Rethink Breast Cancer

What Rethink Breast Cancer does

Rethink Breast Cancer is a registered Canadian charity (Charity #: 892176116RR0001) founded in 2001 and headquartered at 50 Carroll Street, Toronto, Ontario. The organization focuses on education, support, and advocacy for younger women (generally under 50) concerned about or affected by breast cancer, addressing gaps in care that were not previously served by traditional breast cancer organizations. Its portfolio of programs includes psychosocial support (The Healing Collective of social workers and psychotherapists, Virtual Support Groups), peer connection (The Rethink Network, Mentoring Matters), educational resources (Care Priorities framework, Breast Health 101), advocacy campaigns (MBC Allies, drug access advocacy), and research partnerships (Baby Time/POSITIVE trial, Advancing Risk Stratification with CIHR). Community-facing initiatives include the Uncovered project for BI&POC breast cancer experiences and the Give-A-Care care package program.

Rethink operates as a digital-first nonprofit, distributing programs and services primarily through its website, online communities, and virtual delivery, supplemented by the annual Boobyball fundraising event in Toronto (celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026). Underlying technology is a content-and-community platform stack rather than a unified technology product: a Raisely-powered personal fundraising infrastructure, a Mailchimp-backed newsletter ecosystem, MJ DeCoteau's Substack, and active social channels (YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter).

The business model is donations and fundraising only, with no commercial pricing. All programs and services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Revenue is generated through individual donations, personal fundraising pages, the Boobyball annual event (with a Dentsu-refreshed 2026 edition), the Giving Circle (targeting $625,000 from 25 donors at $25,000 each), corporate partnerships (notably Pfizer Canada), the Metastatic Breast Cancer Fund, and the Adopt-a-Hospital program. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Amanda Alvaro, with MJ DeCoteau as Founder and Executive Director, and operates with 11-50 employees.

Name

Rethink Breast Cancer

Legal name

Rethink Breast Cancer

Website

https://rethinkbreastcancer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rethink Breast Cancer is a Toronto-based registered Canadian charity founded in 2001 that delivers education, psychosocial support, advocacy, and research programs for younger women affected by or concerned about breast cancer, funded entirely through donations, fundraising events, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Breast Cancer Support and Advocacy

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Breast Oncology (HLAKAFAJ), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Breast cancer support
• Cancer advocacy programs
• Psychosocial support services
• Breast health education
• Community peer support

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a registered Canadian charity, Rethink Breast Cancer relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and community supporters. It runs personal fundraising campaigns, the Boobyball annual event, The Giving Circle, and the MBC Fund to generate charitable contributions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Rethink Breast Cancer is a registered Canadian charity that delivers education, psychosocial support, and advocacy programs for younger women (under 50) concerned about or affected by breast cancer. Its portfolio includes the Healing Collective (professional social work and psychotherapy), Virtual Support Groups, Mentoring Matters peer mentorship, The Rethink Network online community, breast health education, and policy/systemic advocacy such as the MBC Allies campaign. Programs are offered free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through donations, corporate partnerships, and events such as the annual Boobyball fundraiser.

Product overview

Rethink Breast Cancer is a non-profit charitable organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services for younger women affected by breast cancer. The organization operates as a portfolio of interconnected initiatives rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include Boobyball (flagship fundraising event), The Healing Collective (psychosocial support), The Rethink Network (peer support community), and Mentoring Matters. Educational resources encompass Care Priorities, breast health education, and a content hub with stories and articles. Research initiatives include the National Needs Assessment, Baby Time Study, and Advancing Risk Stratification research. The organization also runs advocacy programs like MBC Allies, funding initiatives like the MBC Fund, and community initiatives including Uncovered for BI&POC representation. Fundraising mechanisms include The Giving Circle and personal fundraising platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Healing Collective A team of professionally-trained social workers and psychotherapists providing accessible psychosocial support to younger women navigating breast cancer at any stage, with 80+ years of combined experience across oncology, trauma, and mental health.
• The Rethink Network An online community network connecting younger women diagnosed with breast cancer with peers who understand their experience, providing long-term peer support and shared understanding.
• Mentoring Matters Peer Mentorship

Quantifiable outcome

• Connected to 80,000+ community members globally through digital-first platforms
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dentsu Creative CanadacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 July 2026Dentsu Creative Canada partnered with Rethink Breast Cancer to support the strategic and creative evolution of Boobyball, the organization's major Toronto-based fundraising and breast health awareness event celebrating its 25th anniversary. The partnership involved a refreshed visual identity and broader campaign aimed at making Boobyball more participatory and culturally relevant for the next generation. The redesigned Boobyball returned on October 16, 2026.
• Pfizer CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 July 2021Rethink Breast Cancer and Pfizer Canada partnered in 2021 to launch a joint research program funding pioneering research in metastatic breast cancer. Nearly $270,000 in research grants was awarded to three institutions: St Mary's Research Centre (Quebec), Tom Baker Cancer Centre (Alberta), and BC Cancer Vancouver. The areas of interest were determined by patients through Rethink's MBC Advisory Board, inspired by the James Lind Alliance's top 10 research priorities for MBC.
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRethink Breast Cancer is a patient partner on a five-year research project titled 'Advancing Risk Stratification in Young Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer,' led by Dr. Mark Basik and funded through CIHR's Bringing Biology to Cancer Prevention Team Grants. The study conducts molecular analysis of normal breast tissue to develop personalized breast cancer risk assessment and screening strategies for young women.
• Canadian Cancer SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRethink approached the Canadian Cancer Society about collaborating to explore breast screening evidence since 2011, seeking to understand the effect of changes in breast screening age alongside improvements in pathology and treatment. The collaboration was in early exploratory stages.
• Sunnybrook Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-Principal Investigator Dr. Martin Yaffe from Sunnybrook Research Institute is part of the research team for 'Advancing Risk Stratification in Young Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer.' The team aims to use AI to analyze mammograms and develop personalized screening strategies for young women.
• Jewish General HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrincipal Investigator Dr. Mark Basik and multiple co-applicants are based at Jewish General Hospital, leading the five-year study on risk stratification in young women at high risk for breast cancer.
• St. Mary's Research Centre (Quebec)coreOthersGrant recipient of the Rethink-Pfizer joint RFP. St. Mary's Research Centre received funding to implement an electronic patient-reported outcome symptom screening and management program for better tailored treatment and care of women with MBC.
• Tom Baker Cancer Centre (Alberta)coreOthersGrant recipient of the Rethink-Pfizer joint RFP. The centre received funding to create and deliver an evidenced-based forum of MBC-related topics to patients, empowering them in shared decision-making about their care.
• BC Cancer VancouvercoreOthersGrant recipient of the Rethink-Pfizer joint RFP. BC Cancer Vancouver received funding to improve quality of care for older people living with MBC through a dedicated nurse navigator matching patients with resources.
• Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCTG is the cancer clinical trials cooperative group managing the Canadian arm of the Baby Time (POSITIVE) trial, in which Rethink Breast Cancer is committed to raising $100,000+ to fund Canadian research sites.
• Multiple Canadian Cancer Centres (Baby Time Trial Sites)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrial sites for the Baby Time (POSITIVE) study in Canada include Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Centre, Mount Sinai Hospital, CHU de Sherbrooke, CHUM Montreal, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, BCCA Vancouver, and CHA-Hopital du St-Sacrement. These sites are enrolling and studying patients for the pregnancy-after-breast-cancer study.
• ABC Global AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRethink Breast Cancer is an inaugural member of the ABC Global Alliance, a multi-stakeholder platform for advanced breast cancer. As part of this membership, Rethink helped develop the Charter and supports the vision to double median overall survival of MBC by 2025 through the MBC Allies campaign.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Susan G. Komen: The largest breast cancer-focused nonprofit globally and the dominant brand in the category. Competes with Rethink for donor dollars and breast cancer mindshare, but serves women of all ages rather than specializing in younger women.
• Breast Cancer Research Foundation: The largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide. Comparable to Rethink on the research funding component, but operates at vastly larger scale and focuses exclusively on research rather than direct psychosocial support.
• Canadian Cancer Society: Canada's largest national cancer charity and Rethink's most direct domestic funder competitor. Overlaps on breast cancer research funding, advocacy, and patient support, but operates across all cancer types with substantially larger resources.

Direct peers

• METAvivor: U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated exclusively to metastatic breast cancer research funding and support. Directly comparable to Rethink's MBC Fund and MBC Allies advocacy work, with an overlapping research grantmaking model.
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer: U.S. nonprofit providing trusted information, community, and support to people affected by breast cancer. Closely comparable to Rethink on educational content, peer connection, and programming for newly diagnosed and metastatic patients.
• Young Survival Coalition: U.S.-based nonprofit specifically focused on young women diagnosed with breast cancer. Closest comparable peer to Rethink because it shares the same narrow patient demographic (younger women), the same mission (support, education, advocacy), and similar program mix of peer mentorship, support communities, and education.
• Bright Pink: U.S. nonprofit focused on breast and ovarian health education and risk assessment for young women. Directly comparable demographic and prevention/education focus, though with more emphasis on hereditary risk than oncology support.

Emerging players

• Sharsheret: U.S.-based nonprofit supporting young Jewish women and families facing breast and ovarian cancer. Comparable to Rethink in serving an underserved subpopulation with tailored psychosocial support and community programming.
• Know Your Lemons Foundation: Global breast health education nonprofit focused on early detection through visual breast health literacy. Comparable to Rethink's breast health education content aimed at younger audiences, with a distinctive global visual education approach.

Others

• ABC Global Alliance: Multi-stakeholder platform for advanced breast cancer of which Rethink is an inaugural member. Comparable as a coordinated advocacy and research coalition pursuing the same MBC survival doubling goal as Rethink's MBC Allies campaign.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rethinktweet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/rethinkbreastcancer1
• Facebookfacebook.com/RethinkBreastCancer
• Instagraminstagram.com/rethinkbreastcancer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rethink-breast-cancer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Rethink Breast Cancer