• Hats & Heroes Ball Annual black-tie gala held at Waldorf Astoria Orlando, voted Best Charity Gala in Orlando for eight consecutive years, raising vital funds for pediatric cancer research and treatment programs through ticket sales, auctions, and corporate sponsorships.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, minor and regional.

• AdventHealth for ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2024Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center is located at AdventHealth for Children (formerly Florida Hospital for Children). KBC donated $1.2 million toward advanced equipment for the new Cellular Therapy Facility Lab. This partnership enables children to receive cutting-edge treatments locally without traveling far from family.
• Talk of the Town Restaurant GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRound Up for Charity campaign partner since 2017. Restaurants ask diners to round up checks to support Kids Beating Cancer. Raised over $3 million cumulatively since inception. In 2025, the March campaign raised over $314,000 driven by student Gerard Gearity.
• Paradise GrillsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting Sponsor of Hats & Heroes Ball since 2017. Donates custom outdoor kitchens for auction at events. Long-term supporter contributing to the organization's flagship annual gala.
• Massey CadillaccoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Season's Best Give to Children campaign during holidays. Donates $250 for every new Cadillac sold during December. Has raised over $150,000+ cumulatively through multiple years of campaigns.
• Sihle Insurance GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted Hearts Under the Stars fundraising event, raising over $70,000 for Kids Beating Cancer.
• Be The Match RegistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKBC has added 37,000+ new marrow donors to the Be The Match Registry (as of 2011), supporting bone marrow transplantation access for patients nationwide.
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch grant recipient for pediatric oncology. Dr. Margaret Chou received $300,000 total in grants for Ewing Sarcoma research and Glioblastoma research. CHOP is the nation's first hospital dedicated solely to children's care.
• Washington University School of MedicineflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch grant recipient. Dr. Nathan Singh received $100,000 grant at the inaugural Science is the Cure Research Symposium for blood cancer and cellular therapy research.
• University of North Carolina at Chapel HillflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch grant recipient. Received $126,200 grant for Glioblastoma research using stem cells and hyperthermia, led by Co-PIs Shawn Hingtgen, PhD; Scott Elton, PhD; Oleh Taratula, PhD and James Baumgartner, MD.
• The Villages Chapter - Ladies CommitteeregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional volunteer committee in The Villages community organizing fundraising events. Raised $305,000 at Saddle Up with Kids Beating Cancer Luncheon & Fashion Show; $145,000 at Get On Board with KBC event; $68,000 at Tap Into a Cure Dinner & Dance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: The largest and most recognized pediatric cancer research and treatment organization globally. Highly comparable mission (treating pediatric cancer) but operates at vastly larger scale with hospital-owned research infrastructure, whereas KBC funds a transplant center co-located at a partner hospital.
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP): First U.S. hospital dedicated to children's care and a major pediatric cancer treatment and research center. KBC has funded $300K in CHOP research grants, and CHOP represents both a strategic research partner and a broader incumbent in the pediatric cancer treatment space.

Direct peers

• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: National nonprofit funding pediatric cancer research grants and treatment access. Directly comparable in mission, fundraising model (events, corporate partnerships), and grantmaking to institutions - making it the closest functional peer to KBC's research and support programs.
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: Nonprofit focused on funding pediatric cancer research and reducing treatment side effects. Comparable in research grantmaking to institutions and community-driven fundraising model, though with national scope versus KBC's regional concentration.
• Children's Oncology Group: The world's largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. Comparable through its clinical trials infrastructure and pediatric cancer treatment research, though structured as a research consortium rather than a donor-funded nonprofit.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: Nonprofit funding pediatric cancer research and clinical trials. Closely comparable mission around accelerating cures for childhood cancers and supporting families through treatment, with similar event-driven fundraising and research grant programs.
• Children's Cancer Research Fund: Funds pediatric cancer research at the University of Minnesota and beyond, while supporting families during treatment. Comparable model combining research grants, family support services, and community fundraising events.

Emerging players

• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Nonprofit granting wishes to children with critical illnesses including cancer. Comparable in serving pediatric cancer populations and family support, but focused on experiences rather than treatment funding - making it adjacent rather than directly competing for donor dollars.
• Hyundai Hope On Wheels: Corporate philanthropic initiative funding pediatric cancer research at children's hospitals nationwide. Comparable in research grantmaking and pediatric cancer focus, though operating through a corporate giving model rather than grassroots fundraising.

Others

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Provides housing and support services for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment. Complementary to KBC's mission - families receiving transplants at AdventHealth often need Ronald McDonald housing - making it a logical ecosystem partner rather than competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kidsbeatcancer
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TheKidsbeatingcancer/feed?view_as=public
• Facebookfacebook.com/KidsBeatingCancer
• Instagraminstagram.com/kidsbeatingcancer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kids-beating-cancer

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 KIDS BEATING CANCER