Gut Cancer Foundation

What Gut Cancer Foundation does

Gut Cancer Foundation (GCF) is a New Zealand-registered charitable trust (Charity CC39174), founded in 2008 and headquartered in Auckland, that supports New Zealanders affected by cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract — specifically oesophageal, stomach, pancreatic, liver, and gallbladder and bile duct cancers. Approximately 2,500 New Zealanders are diagnosed with these cancers each year, and GCF addresses a gap in specialist support services for this patient cohort. Its mission is delivered through three intertwined pillars: direct patient and whānau (family) support, cancer research funding, and public awareness.

The organisation's product portfolio is anchored by a free, confidential, nurse-led phone-based Patient Support Service launched in May 2026, which provides diagnosis-stage guidance, emotional support, and treatment-pathway navigation. This is complemented by the My Care KIT programme — free printed binders and digital downloads containing practical information on diagnosis, treatment, diet and PERT, with KITs launched for pancreatic cancer (May 2026) and oesophageal cancer (June 2026), and further KITs planned for liver, biliary, and stomach cancers. The Living with Cancer video series (initiated July 2025) and a tele-health support layer round out the service offering, while Nyree's Fund functions as a dedicated sub-brand supporting patient programmes in honour of a known advocate. Service design is licensed and adapted under a trans-Tasman partnership with Pancare Foundation Australia announced in March 2026.

GCF operates as a donation- and grant-funded nonprofit with no fees charged to patients. Revenue streams comprise individual donations and regular giving, corporate sponsorship (notably from pharmaceutical companies Roche Aotearoa, Viatris, Bristol Myers Squibb, and BeOne Medicines, plus Ecocycle), charitable trusts and foundations (Lion Foundation, NZ Lottery Grants Board, Pelorus Trust, Pub Charity, the Ted & Mollie Carr Endowment, David Levene Foundation, North & South Trust, and others), gifts in wills, and research funding. In the 2024-2025 impact period GCF distributed NZ$173,605 across 8 research grants, served more than 44,000 visitors on its cancer-information pages (a 66% increase), and reached 2.34 million people through awareness campaigns. The organisation employs roughly 10 staff and is led by CEO Kristin Bernstone, appointed in July 2026 after a four-year internal tenure.

Name

Gut Cancer Foundation

Legal name

The Gut Cancer Foundation

Website

https://gutcancer.org.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gut Cancer Foundation is an Auckland-based NZ registered charity providing free, nurse-led patient support, printed and digital care kits, and research funding for New Zealanders affected by upper gastrointestinal cancers (oesophageal, stomach, pancreatic, liver, gallbladder, bile duct).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cancer Patient Support Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Gastrointestinal cancer support
• Patient support services
• Cancer research funding
• Nonprofit charitable organization
• Nurse-led telehealth

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream from individual donations, regular giving, and fundraising campaigns. The organisation receives donations through its website donation portal and various fundraising initiatives.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Funding and support from corporate sponsors including pharmaceutical companies, trusts, and foundations.
3. Gifts in Wills: Legacy giving programme where supporters leave bequests to support future cancer research and patient support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

A New Zealand-registered charitable foundation (Charity Services registration CC39174, founded 2008) that delivers free, nurse-led patient support services and educational resources for New Zealanders affected by upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including pancreatic and oesophageal cancers. It distributes care information kits, runs a video education series, and funds clinical research aimed at improving survival and early detection of GI cancers.

Product overview

Gut Cancer Foundation is a charitable organization (Registered Charity CC39174) providing patient support services for upper gastrointestinal cancers in New Zealand. The core offering is a nurse-led phone-based Patient Support Service providing free, confidential support for those affected by oesophageal, liver, biliary, pancreatic, and stomach cancers. This service is complemented by the My Care KIT program offering free printed or digital resource kits for pancreatic cancer, oesophageal cancer, and other upper GI cancers, providing practical knowledge, information and tools on diagnosis, treatment, diet, and symptom management. The organization also delivers the Living with Cancer video series and tele-health support services. The portfolio is unified under a patient-centered support model rather than a technology platform architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Patient Support Service: New Zealand's first dedicated support service for people affected by upper gastrointestinal cancers, providing nurse-led telehealth support for patients and whanau.
• My Care KIT
• Nyree's Fund

Products and services

• Nurse-Led Patient Support Service

Quantifiable outcome

• 44,000+ people accessed patient and health information through the website (66% increase)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Pancare Foundation AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Trans-Tasman partnership to develop a support service for New Zealanders affected by upper GI cancers. GCF licenses and locally adapts Pancare's evidence-informed Model of Care and related systems. The partnership includes training, implementation support, and ongoing guidance from Pancare to help GCF build internal capability. This is a structured partnership drawing on Pancare's years of experience in Australia.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pancreatic Cancer UK: UK charity dedicated specifically to pancreatic cancer, combining research funding, patient support, and awareness. GCF's My Care KIT for Pancreatic Cancer and pancreatic support pathway closely mirror PCUK's patient-centric model.
• Pancare Foundation: Australian charity dedicated to upper gastrointestinal cancers (pancreatic, oesophageal, stomach, liver, biliary). Pancare is GCF's closest functional peer and Trans-Tasman partner, providing the Model of Care that GCF has licensed and adapted for New Zealand.
• Oesophageal Cancer Trust: UK-based charity focused on oesophageal cancer awareness, patient support and research. GCF's My Care KIT for Oesophageal Cancer positions it as the New Zealand equivalent for oesophageal cancer patients.

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Council Australia: Australia's peak national cancer control charity, funding research and delivering support across all cancer types. Comparable to GCF in mission structure (patient support plus research funding) but at much greater scale and across all cancers.
• American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer nonprofit providing patient support services, research grants and awareness across all cancer types. Comparable to GCF as a charity delivering nurse-led patient services and funded research, but at vastly greater scale and broader scope.
• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN): The largest US pancreatic cancer advocacy organisation, providing patient services, research funding and policy advocacy. GCF mirrors PanCAN's model of dedicated patient services alongside research grants in a disease-specific nonprofit structure.
• Cancer Society of New Zealand: New Zealand's largest cancer charity, providing broad patient support, research funding, and awareness across all cancer types. Directly competes with GCF for the same pool of NZ charitable donations while covering a much wider disease portfolio.

Emerging players

• Blue Faery: US nonprofit dedicated to liver cancer (HCC) awareness, research and patient support. A niche peer to GCF's liver cancer arm and similar patient-support + research funding structure.
• Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation: International nonprofit focused on bile duct cancer, one of the cancer types in GCF's upper GI portfolio. Comparable in being a niche single-disease patient-support and research charity.
• National Pancreas Foundation: US nonprofit providing patient support, education and research funding for pancreatic and related diseases. Comparable in disease focus (pancreatic cancer) and nonprofit patient-support model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/gutcancerfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gutcancerfoundation

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 Gut Cancer Foundation