Cancer Focus NI

What Cancer Focus NI does

Cancer Focus Northern Ireland (Cancer Focus NI) is a registered charity (NIC 101307) founded in 1969 and headquartered in Belfast, providing free cancer support, prevention, and research services to people across Northern Ireland. The organisation delivers a comprehensive suite of patient-facing services including a freephone nurse-led Cancer Nurseline (0800 783 3339), professional counselling, family and bereavement support, art therapy, a specialist bra and swimwear fitting service for women affected by breast cancer, a volunteer driver service for hospital transport, and a broad programme of disease-specific support groups (breast, prostate, myeloma, laryngectomy, and others). Its cancer prevention arm includes an award-winning Stop Smoking Service funded by the Public Health Agency reporting a 68% four-week quit rate, Keeping Well Services delivered to workplaces and communities via Zoom and Microsoft Teams webinars, and skin cancer awareness work.

Name

Cancer Focus NI

Legal name

Cancer Focus Northern Ireland

Website

https://cancerfocusni.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Cancer Focus Northern Ireland is a registered charity providing free nurse-led cancer support services, prevention programmes, and research funding for people affected by cancer across Northern Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Support Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

Keywords

• Cancer support services
• Cancer charity
• Patient support services
• Smoking cessation
• Cancer prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

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. Donations and Fundraising: The organization raises £4.6 million annually through individual donations, event fundraising, corporate partnerships, and memorial/celebration donations. They operate charity shops and monthly prize draw programmes.
2. Government Funding: The Stop Smoking Service is funded by the Public Health Agency. This represents a significant government funding stream for cancer prevention services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cancer Focus NI provides free cancer support services to patients, families, and carers across Northern Ireland through a nurse-led Nurseline helpline, one-to-one counselling, family support, art therapy, bra and swimwear fitting, volunteer driving transport, and community support groups. Its cancer prevention work includes a Stop Smoking Service, Keeping Well community programmes, and a Moodle-based e-learning platform offering training for healthcare professionals.

Product overview

Cancer Focus NI is a cancer charity offering a comprehensive suite of support services for people affected by cancer in Northern Ireland. The core offering includes: the Cancer Nurseline (freephone helpline), Counselling, Family Support, Art Therapy, Bra and Swimwear Fitting, Driving Service, and various Support Groups (cancer-type specific and general). The charity also operates Therapeutic Cancer Support Centres (with Fermanagh opened in June 2025 as part of a plan for five centres), a Stop Smoking Service, Keeping Well Services, and Cancer Prevention Activities. Additionally, an E-Learning Platform (built on Moodle) provides professional training courses for health workers. Fundraising initiatives include a Monthly Prize Draw and various events like the Mourne Wall Challenge and Pink Run.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cancer Nurseline Free, confidential nurse-led telephone helpline providing cancer information, emotional support, and signposting to other Cancer Focus NI services for patients, families, and the public in Northern Ireland.
• Counselling Service Free one-to-one counselling for cancer patients and family members to help manage the emotional and psychological impact of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and bereavement.
• Family Support Service Practical and emotional support for families and carers of cancer patients, including advice, guidance, and bereavement support delivered through Cancer Focus NI's centres and helpline.
• Art Therapy Free therapeutic art sessions designed to help cancer patients process emotions and reduce stress through creative expression, delivered at the charity's therapeutic cancer support centres.
• Bra and Swimwear Fitting Service Free post-surgery bra and swimwear fitting service for women who have had breast cancer surgery, helping them find appropriate and comfortable garments.
• Volunteer Driving Service Free volunteer-led transport service that takes cancer patients to and from hospital appointments for treatment, reducing the travel burden on patients and families.
• Support Groups Community-based peer support groups bringing cancer patients and survivors together to share experiences, reduce isolation, and build mutual support networks.
• Stop Smoking Service Free specialist smoking cessation service for the Northern Ireland public, with one-to-one support, pharmacotherapy advice, and follow-up. The charity reports a 68% four-week quit success rate.
• Keeping Well Services Community-based cancer prevention and health awareness programmes that educate the Northern Ireland public on lifestyle factors that reduce cancer risk.
• E-Learning Platform Online Moodle-based e-learning platform offering cancer-related training courses and webinars (via Zoom and Microsoft Teams) primarily for healthcare professionals undertaking CPD.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 in 2 people in Northern Ireland expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Public Health AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funder of the award-winning Stop Smoking Service. Partnership enables delivery of cancer prevention programmes across Northern Ireland communities, workplaces, and schools.
• Pink Ribbon FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKindly funded the Secondary Breast Cancer Wellbeing Workshop, providing specialised support for women with metastatic breast cancer.
• 26 Extreme LtdminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEvent management partner delivering the Mourne Wall Challenge on behalf of Cancer Focus NI. Provides expert mountain event management combined with charitable cause.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Young Lives vs Cancer (formerly CLIC Sargent): UK-wide charity supporting children and young people with cancer and their families; comparable family support and counselling offerings from a larger national platform.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: Largest UK-wide cancer charity providing information, support and financial help; overlaps directly with Cancer Focus NI's nurseline, counselling and family support offerings but at UK scale.
• Cancer Research UK: UK's leading cancer research and awareness charity; competes with Cancer Focus NI for the same donor pool, event participation and corporate partnerships across Northern Ireland.
• Marie Curie: UK charity providing care and support for people with terminal illness including cancer; comparable in nurse-led support services, counselling and end-of-life care navigation.

Regional players

• Irish Cancer Society: National cancer charity for the Republic of Ireland offering support, information and prevention services; comparable operating model but serves a separate jurisdiction across the border.
• Tenovus Cancer Care: Wales-based cancer charity providing support, counselling and a mobile support unit; comparable service mix and regional single-country operating model.

Direct peers

• Action Cancer: Northern Ireland-based cancer charity providing prevention, screening and support services; the closest geographic peer and a direct competitor for NI donor and volunteer share.
• Maggie's Centres: Operates a UK-wide network of nurse- and psychologist-led cancer support centres offering drop-in emotional and practical support — directly analogous to Cancer Focus NI's Therapeutic Cancer Support Centre model.
• Cancer Fund for Children: Northern Ireland-based charity supporting children and families affected by cancer; directly comparable family support and therapeutic services within the same NI geography.

Emerging players

• Look Good Feel Better UK: UK charity helping people manage the visible side effects of cancer treatment; partially overlaps with Cancer Focus NI's bra fitting and wellbeing programmes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CancerFocusNI
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCb2PswKoqGYCIl1rCbQGydQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/cancerfocusni
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cancer-focus-northern-ireland
• Instagraminstagram.com/cancerfocusni
• TikToktiktok.com/@cancerfocusni

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 Cancer Focus NI