What ARFEC does

ARFEC (Association Romande des Familles d'Enfants atteints d'un Cancer) is a Swiss non-profit charitable association founded on December 10, 1987 and headquartered in Lausanne. It is the principal support organization for families of children with cancer across French-speaking Switzerland (Romandie). The association serves over 800 member families with a staff of 9 employees, operating through a combination of direct financial aid (approximately CHF 150,000 disbursed annually to families), in-hospital family support spaces inside CHUV (the Lausanne university hospital pediatric oncology center, established 1997), community events, and volunteer-led programs.

The association's core offerings are service-based rather than technology-based: it does not develop software platforms, proprietary algorithms, or digital products. Its operational backbone consists of family reception, peer support, financial assistance administration, and coordination with the regional pediatric oncology ecosystem. It co-founded two significant institutional partners — Intervalle in 2003 and Cancer de l'enfant en Suisse in 2015 — extending its reach from a Romandie-only mandate toward broader Swiss coordination.

ARFEC's funding model is multi-channel and traditional for a charitable association: individual donations, fundraising events, membership fees, and product sales (charity merchandise). Disclosed daily operating costs of CHF 2,075 imply approximately CHF 757,375 per year in operations, putting total annual funds handled in the order of CHF 900,000 (~USD 1.0M). The organization is not a commercial enterprise and does not generate revenue in the conventional sense; financial sustainability rests on continued donor engagement, event-driven fundraising, and member retention.

Name

ARFEC

Legal name

ARFEC - Association Romande des Familles d'Enfants atteints d'un Cancer

Website

https://arfec.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ARFEC is a Lausanne-based Swiss non-profit founded in 1987 that supports families of children with cancer in French-speaking Switzerland through direct financial aid, hospital-based family spaces, and community programs, serving over 800 member families with a 9-person staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: ARFEC is entirely funded through donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, service clubs (Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions), and through fundraising events such as the Mosaïque de Pâques, dinners, sports challenges (running, cycling, swimming events), and the sale of solidarity products (books, wine). No public funding is mentioned as a primary source.
2. Membership Fees: Families can become members (Family Member and Friend Member). Small membership contributions support the association financially.
3. Product Sales (Boutique): The boutique sells books authored by association members and a specially curated ARFEC wine selection, with proceeds supporting the association's activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ARFEC is a non-profit association that provides direct support services to families of children with cancer in French-speaking Switzerland. Its offerings include daily accompaniment by professional family companions, direct financial assistance for meals, parking and emergency needs, family accommodation near hospitals (via Association Intervalle and Ronald McDonald House), an annual summer camp for affected children and their siblings, hospital-based family spaces with weekly café-croissant gatherings, and monthly peer-support dinners for parents.

Product overview

ARFEC (Association Romande des Familles d'Enfants atteints d'un Cancer) is a non-profit support organization, not a technology product company. The organization provides a comprehensive suite of support services for families of children with cancer in French-speaking Switzerland, including daily accompaniment by professional facilitators, family accommodation near hospitals (through partnerships with Intervalle and Ronald McDonald House), financial assistance for meals and parking, an annual summer camp for children and siblings, and dedicated family spaces in hospitals (CHUV and HUG) with café-croissant gatherings. The organization also produces informational resources including the 'Parcours Santé' binder and publishes books documenting family experiences, while operating a boutique selling books and branded wine to fund activities. The core offering is direct family support and advocacy, not a software product or technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accompagnement au quotidien

Quantifiable outcome

• CHF 150,000 per year in direct financial support to families
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association IntervallecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003ARFEC is a founding member of Association Intervalle, a family guest house located near CHUV in Lausanne. Intervalle provides accommodation for families whose children are hospitalized, preserving family continuity and providing personalized support. ARFEC continues to be represented in its governance.
• Fondation Ronald McDonald (Geneva)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRonald McDonald House Geneva provides accommodation near HUG for families of young patients. ARFEC partners with this foundation to ensure families from the Geneva region have access to nearby lodging.
• Planètes Enfants Malades (FPEM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in September 2000, Planètes Enfants Malades helps create a favorable hospital environment for sick children and supports parents dealing with difficulties related to hospitalization at CHUV. ARFEC has co-financed the music program and collaborates closely.
• Fondation ThéodoracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Théodora Foundation sends Dream Doctors to visit hospitalized children. Since the opening of the CHUV family space, Théodora has co-funded materials and refreshments, sharing half of the costs for the family spaces at CHUV and HUG.
• Cancer de l'Enfant en Suisse (Kinderkrebs-Schweiz)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARFEC was a founding member of Cancer de l'Enfant en Suisse in 2015, a national network of parent associations, doctors, and researchers that advocates for pediatric cancer patients at the federal level and supports research. ARFEC is also the Romande representative.
• Les Pinceaux MagiquesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLes Pinceaux Magiques offers silk painting workshops to hospitalized children weekly at CHUV, HUG, and Sion hospital, and at home. ARFEC partners with this association to provide creative activities for children.
• Ligue Suisse contre le CancercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Swiss Cancer League is the umbrella organization for 20 cantonal and regional cancer leagues. ARFEC collaborates with social workers from cantonal cancer leagues throughout French-speaking Switzerland to coordinate family support.
• Zoé4lifeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZoé4life supports families upon diagnosis and actively funds pediatric cancer research in Switzerland and internationally. ARFEC collaborates on research funding and family support initiatives.
• FORCE - Fondation Recherche sur le Cancer de l'EnfantcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFORCE was created in 1992 to specifically support research on childhood cancer. Pre Maja Beck Popovic, Head of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology at CHUV and ARFEC Honorary Member, chairs FORCE. ARFEC co-finances initiatives linked to this foundation.
• CANSEARCHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCANSEARCH finances research projects within the Pediatric Onco-Hematology Unit at HUG and supports the first pediatric onco-hematology research platform in Geneva.
• Fondation As'trameminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs'trame provides support and accompaniment to children, young people, and their families affected by the psychic or somatic illness of a relative.
• SDIO (Société d'Intérêt Public d'Ouchy)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSDIO organizes the annual Mosaïque de Pâques (Easter Mosaic) in Ouchy, Lausanne, a major fundraising event for ARFEC. SIL (Services Industriels de Lausanne) also supports ARFEC by illuminating landmarks in gold for childhood cancer awareness.
• PASTEC (Programme d'Activités Sportives Thérapeutiques pour les Enfantsatteints de Cancer)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPASTEC provides adapted physical activity programs for children with cancer. ARFEC supports its rollout across French-speaking Switzerland to help children regain physical abilities and social integration after treatment.
• GOPS (Groupe d'Oncologie Pédiatrique Suisse)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGOPS is a Swiss pediatric oncology research group coordinating international clinical trials and managing the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry and the Pediatric Tumor Bank. ARFEC collaborates with GOPS on behalf of patient families.
• AVASAD / IMAD (Home Care Services)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCantonal home care and nursing services (AVASAD in Vaud, IMAD in Geneva, NOMAD in Neuchâtel, etc.) collaborate with ARFEC to provide in-home support for families dealing with pediatric cancer treatment.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Make-A-Wish Switzerland: Swiss branch of the global Make-A-Wish network, granting wishes to children with critical illnesses including cancer. Comparable mission of direct support to families of seriously ill children; broader illness scope but same beneficiary type.
• Association Intervalle: Family guest house near CHUV co-founded by ARFEC, Croix-Rouge vaudoise, and Fondation Astr'ame. Provides accommodation for families whose children are hospitalized — the same service line ARFEC supports and co-funds.
• CANSEARCH: Geneva-based foundation financing pediatric onco-hematology research at HUG; named ARFEC partner with shared beneficiary population of families affected by childhood cancer in Romandie.
• FORCE - Fondation Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Enfant: Swiss foundation created in 1992 to fund pediatric oncology research, chaired by ARFEC Honorary Member Pre Maja Beck Popovic. ARFEC co-finances initiatives linked to FORCE; close mission alignment on pediatric cancer families.
• Kinderkrebs Schweiz (Cancer de l'Enfant en Suisse): Swiss national federation of parent associations for children with cancer, of which ARFEC is a founding member. Comparable mission, structure, and beneficiary population, but operating at the federal rather than Romande level.
• Zoé4life: Swiss non-profit supporting families at pediatric cancer diagnosis and funding pediatric oncology research. Explicitly named as an ARFEC partner; comparable mission across both research funding and direct family support.
• Starlight Children's Foundation Switzerland: Swiss non-profit providing programs and entertainment to seriously ill children and their families in hospitals. Comparable hospital-embedded, family-facing support model for children with serious illness.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities Switzerland: Provides family accommodation near pediatric hospitals in Switzerland. ARFEC is an active partner and co-funds/co-organizes the Geneva house; both organizations address the same lodging-and-stay challenge for families of hospitalized children.

Emerging players

• Fondation Théodora: Swiss foundation sending Dream Doctors to visit hospitalized children, including at CHUV and HUG. Co-funds ARFEC family spaces; comparable hospital-embedded model for pediatric patient wellbeing, but focused on entertainment rather than family wraparound.

Broad incumbents

• Ligue Suisse contre le Cancer: National umbrella for 20 cantonal and regional cancer leagues. ARFEC collaborates with their social workers in French-speaking Switzerland; broader scope but overlapping family-support and patient-navigation remit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/arfec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arfec
• Instagraminstagram.com/arfec.ch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ARFEC