Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği

What Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği does

Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği is a Turkish non-profit association (dernek) founded in 2016 and headquartered in Kadıköy, Istanbul, dedicated to supporting cancer patients and their families throughout the treatment journey. The organization operates a portfolio of integrated programs including Onko-Van (free patient transportation between home and hospital), Saçım Saçın Olsun (free wigs for chemotherapy patients since 2016), Oyun Odaları (playrooms installed in pediatric oncology departments of multiple hospitals), Onkobis (cancer support kits for children), and İyi Bak Kendine (self-care workshops on nutrition, skin care, and side-effect management). Its beneficiary base consists of individuals diagnosed with cancer, family members/caregivers, and the general public, with no fees charged for any direct services.

The organization is supported by an OnkoBlog content platform with 963 indexed records covering 23 cancer types, a cancer information library, and digital support cards that can be sent electronically to patients. Distribution relies on direct field operations (van service, hospital-based playrooms), a website platform, and partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies (AstraZeneca, BMS, Amgen, Gilead, Sanofi, Merck, Roche), universities (Koç, Marmara, Gedik, Medipol), and high school programs. The annual Istanbul Marathon and Adım Adım running organization are used as fundraising vehicles.

The business model is donation- and grant-funded: services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, and operations are resourced through corporate sponsorships, individual donations, grants, and volunteer contributions. The association has 9 employees and is led by Belma Kurdoğlu Akgün as President, with a 10-person board that includes a hematologist (Prof. Dr. Mustafa Çetiner). Notable operational milestones include the deployment of Onko-Van in the Hatay earthquake zone in 2020, transporting 77 patients 356 times.

Name

Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği

Legal name

Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği

Website

https://kansersavascilari.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği is a Turkish non-profit association founded in 2016 that provides free cancer patient support services — including transportation, wigs, hospital playrooms, and self-care workshops — to cancer patients, families, and caregivers across Turkey, funded through donations and pharmaceutical corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Patient Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Medical Oncology (HLAKAFAB)

Keywords

• Cancer patient support
• Non-profit association
• Patient transportation services
• Medical wig provision
• Cancer information library

Headquarters

HQ city

İstanbul

HQ country

Türkiye

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği is a Turkish non-profit association that provides free, integrated cancer patient support services across the treatment journey. Its core offerings include Onko-Van patient transportation, Saçım Saçın Olsun free wig provision for chemotherapy-related hair loss, Onkobis support kits for pediatric cancer patients, Oyun Odaları hospital play rooms, İyi Bak Kendine self-care workshops, the OnkoBlog content platform, and a comprehensive cancer information library covering 23 cancer types.

Product overview

Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği is a non-profit cancer patient support association offering a portfolio of programs and services. The core offerings include Onko-Van (patient transportation), Saçım Saçın Olsun (free wigs since 2016), Onkobis (children's cancer kits), Oyun Odaları (hospital play rooms), and İyi Bak Kendine (self-care workshops). These are complemented by OnkoBlog (informational blog), a Cancer Library with educational content, and digital support message cards. The organization focuses on supporting cancer patients and their families throughout the treatment journey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Onkobis: Project supporting children with cancer and their families.
• Onko-Van
• Saçım Saçın Olsun
• Oyun Odaları
• İyi Bak Kendine
• OnkoBlog
• Damardan Kahraman
• Kendini Tanı - Erken Tanı
• Rota

Products and services

• Onko-Van Free transportation service that transports cancer patients safely and hygienically between their homes and hospitals. Deployed regionally and used for disaster response (e.g., 77 patients transported 356 times in Hatay after the February 6 earthquake). Targeted at cancer patients undergoing treatment in Turkey.
• Saçım Saçın Olsun Free wig provision program for cancer patients experiencing hair loss during chemotherapy, operating since 2016. Wigs are produced from donated hair and distributed through partnership networks across Turkey. Targeted at chemotherapy patients who experience treatment-related hair loss.
• Onkobis Cancer support kit distributed to young cancer patients (children) to help them cope with treatment. Targeted at pediatric cancer patients and their families in Turkey.
• Oyun Odaları Play rooms established in hospital pediatric oncology departments to support children's emotional well-being during treatment, including at Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs University Hospital, and Kartal Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital. Targeted at children receiving inpatient cancer treatment.
• İyi Bak Kendine Self-care workshops providing guidance on managing treatment side effects, including nutrition, skin care, breathing therapy, makeup, and hair care. Held at venues such as Social Life Centers and supported by AstraZeneca Türkiye. Targeted at cancer patients undergoing treatment in Turkey.
• Destek Mesajları (Support Cards) Digital greeting cards with supportive messages that can be sent electronically to cancer patients to offer emotional encouragement. Targeted at the general public who want to express solidarity with cancer patients in Turkey.
• OnkoBlog Blog platform containing patient stories, expert advice, news, and educational content about cancer, with categories including Savaşçılarımızın Kaleminden (warrior stories), Yol Arkadaşları (companion advice), Haberler (news), and Seyir Defteri (yearly reviews). Contains 963 searchable records. Targeted at cancer patients, families, and the general public in Turkey.
• Kanser Kütüphanesi (Cancer Library) Comprehensive resource library providing information about cancer treatment, nutrition, rehabilitation, pain management, and fertility preservation, covering 23 different cancer types. Targeted at cancer patients and their families seeking guidance on treatment and side-effect management.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and moderate.

• Açık Açık DerneğiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAçık Açık Derneği is listed as a partner organization, likely collaborating on transparency and reporting initiatives for non-profit operations.
• AstraZeneca TürkiyemoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerAstraZeneca Türkiye provided unconditional support for the 'İyi Bak Kendine' (Take Good Care of Yourself) workshop series, contributing to patient education and self-care programs.
• Bristol Myers SquibbmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated on the 'Umut Korusu' (Hope Shelter) event, supporting cancer awareness and patient support initiatives.
• Amgen TürkiyemoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with Sabancı EDU on capacity development programs for the association. Also supported various patient advocacy initiatives.
• Gilead SciencesmoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated on bracelet-making workshops and various patient support activities. New projects discussed for future collaboration.
• Sanofi TürkiyemoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganized meetings bringing together different patient associations from Turkey, Middle East and Africa regions, demonstrating Sanofi Global's support for patient advocacy.
• Merck TürkiyeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated on the 'Gönüllüyüm' (I am a volunteer) campaign for cancer awareness and action initiatives.
• Koç LisesiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent volunteers from Koç Lisesi participated in cycling events to support Onkobis (pediatric cancer support) project.
• Üsküdar Amerikan LisesiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAA Cancer Warriors club students received certificates for marathon support. Active volunteer collaboration with the association.
• AbilityPool PlatformminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAbilityPool and Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği combined forces for a more livable world, suggesting collaboration on accessibility and disability inclusion initiatives.
• İstanbul Maratonu (İBB Spor İstanbul)moderateGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociation participates annually in Istanbul Marathon to raise funds and awareness for cancer patients, particularly for the Saçım Saçın Olsun wig project.
• Adım AdımminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRunning organization that coordinates with the association for marathon participation and fundraising campaigns.
• RocheminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMine Arın shared her cancer story with Roche, supporting awareness and patient advocacy efforts.
• TÜSEV (Third Sector Foundation)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation hosted meetings under TÜSEV's sharing day initiative, supporting knowledge exchange among civil society organizations.
• Various Corporate VolunteersminorOthersCorporate volunteer logos displayed: Aster, Klimik, Seymen, Medya, Koç, Sağlık, Amerikan. These companies support through employee volunteer programs and corporate social responsibility initiatives.
• Kiabi TürkiyemoderateGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported breast cancer awareness training at Erse Textile, where 60 female employees received education on breast self-examination using association's teaching models.
• Various UniversitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborations with Koç Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Fakültesi, Marmara Üniversitesi, Gedik Üniversitesi, Medipol Üniversitesi, and others for student volunteers and awareness education programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• AbilityPool: Accessibility and disability inclusion platform listed as a partner of Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği. Adjacent thematic peer working on accessibility-related social impact initiatives.
• Roche Patient Advocacy Programs: Global pharmaceutical company running patient advocacy initiatives and partnerships. Comparable as a current partner and funder that operates overlapping patient-support programming for cancer patients across geographies.

Broad incumbents

• LIVESTRONG Foundation: US-based cancer survivorship organization providing practical and emotional support services. Comparable in its focus on helping patients navigate the cancer journey, with a similar integrated patient-support orientation.
• Cancer Research UK: UK cancer charity combining research funding with patient information and support services. Comparable in operating both an information library and patient-facing services, though with much heavier research orientation.
• Susan G. Komen: Global breast cancer organization with strong patient support, community fundraising (Races/Marathons), and partnership programs. Comparable to Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği's marathon fundraising and breast cancer focus areas.
• American Cancer Society: Largest US voluntary health organization fighting cancer, providing patient support, education, and research funding. Comparable in mission breadth and integrated patient-services approach, but at a much larger institutional scale.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: Major UK cancer support charity offering practical, emotional, financial, and informational support to cancer patients. Comparable as a reference model for integrated multi-service cancer patient support, but at vastly larger national scale.

Direct peers

• LÖSEV (Lösemili Çocuklar Vakfı): Turkish non-profit foundation dedicated to children with leukemia and cancer, providing medical, educational, and social support. Most directly comparable to Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği's Onkobis pediatric program and broader cancer patient support model, operating in the same Turkish non-profit ecosystem.
• Kanser Vakfı (Cancer Foundation of Turkey): Turkish cancer-focused foundation working on awareness, early detection, and patient support. Operates in the same Turkish non-profit cancer support space and competes for similar donor and CSR partner mindshare.
• Türk Kanser Araştırma ve Savaş Kurumu Derneği: Historic Turkish cancer research and control association with national scope. Comparable as a peer non-profit in the same cancer support/awareness category within Turkey, addressing patient information, screening, and education.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sell.eau
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kanser-sava%C5%9F%C3%A7%C4%B1lar%C4%B1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kanser Savaşçıları Derneği