Rare Cancers
Rare Cancers Australia is a registered charity, founded in 2012 and based in Bowral, NSW, that provides free patient navigation, clinical information, peer support, and financial assistance to Australians affected by rare and less common cancers, funded through donations and fundraising events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersBowral, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Rare Cancers does
Rare Cancers Australia (RCA), legally Rare Cancers Australia Ltd, is a registered charity founded in 2012 and headquartered in Bowral, New South Wales, with a regional office in Wollongong. The organization supports Australians affected by rare and less common cancers through a suite of programs rather than a commercial product line. Its core offering is the Patient Support Program, in which Specialist Cancer Navigators provide one-on-one clinical, emotional, and practical navigation; this is complemented by the KnowledgeBase (a comprehensive directory of rare cancer types, specialists, clinical trials, and support services), the Education Hub (modular content for health professionals across Gynaecological, Thoracic, Male Urogenital, and Primary Care), and the ARC Portal for expert opinion and trial matching. Additional programs include Mummy's Wish (for mothers with cancer and young children), the Jem Program, the Patient Treatment Fund, disease-specific support groups, the Rare Cancer Support Guide, Inside Rare newsletter, and podcasts (Radio Rare, Rare Bites).
Underlying technology is content- and community-centric rather than AI-driven: the KnowledgeBase functions as a curated data resource, the ARC Portal links patients to clinical expertise, and digital distribution runs through a website plus private Facebook groups and Microsoft Teams for peer support. No API, SDK, or AI/ML capability is disclosed.
The business model is donation-driven. All patient services are provided free of charge; funding comes from tax-deductible individual donations, fundraising events (Kosi Challenge, Dry July), workplace giving, the Patient Treatment Fund platform, and corporate sponsorship of the KnowledgeBase and awareness campaigns (Genesis Care, Ramsey, Icon Cancer Centre). No revenue, ARR, or grant figures are disclosed. Reach metrics cited include 1,000+ patients and families supported annually, 2,500+ connected through support groups, 3,800+ views of the Support Guide, and $158,000+ in crisis funding distributed. Customers (beneficiaries) are rare cancer patients, their carers and families, and the health professionals who refer them; the addressable population is roughly 42,000 Australians diagnosed annually with a rare or less common cancer.
Rare Cancers firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rare Cancers
- Legal name
- Rare Cancers Australia Ltd
- Website
- https://rarecancers.org.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Rare Cancers Australia is a registered charity, founded in 2012 and based in Bowral, NSW, that provides free patient navigation, clinical information, peer support, and financial assistance to Australians affected by rare and less common cancers, funded through donations and fundraising events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rare Cancers industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rare Cancer Patient Support Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)
Keywords
Where Rare Cancers is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bowral
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices2 records
Markets served
Rare Cancers business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the rare cancer community. Donations can be made as one-time or regular contributions through the organization's giving portal.
- Fundraising: Various fundraising initiatives including events (Kosi Challenge, Dry July), creating own events, workplace giving, and sponsoring fundraisers. The RCA Patient Treatment Fund is an online fundraising platform for people needing to raise funds for cancer-related expenses.
- Patient Treatment Fund: Online fundraising platform for patients who need to raise funds for cancer-related expenses including transport to appointments, accommodation during treatment, specialist medical bills and day-to-day expenses.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Rare Cancers product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rare Cancers Australia provides free, tailored support services to Australians affected by rare, less common and complex cancers, delivered primarily through Specialist Cancer Navigators who offer one-on-one clinical, emotional, financial and practical assistance. The charity runs the KnowledgeBase (a searchable directory of cancer types, specialists, clinical trials and support services), the Patient Support Program, Mummy's Wish Program for mothers with cancer, RCA Support Groups, the Patient Treatment Fund for crisis financial assistance, the Education Hub for clinicians, the ARC Portal for expert clinical opinion, and advocacy initiatives such as CanForum and Rare Cancers Awareness Day.
Product overview
Rare Cancers Australia is a charity organization (not a technology company) offering a suite of patient support and information services. The core offering includes the Patient Support Program providing Specialist Cancer Navigators for one-on-one tailored support, the KnowledgeBase as a searchable database of rare cancer types, health professionals, clinical trials, and support services, and the Education Hub with specialized modules for health professionals. Additional services include the Rare Cancer Support Guide (a comprehensive printed and digital resource), Inside Rare monthly newsletter, ARC Portal for expert clinical opinion, RCA Support Groups (online via Facebook and Microsoft Teams), the Mummy's Wish Program for mothers with cancer, and the Patient Treatment Fund for fundraising support. Together, these services provide clinical, emotional, financial, and practical support to over 1,000 patients and families annually.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rare Cancer Support Guide: A comprehensive guide providing trusted information, tools and advice for anyone impacted by rare cancer, covering diagnosis, treatment, relationships, and looking ahead.
- Patient Support Program
- Mummy's Wish Program
- Radio Rare Podcast
- Inside Rare Newsletter
- Rare Bites
- CanForum
- Education Hub
- KnowledgeBase
- Kosi Challenge
Products and services
- Patient Support Program Free one-on-one support service for people diagnosed with a rare, less common or complex cancer in Australia, delivered by Specialist Cancer Navigators who provide tailored clinical, emotional, financial and practical guidance.
- Mummy's Wish Program Practical support program specifically for mothers with cancer who have young children, addressing the unique needs of parenting while undergoing cancer treatment.
- The Jem Program Program offered by Rare Cancers Australia listed under the organization's Our Programs section, supporting people affected by rare cancers.
- KnowledgeBase Online searchable database containing information on hundreds of rare or less common cancer types, plus searchable directories of health professionals, clinical trials, cancer services and support organizations across Australia.
- Education Hub Series of educational e-learning modules incorporating practical evidence-based knowledge and patient lived experiences, covering gynaecological cancers, thoracic cancers, male urogenital cancers, and primary care, for health professionals and patients.
- Rare Cancer Support Guide Comprehensive guide with four sections providing trusted information, tools and advice for anyone impacted by rare cancer, covering diagnosis, treatment, relationships, and life after treatment.
- ARC Portal (Australian Rare Cancer Portal) Australian Rare Cancer Portal providing access to expert opinion and advice on management guidelines, testing options, and clinical trials for rare cancers.
- Patient Treatment Fund Online fundraising platform helping patients raise funds for cancer-related expenses including transport to appointments, accommodation during treatment, specialist medical bills and day-to-day expenses, with support for setting up fundraising pages and securing media coverage.
- RCA Support Groups Safe, confidential online forums facilitated by Specialist Cancer Navigators for people sharing rare cancer experiences, organized by specific cancer types including Adrenocortical Carcinoma, GIST, Gynaecological Cancers, Male Urogenital, Medullary Thyroid, Sarcoma, Thymoma, Rare Cancer Carers, Rare Connect and Mummy's Wish.
- Digital Resources (Webinars and Podcasts) Collection of digital educational resources including webinars on cancer-related topics and the Radio Rare and Rare Bites podcasts, providing education and community connection for rare cancer patients and carers.
- CanForum Forum bringing together clinical, policy and patient advocate leaders to explore rare cancer issues and drive advocacy outcomes.
- Inside Rare Newsletter Monthly newsletter sharing the latest news, events and stories connecting the rare cancer community, sent at the end of every month.
Quantifiable outcome
- Supporting over 1,000 patients and families each year
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Rare Cancers
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Rare Cancers technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Rare Cancers partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered support.
- Genesis CaresupportGenesis Care is listed as a proud supporter of the KnowledgeBase platform, providing sponsorship support for this comprehensive resource for rare cancer information.
- RamseysupportRamsey is listed as a proud supporter of the KnowledgeBase platform, providing sponsorship support for this comprehensive resource for rare cancer information.
- Icon Cancer CentresupportIcon Cancer Centre is a supporting partner of the national 'Rare in name, not in numbers' campaign led by Rare Cancers Australia, helping to shine a light on rare cancers.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Rare Cancers competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Children's Cancer Institute: Australian medical research institute dedicated to curing childhood cancer. Comparable to RCA as a peer Australian cancer-focused organization with overlapping patient and family support missions, though CCI is primarily research-focused rather than advocacy and direct patient support.
- Pancare Foundation: Australian charity supporting patients with pancreatic, liver, biliary, oesophageal, and other upper gastrointestinal cancers. Comparable to RCA as a peer Australian cancer charity focused on less common cancer types, with similar patient support programs and fundraising models.
- Leukemia Foundation: Major Australian blood cancer charity providing patient support, advocacy, and accommodation services. Comparable to RCA as a peer disease-specific cancer charity operating in Australia with similar patient support, navigation, and fundraising models, though focused on blood cancers rather than rare solid tumors.
Emerging players
- Rare Disease Foundation: Canadian-based rare disease advocacy and support organization serving patients and families affected by rare conditions. Comparable to RCA as a peer rare disease-focused support charity with similar patient and family support mission, though operating in a different national market.
- EURORDIS – Rare Diseases Europe: European alliance of rare disease patient organizations representing over 1,000 patient groups. Comparable to RCA as a peer rare disease umbrella advocacy organization focused on improving outcomes for people with rare conditions through policy and patient support.
- NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders): Leading US-based rare disease advocacy organization providing patient support, education, and policy advocacy. Comparable to RCA as a peer rare disease advocacy and support organization, though NORD operates globally and at significantly larger scale.
Direct peers
- Rare Voices Australia: Australia's national advocacy organization for people living with rare diseases. Operates as a peer organization to RCA in the rare disease national advocacy space, with comparable policy advocacy, awareness, and support missions focused on the rare disease community.
Broad incumbents
- Macmillan Cancer Support: Major UK cancer support charity providing clinical, financial, and emotional support to cancer patients. Comparable to RCA as a peer cancer-focused charity providing holistic patient support, navigation, and crisis funding, though operating at larger scale and across all cancer types.
- Cancer Australia: Australian Government agency providing national leadership in cancer control. Comparable to RCA as a peer Australian cancer-focused organization addressing cancer outcomes through policy, information, and evidence, though operating as a government agency rather than a charity.
- Cancer Council Australia: Australia's leading national cancer charity, providing broad cancer information, support, and advocacy across all cancer types. Comparable to RCA as a peer cancer-focused charity competing for the same donor and patient mindshare, though Cancer Council covers all cancer types rather than specializing in rare and less common cancers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rare Cancers social profiles
Digital presenceRare Cancers financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rare Cancers leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Rare Cancers funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rare Cancers M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rare Cancers
What does Rare Cancers do?
Rare Cancers Australia provides free, tailored support services to Australians affected by rare, less common and complex cancers, delivered primarily through Specialist Cancer Navigators who offer one-on-one clinical, emotional, financial and practical assistance. The charity runs the KnowledgeBase (a searchable directory of cancer types, specialists, clinical trials and support services), the Patient Support Program, Mummy's Wish Program for mothers with cancer, RCA Support Groups, the Patient Treatment Fund for crisis financial assistance, the Education Hub for clinicians, the ARC Portal for expert clinical opinion, and advocacy initiatives such as CanForum and Rare Cancers Awareness Day.
Is Rare Cancers a public or private company?
Rare Cancers is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Rare Cancers founded?
Rare Cancers was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Rare Cancers based?
Rare Cancers is headquartered in Bowral, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Rare Cancers make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are fundraising and patient Treatment Fund.
Who are Rare Cancers's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Children's Cancer Institute, Pancare Foundation and Leukemia Foundation. Emerging players are Rare Disease Foundation, EURORDIS – Rare Diseases Europe and NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). Rare Voices Australia is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are Macmillan Cancer Support, Cancer Australia and Cancer Council Australia.
Does Rare Cancers have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rare Cancers.
What industry is Rare Cancers in?
Rare Cancers's product category is Rare Cancer Patient Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAM, Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.