Above + Beyond Cancer

What Above + Beyond Cancer does

Above + Beyond Cancer is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 2011 by Dr. Richard Deming, medical director of Mercy Cancer Center in Des Moines, and headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. The organization's stated mission is to elevate the mind, body, and spirit of patients, survivors, and caregivers throughout the cancer journey. It delivers a portfolio of free evidence-based wellness programs rather than a single product, organized around the Optimal Living Program (fitness, yoga, meditation, cycling, nutrition classes, urban pole walking, book club, Cancer Education Series), the Hotel Program (complimentary lodging for Iowa cancer patients traveling more than 50 miles for treatment), the Transformational Journey series of annual adventure expeditions (Everest Base Camp, Machu Picchu, Kilimanjaro, Patagonia, with the 2026 Annapurna trip in application), the Young Adult Survivor Program for ages 18-40, a virtual programming library distributed via YouTube, and a partner-hosted Clinton, Iowa site at the YWCA. The core technology is a human-led, evidence-based wellness curriculum — including certified cancer exercise training, mindfulness instruction, and expedition leadership — delivered through facility partnerships with MercyOne Health & Fitness, Trail Point, and YWCA Clinton, supported by an annual cadence of 20+ free classes per week.

The business model is donation-funded and price-free at the point of service. Revenue is generated through individual contributions, corporate sponsorships (ITA Group, EMC Insurance, Kemin Industries, Knapp Properties, NCMIC, Bankers Trust, Tito's Vodka), an Endow Iowa Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, and programmatic grants from the American Cancer Society, Iowa Cancer Consortium, Iowa Department of Public Health, Prairie Meadows, and Rally for Reid. All programs are offered at no cost to participants, removing financial barriers to care. The organization operates with approximately 15 employees and an active board comprising executives from MercyOne, UnityPoint John Stoddard Cancer Center, Iowa Clinic, Mission Cancer + Blood, American Cancer Society, and the corporate sponsor base. Distribution is hybrid: in-person across Central Iowa and Clinton, virtual via YouTube for global reach, and event-driven through fundraisers, community rides, and galas. In its most recent disclosed period it reached more than 12,000 survivors and caregivers annually and provided thousands of complimentary hotel rooms to traveling patients.

Name

Above + Beyond Cancer

Legal name

Above + Beyond Cancer, Inc.

Website

https://aboveandbeyondcancer.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Above + Beyond Cancer is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2011 in West Des Moines, Iowa that delivers free wellness programs — fitness, yoga, meditation, nutrition, lodging assistance, and adventure expeditions — to cancer survivors, caregivers, and community members across Iowa and online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Survivorship Wellness Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAH), Chronic Condition Lifestyle Coaching (Non-Clinical) (HSADAGAH), Rehabilitation Return-to-Exercise Training (Non-Clinical) (HSADAAAK)

Keywords

• Cancer survivorship programs
• Oncology wellness services
• Caregiver support programs
• Community cancer care
• Nonprofit health services

Headquarters

HQ city

West Des Moines

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Above + Beyond Cancer is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations to fund its free programs for cancer survivors and caregivers. The organization has an Endow Iowa Fund at The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines.
2. Hotel Program Partnerships: The Hotel Program is a cooperative effort between Above + Beyond Cancer and participating Iowa hotels to provide complimentary lodging to cancer patients traveling more than 50 miles for treatment. This is funded through partnerships with American Cancer Society, Prairie Meadows, Rally for Reid, Iowa Cancer Consortium, and Iowa Department of Public Health.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Above + Beyond Cancer delivers free, evidence-based wellness and survivorship programming to cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers. Its core offerings include the Optimal Living Program (weekly fitness, yoga, meditation, cycling, nutrition, urban pole walking, and book club classes), a Hotel Program that provides complimentary lodging to Iowa cancer patients traveling more than 50 miles for treatment, and annual Transformational Journey expeditions to destinations such as Mount Everest Base Camp, Machu Picchu, and Mount Kilimanjaro. All programs are provided at no cost to participants and are funded through donations, sponsorships, and grants.

Product overview

Above + Beyond Cancer is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of cancer survivorship and wellness programs rather than a single product. The core offerings include the Optimal Living Program (fitness, yoga, meditation, nutrition, and wellness classes), the Hotel Program (lodging assistance for traveling patients), Transformational Journey (adventure expeditions), Young Adult Survivor Program (social events for ages 18-40), Virtual Programs (online classes via YouTube), and Clinton Programs (in-person classes at Clinton YWCA). Programs are free to cancer survivors and caregivers in Iowa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Optimal Living Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Served more than 12,000 survivors and caregivers annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• MercyOne (MercyOne Deming Cancer Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMercyOne is a key healthcare partner. Dr. Richard Deming serves as medical director of Mercy Cancer Center. Above + Beyond Cancer cycling classes are held at MercyOne Health & Fitness. The organizations collaborate on cancer survivorship wellness programming.
• UnityPoint Health - John Stoddard Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner for cancer survivorship programs. Rachel Fyfe from UnityPoint John Stoddard Cancer Center serves on the Board of Directors. Dr. Andy Nish from UnityPoint John Stoddard Cancer Center also serves on the board.
• American Cancer SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Cancer Society helps fund the Hotel Program which provides complimentary lodging to cancer patients traveling for treatment. Kevin Kann from American Cancer Society serves on the Board of Directors.
• YWCA ClintonsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to deliver cancer survivorship programs at YWCA Clinton location. All cancer programs and classes are free to YWCA members. Cancer patients may receive 12-week scholarships after doctor referral.
• Participating Iowa HotelscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative effort between Above + Beyond Cancer and participating Iowa hotels to provide overnight accommodations to cancer patients traveling for treatment. Hotels provide rooms on a space-available basis.
• Iowa Cancer ConsortiumsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Hotel Program helping fund lodging assistance for cancer patients traveling for treatment.
• Iowa Department of Public HealthsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Hotel Program helping fund lodging assistance for cancer patients traveling for treatment.
• Iowa ClinicsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner. Dr. Juan Mira from The Iowa Clinic serves on the Board of Directors.
• Mission Cancer + BloodsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner. Dr. Amy Hughes and Jenna Knox from Mission Cancer + Blood serve on the Board of Directors.
• Kitchen CollagesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in nutrition and cooking programming. Provides smoothies for cycling club Wednesday night classes. Logo displayed as partner.
• Iowa RadiologysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner. Logo displayed as organizational partner supporting Above + Beyond Cancer programs.
• Des Moines YMCAsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerYMCA scholarship available for cancer survivors to access MercyOne Health & Fitness or Trail Point facilities. Logo displayed as partner.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Livestrong Foundation: Well-known cancer survivorship nonprofit providing navigation, education, and survivor support services. Comparable in targeting cancer survivors, but operates at significantly larger national scale with a focus on survivorship resources rather than local wellness.
• American Cancer Society: The largest U.S. cancer-focused nonprofit, with programs including the Hope Lodge network (free lodging for treatment travel), direct parallels to Above + Beyond Cancer's Hotel Program. Comparable as a national cancer support incumbent overlapping in survivorship and lodging.

Emerging players

• Stupid Cancer: National nonprofit focused on the young adult cancer experience (ages 15–39), providing community, resources, and events. Comparable to Above + Beyond Cancer's Young Adult Survivor Program (ages 18–40) which addresses social isolation and peer connection.

Direct peers

• Project Koru: Nonprofit providing free outdoor surfing, paddling, and camping programs for young adult cancer survivors. Directly comparable to Above + Beyond Cancer's adventure-based survivor programming model.
• First Descents: National nonprofit providing free outdoor adventure experiences (kayaking, rock climbing, surfing) for young adults impacted by cancer. Highly comparable to Above + Beyond Cancer's Transformational Journey program, both being experiential/adventure-based interventions for cancer survivors.
• Send Me on Vacation: Nonprofit providing free vacations and wellness retreats to breast cancer survivors. Comparable model of using travel/experiences as a survivor support intervention, similar to Above + Beyond Cancer's transformational adventure approach.
• Epic Experience: Nonprofit providing free outdoor adventures and community programs for adult cancer survivors. Comparable in mission and adventure-based programming model to Above + Beyond Cancer's Transformational Journey.
• True North Treks: Nonprofit combining backcountry treks with mindfulness training for cancer survivors and their caregivers. Direct overlap with Above + Beyond Cancer's Transformational Journey, which similarly combines adventure with mind-body wellness.
• Cancer Support Community: Operates a global network of community-based centers offering free wellness, education, and support programs to people impacted by cancer. Directly comparable to Above + Beyond Cancer's Optimal Living Program in terms of free, in-person wellness classes and survivorship support model.
• Wellness House: Community-based nonprofit offering free wellness classes, support groups, and educational programs for people impacted by cancer. Strongly comparable to Above + Beyond Cancer's Optimal Living Program in free, in-person cancer wellness model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@aboveandbeyondcancerinc4744
• Facebookfacebook.com/2194426467260555
• Instagraminstagram.com/aboveandbeyondcancerorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/above-&-beyond-cancer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Above + Beyond Cancer