Action Cancer

What Action Cancer does

Action Cancer is a Northern Ireland-based cancer charity founded in 1973, registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (No. 104170) and operating as a Company Limited by Guarantee. It is the only charity in the UK and Ireland providing breast screening to women aged 40-49 and 70+ who fall outside the NHS screening age range of 50-70, delivering this service via 3D digital mammography (tomosynthesis) at Action Cancer House in Belfast and on board the Big Bus mobile detection unit. The charity's service portfolio spans prevention (cancer awareness campaigns, schools programmes), detection (digital breast screening, skin cancer detection via dermatoscopy, health checks including blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and body composition), and therapeutic support (counselling, life coaching, acupuncture, yoga, nutrition, exercise, scar therapy, peer mentoring, and the Positive Living Programme), delivered across 14-15 regional locations serving approximately 20,000 people annually.

The business model is a non-profit, donation-and-grant-funded operating model with no service fees charged to end users. Revenue is generated across five material streams: individual charitable donations (including a text-to-donate short code), retail charity shop sales across Northern Ireland supplemented by an eBay online store, corporate partnerships (anchored by a 25-year relationship with SuperValu/Centra/Musgrave NI plus Hagan Homes), fundraising events (Breast Foot Forward Walk, 7 Peaks Challenge, Marbella Walking Festival, Breast Friends BBQ), and legacy/wills giving. Operational scale is modest at approximately 68 employees, with digital infrastructure including an online booking system, a Schools Learning Platform, a Health & Wellbeing Learning Hub, and a bilingual Action Cancer Info Hub extending reach beyond physical locations.

Name

Action Cancer

Legal name

Action Cancer

Website

https://actioncancer.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Action Cancer is a Northern Ireland charity founded in 1973 that provides free cancer prevention, early detection (3D breast screening, skin checks, health checks), and therapeutic support services to ~20,000 people annually across the region, funded via donations, retail shops, corporate partnerships, and events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Charity Services

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (62111), Offices of Physicians (6211)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Women’s Imaging & Breast Health Centers (HLAFAJAJ)

Keywords

• Cancer screening services
• Therapeutic support services
• Health awareness education
• Community cancer prevention
• Mobile health screening

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: Individual donations from supporters in Northern Ireland who contribute to fund the charity's services. Text donations available via 'DONATE' to 71111 (£3 per text).
2. Retail Shop Sales: Action Cancer operates charity shops throughout Northern Ireland where donated goods are sold. An online eBay store also generates revenue from sales.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Long-term partnership with SuperValu/Centra (Musgrave NI) providing major funding support. Partnership with Hagan Homes for specific campaigns. Companies sponsor events and campaigns.
4. Fundraising Events: Registration fees and sponsorship raised from events including Breast Foot Forward Walk, 7 Peaks Challenge, Marbella Walking Festival, and various other fundraising activities.
5. Legacy Legacies: The charity promotes legacy giving campaigns, encouraging supporters to leave bequests in their wills to support future cancer detection and support services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Action Cancer provides free cancer prevention, early detection, and therapeutic support services across Northern Ireland. Its core offerings include digital breast screening (3D mammography) for women aged 40-49 and 70+ who fall outside NHS eligibility, skin cancer detection using dermatoscopy, health checks (blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, body composition), and a wide range of therapeutic services including counselling, life coaching, acupuncture, yoga, nutrition, scar therapy, and peer mentoring. Services are delivered through Action Cancer House in Belfast, the Big Bus mobile detection unit, and 14-15 regional locations across Northern Ireland.

Product overview

Action Cancer provides a comprehensive suite of cancer prevention, detection, and support services across Northern Ireland. The core offerings include Health Checks (blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, body composition), Digital Breast Screening (for women aged 40-49 and 70+), and Skin Cancer Detection services, delivered both at Action Cancer House Belfast and via the Big Bus mobile unit. The therapeutic support portfolio includes counselling, life coaching, integrative holistic therapies, acupuncture, scar therapy, yoga, nutrition, exercise services, peer mentoring, and the Positive Living Programme. Digital platforms include the Schools Learning Platform (offering Health Action Heroes and Be Healthy Be Smart educational programmes), the Health & Wellbeing Learning Hub (for workplace wellness), and the Action Cancer Info Hub (providing multilingual cancer information). The Step Into Action coaching programme and Self Help Resources provide additional support pathways.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Schools Learning Platform: A free-to-use educational hub for schools providing health education programmes including Health Action Heroes and Be Healthy, Be Smart.
• Health & Wellbeing Learning Hub
• Big Bus

Products and services

• Health Checks

Quantifiable outcome

• For every 1,000 women screened, an average of five to six breast cancers are detected at an early and treatable stage
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• SuperValu/Centra (Musgrave NI)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term strategic partnership spanning 25 years with SuperValu and Centra, part of the Musgrave Group. Major retail partner supporting the Big Bus mobile detection unit and breast screening services. SuperValu sponsors the annual Breast Foot Forward Walk. Centra/SuperValu support the Schools Hub platform. The partnership provides essential funding and retail distribution network for fundraising activities across Northern Ireland.
• Hagan HomesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Hagan Homes, a local homebuilder, for the 'Host a Builders' Tea' campaign. The initiative calls on construction companies to host tea breaks to raise funds for Action Cancer's Skin Cancer Detection Service while promoting sun safety awareness in the construction industry.
• Thompson's PunjanaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal tea brand providing tea chests for the Builders' Tea fundraising campaign, contributed as in-kind support to participating companies.
• Centra/SuperValu (Schools Programme)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial and promotional support for the Schools Learning Platform. The free-to-use hub providing Health Action Heroes and Be Healthy Be Smart programmes is supported by Centra/SuperValu, helping deliver health education to primary school children across Northern Ireland.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Marie Curie: Major UK charity providing care and support for people with terminal illness including cancer. Comparable as a UK cancer-focused charitable services provider, but focused on palliative rather than prevention/detection.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: Largest UK cancer support charity providing information, financial and emotional support services across the country. Overlaps with Action Cancer's therapeutic support and information provision, but operates at national scale rather than regional.
• CLIC Sargent (now Young Lives vs Cancer): UK charity supporting children and young people with cancer and their families. Comparable on the cancer support and family services side of Action Cancer's portfolio.
• Cancer Research UK: UK's leading cancer charity focused on research, awareness and policy. Competes for donor mindshare and runs awareness campaigns on common cancers including breast and skin — overlapping mission areas with Action Cancer.
• NHS Breast Screening Programme: National breast screening service covering women aged 50-70. The principal incumbent in breast screening against which Action Cancer's complementary offering for 40-49 and 70+ cohorts is positioned.

Direct peers

• Cancer Focus Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland's other major cancer charity offering prevention, support and research services. Directly comparable as a regional NI cancer charity competing for the same donor base, volunteer pool and corporate partnerships.
• Maggie's: UK charity operating cancer support centres offering psychological and practical support to people affected by cancer. Highly comparable therapeutic support model and free-of-charge service ethos, though larger and UK-wide.
• Prevent Breast Cancer: UK charity dedicated to breast cancer prevention and early detection through research and screening. Direct peer on breast cancer early detection mission, particularly relevant to Action Cancer's 40-49 and 70+ screening niche.
• Tenovus Cancer Care: Welsh cancer charity providing mobile screening, support services, and a retail fundraising network. Closely comparable in operating model: charity shops, mobile health units, support services and regional focus.

Regional players

• The Little Princess Trust: UK charity providing free wigs and support to children and young people with cancer. Compares on the model of free cancer-related support services funded through donations, retail and partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/actioncancer
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ACtest1234
• Facebookfacebook.com/actioncancer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/action-cancer
• Instagraminstagram.com/actioncancer

Compliance2 records

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 Action Cancer