Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland

What Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland does

Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland is a Dutch non-profit patient association (vereniging) headquartered in De Bilt with an operational base at the Prinses Máxima Centrum in Utrecht, serving families affected by childhood cancer. It functions as the primary Dutch patiëntenvereniging for everyone dealing with or having dealt with pediatric cancer, providing experiential expertise, peer recognition, emotional support, and comprehensive information spanning diagnosis, treatment, aftercare, palliative care, and bereavement. The organization is formally co-owner of the Prinses Máxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, the national center that concentrates pediatric oncology care and research, and operates a physical information desk in the center's central hall staffed by trained parent supporters (oudersteuners).

Its core offerings include the trademarked Kanjerketting® bead program, the VOX survivor support program for those aged 16 and older, the Ketting van Verhalen podcast, peer support contact lines, buddy programs (including specialized Koesterkindmaatjes for palliative cases), educational materials for schools, and dedicated support for Fanconi Anemia patients and siblings (Brussen). The technology footprint is non-existent in the conventional sense; delivery is built on human relationships, volunteer networks, content publishing, and the hospital-based distribution point.

Revenue mechanics consist of three streams: recurring membership contributions (lid-worden), public donations channeled through a published IBAN, and transactional webshop sales of Kanjerketting merchandise. The organization holds ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) status, the Dutch charitable designation that confers tax benefits. In 2025 it led a multi-organization lobbying coalition that collected over 65,000 signatures supporting paid caregiver leave legislation, securing a kamerbrede motie and subsequent ministerial engagement, indicating an active expansion into policy advocacy alongside its community support mission.

Name

Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland

Legal name

Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland

Website

https://vokk.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland is the primary Dutch patient association for families affected by childhood cancer, delivering peer support, the trademarked Kanjerketting bead program, survivor services, and policy advocacy, and serving as co-owner of the Prinses Máxima Centrum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Advocacy and Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)

Keywords

• Childhood cancer support
• Patient association services
• Peer support programs
• Pediatric oncology advocacy
• Cancer survivorship care

Headquarters

HQ city

De Bilt

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership contributions: Annual membership fees from families and individuals who join as members (lid-worden). Provides access to support services, information, and community.
2. Donations and support: Public donations and support contributions. IBAN: NL72 SNSB 0938 4000 45. Call to action on website for 'Steunen' (support/donate).
3. Webshop sales: Sales of Kanjerketting products and merchandise through the organization's webshop.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland is a Dutch non-profit patient association delivering experiential-expertise-based support, information, peer recognition, and advocacy to families affected by childhood cancer. Core offerings include the trademarked Kanjerketting bead program for children in treatment, VOX survivorship support, parent-supporter peer services, a contact helpline, buddy programs, family camps, and comprehensive information resources across diagnosis, treatment, palliative care, and bereavement stages.

Product overview

Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland is a patient association providing a comprehensive ecosystem of support services for families affected by childhood cancer. The core offerings include the Kanjerketting® (bead program for children undergoing treatment), VOX (survivorship support for those 16+ living with late effects), the 'Ketting van Verhalen' podcast, and various peer support programs including parent supporters, contact lines, buddy programs, and family camps. The association also provides extensive informational resources, educational materials for schools, a webshop, and specialized support for Fanconi Anemia patients. Services are delivered both directly and through partnership with the Prinses Máxima Centrum for Pediatric Oncology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kanjerketting®: The Kanjerketting supports and comforts children with cancer. The colorful beads are a bright spot during heavy treatment and children look forward to them. A trademarked initiative of Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland.
• VOX
• Podcast 'Ketting van Verhalen'

Products and services

• Kanjerketting® A trademarked bead program that supports and comforts children with cancer during their treatment; each bead represents a milestone or treatment procedure, creating a visual narrative of the child's journey and something to look forward to. Targeted at children with cancer and their families.
• VOX Survivorship Program A dedicated program for survivors of childhood cancer aged 16 and older, offering information about late effects, peer support, recognition, activities, and advocacy for survivor-specific needs.
• Oudersteuners (Parent Supporters) Trained volunteers with personal experience of childhood cancer who provide information, emotional support, and a listening ear to parents, primarily at the Prinses Máxima Centrum information desk.
• Contactlijn (Contact Line) A telephone helpline providing support and information for families affected by childhood cancer.
• Maatje voor je kind (Buddy for your child) A peer support program pairing children with cancer with trained volunteers who provide companionship during treatment.
• Koesterkindmaatjes Specialized support buddies for children whose treatment is no longer curative, providing comfort and companionship during palliative care.
• Bijeenkomsten en kampen (Meetings and Camps) Organized gatherings and camps bringing together children with cancer, survivors, siblings (Brussen), and families for peer support and shared experiences.
• Fanconi Anemie Support Program Specialized information and support services for patients and families affected by Fanconi Anemia, including medical information, care provisions, life stages guidance, and community resources.
• Webshop Online store selling Kanjerketting-related merchandise and other association products, generating revenue to support the association's mission.
• Lesmateriaal (Educational Materials for Schools) Educational resources and materials designed for schools to support children returning to school after cancer treatment.
• Podcast 'Ketting van Verhalen' A podcast series exploring the experiences of living through and after childhood cancer and late effects, hosted on Spotify by Marjolein Broeren, Marit van Neer, and Shannen Stolte.

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Prinses Máxima Centrum voor KinderoncologiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint co-ownership (mede-eigenaar) relationship established in 2006. The Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland (formerly VOKK) and treatment providers (SKION) together initiated the concentration of childhood cancer care and research in a national center. The Máxima opened on June 1, 2018. The association maintains its own information desk (balie) in the central hall of the center where parent supporters provide information and a listening ear.
• Stichting Kinderoncologie Nederland (SKION)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partner that jointly initiated the Prinses Máxima Centrum in 2006. SKION represents treatment providers while the association represents parents.
• Stichting Kind en ZiekenhuisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the lobby coalition for parental care leave legislation, representing broader child healthcare interests.
• Kenniscentrum Kinderpalliatieve ZorgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the lobby coalition for parental care leave, representing pediatric palliative care expertise.
• ZEVMB-KenniscentrumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the lobby coalition for parental care leave, representing children with chronic conditions.
• Stichting Mag ik dan bij jouminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the lobby coalition for parental care leave, focused on seriously ill children's needs.
• Stichting Villa JoepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the lobby coalition for parental care leave, focused on neuroblastoma.
• Stichting Stomaatje aandachtminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the lobby coalition for parental care leave, focused on stoma-related childhood conditions.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Childhood Cancer International: Global umbrella network of childhood cancer parent/patient organizations. Comparable as the international peer-and-federation counterpart to VKN's national mission; not a direct fundraiser but an ecosystem player VKN could plug into for cross-border learning and policy work.
• Stichting Kinderoncologie Nederland (SKION): Dutch clinical/research network for pediatric oncology and VKN's co-initiator of Prinses Máxima Centrum. Closely allied rather than competitive: SKION represents treatment providers while VKN represents parents, making it the most structurally connected organization to VKN's mission and governance.

Direct peers

• Stichting Villa Joep: Dutch foundation focused on neuroblastoma research and family support; directly comparable as a Dutch childhood-cancer-specific nonprofit that participated in the same care-leave lobby coalition. Same disease category, same domestic donor pool, similar advocacy model.
• Stichting Mag ik dan bij jou: Dutch foundation supporting families of seriously ill children; directly comparable as a Dutch seriously-ill-children family support organization and a named coalition partner in VKN's care-leave advocacy. Similar peer-support and recognition-based service model.
• Kenniscentrum Kinderpalliatieve Zorg: Dutch knowledge center for pediatric palliative care; directly comparable as a Dutch seriously-ill-children support organization and an explicit lobby coalition partner. Overlaps with VKN's Koesterkindmaatjes and palliative content offerings.
• Stichting Kind en Ziekenhuis: Dutch organization advocating for children in medical settings; directly comparable as a Dutch child-patient advocacy nonprofit and an explicit coalition partner in the 2025 care-leave lobby. Similar peer-support and information-delivery model aimed at families of sick children.
• ZEVMB-Kenniscentrum: Dutch knowledge center for children with severe multiple disabilities; directly comparable as a Dutch nonprofit serving families with severely ill or disabled children and a named partner in VKN's care-leave coalition. Comparable parent-support and information-provision approach.

Broad incumbents

• KWF Kankerbestrijding: The national Dutch cancer society, much larger and broader in scope. Overlaps with VKN in cancer support and fundraising but operates across all cancers and all ages, dwarfing VKN's childhood-cancer-specific remit while competing for some of the same donor attention.

Regional players

• American Childhood Cancer Organization: US-based childhood cancer parent advocacy organization with a near-identical model — family information, peer support, advocacy, awareness. Closest geographic-comparable peer in mission, though serving US families rather than Dutch ones.
• Young Lives vs Cancer (formerly CLIC Sargent): UK charity supporting children and young people with cancer and their families through social workers, financial grants, and advocacy. Closely mirrors VKN's combined information-plus-peer-support-plus-policy-advocacy model in a different national market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kinderkankernl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vereniging-ouders-kinderen-en-kanker
• Instagraminstagram.com/vereniging_kinderkanker_nl
• Xx.com/kinderkanker_nl

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Vereniging Kinderkanker Nederland