Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys

What Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys does

Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys (Pirsy) is a regional nonprofit cancer support association founded in 1951 and headquartered in Tampere, Finland. It provides free psychosocial, rehabilitative, and practical support services to cancer patients and their relatives across the 22 municipalities of the Pirkanmaa region, delivered by a team of approximately 11 staff including an oncology specialist chief physician, psychosocial support experts, a physiotherapist, a rehabilitation specialist, and a work-life coordinator, supported by a trained volunteer peer-support network.

The service portfolio spans the full cancer journey and includes professional counseling (Keskusteluajat), the Suunta eteenpäin individual rehabilitation guidance program, peer support (Vertaistuki), sexual and hereditary cancer counseling, breast prosthetic fitting, tailored exercise services, work-life return support, family support including service vouchers for households with children, community events (Café Pirsy, courses, lectures), and the new Lääkärikeskus Pirsy medical center. Service access is multi-channel: in-person at the Tampere office, by phone, via Microsoft Teams video, through home visits, and via a 24/7 online booking system. The organization also funds local cancer research, having distributed approximately 580,000 EUR in grants since the 2000s including a 100,000 EUR program in 2021, and has co-funded professorships in palliative medicine and cancer epidemiology at Tampere University.

The business model is donation- and membership-funded. All patient services are free; funding comes from membership fees, one-time and recurring donations, corporate gifts, memorial and milestone donations, and a long-standing stream of testamentary bequests accumulated over 70+ years. Operations are anchored by an indefinitely valid regional fundraising permit (RA/2020/1628). Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys is part of the national Syöpäjärjestöt (Cancer Organizations) network and maintains operational partnerships with Tays Syöpäkeskus (Tampere University Hospital Cancer Center), Tampere University, Pirkanmaan Hoitokoti (a hospice it co-founded in 1988), and Pirkanmaan Hospital District.

Name

Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys

Legal name

Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys ry

Website

https://pirkanmaansyopayhdistys.fi

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys is a Tampere-based nonprofit founded in 1951 that delivers free psychosocial counseling, peer support, rehabilitation, and clinical services to cancer patients and their families across the 22 municipalities of Finland's Pirkanmaa region, funded by donations and membership fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Patient Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Cancer patient support
• Psychosocial counseling services
• Peer support programs
• Cancer rehabilitation services
• Nonprofit health association

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampere

HQ country

Finland

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization receives donations through various channels including one-time donations, corporate donations, memorial donations (muistolahjoitus), milestone donations (merkkipäivälahjoitus), and testamentary bequests. A fundraising permit (RA/2020/1628) is valid for the Pirkanmaa region.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from supporters who want to contribute to cancer patient support in the Pirkanmaa region.
3. Testamentary Donations: Significant long-term funding comes from testamentary bequests, which the organization has received for over 70 years of operation. These donations enable research funding and services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys provides free psychosocial support, counseling, peer support, rehabilitation guidance, and practical assistance to cancer patients and their relatives in the Pirkanmaa region of Finland. The organization also funds local cancer research through grants and operates as part of the national Syöpäjärjestöt network. Services are delivered through in-person office visits, home visits, phone, video consultations, and an online booking system.

Product overview

Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys (Pirsy) is a cancer patient support organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of free services for cancer patients and their families in the Pirkanmaa region of Finland. The organization provides a unified platform of psychosocial support services including professional counseling (Keskusteluajat), individual guidance (Suunta eteenpäin), peer support (Vertaistuki), and specialized services such as sexual counseling, heredity counseling, and breast prosthetics. Additional services include exercise programs (Liikuntapalvelut), work life support, family support for families with children, and educational events and courses (Tapahtumat ja kurssit). The organization also funds local cancer research through grants (Tutkimusrahoitus). Services are accessible through online booking (Ajanvaraus), in-person visits, phone consultations, and video calls. Funding comes from membership fees, donations (including testamentary donations), and fundraising activities. The organization operates as a nonprofit association and is part of the national Syöpäjärjestöt (Cancer Organizations) network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Keskusteluajat (Counseling Sessions) Professional counseling sessions for cancer patients and their relatives, providing emotional support, crisis intervention, and guidance throughout the illness journey. Available in-person, by phone, or via video call.
• Suunta eteenpäin (Direction Forward) Individual Guidance Individual guidance service for cancer patients to support wellbeing, life changes, return to work, and rehabilitation after treatment completion.
• Vertaistuki (Peer Support) Trained volunteer peer supporters provide one-on-one support to cancer patients and their families based on personal experience.
• Seksuaalineuvonta (Sexual Counseling) Specialized counseling addressing sexuality and intimacy concerns related to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
• Periytyvyysneuvonta (Heredity Counseling) Genetic counseling services for individuals concerned about cancer heredity risks.
• Rintaproteesit (Breast Prosthetics) Provision and fitting of breast prosthetics for women who have undergone mastectomy.
• Liikuntapalvelut (Exercise Services) Physical activity guidance and exercise programs tailored for cancer patients, including personal training and rehabilitation support.
• Tapahtumat ja kurssit (Events and Courses) Educational events, courses, and workshops for cancer patients and relatives covering various aspects of living with cancer.
• Tuki läheisille (Support for Relatives) Comprehensive support services for family members and friends of cancer patients, including counseling, peer support, and bereavement services.
• Tuki työelämään (Work Life Support) Services helping cancer patients return to work or manage work-related challenges during and after treatment.
• Tuki lapsiperheille (Family Support) Specialized support services for families with children when a parent has cancer, including service vouchers for cleaning or childcare.
• Café Pirsy Informal café-style gatherings for cancer patients to connect and share experiences in a relaxed setting.
• Tutkimusrahoitus (Cancer Research Grants) Grant programs supporting local cancer research in the Pirkanmaa region, including large grants for pilot studies.
• Jäsenyys (Membership Program) Membership program allowing individuals to support the organization's mission and receive benefits including the Syöpä magazine.
• Lahjoitukset (Donations Program) Various donation options including one-time gifts, testamentary donations, memorial donations, and birthday donations to support cancer patients.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Tays Syöpäkeskus (Tays Cancer Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys coordinates the Tays Syöpäkeskus Patient Forum, which brings together cancer patients and healthcare professionals to develop and improve cancer care services. The organization has been involved in the establishment and development of the cancer center.
• Tampereen yliopisto (Tampere University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cancer research including funding of palliative medicine and cancer epidemiology professorships. The organization has supported the establishment of these professorships and continues research collaboration.
• Pirkanmaan Hoitokoti (Pirkanmaa Hospice)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys co-founded Finland's first hospice in the 1980s. The organization maintains close cooperation and the CEO serves on the foundation board.
• Syöpäjärjestöt (Cancer Organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational network of cancer organizations including regional associations, patient organizations, cancer registry, and Syöpäsäätiö (Cancer Foundation). Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys is part of this nationwide organization.
• Pirkanmaan Sairaanhoitopiiri (Pirkanmaa Hospital District)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the regional hospital district for cancer care coordination and patient referral pathways.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Research UK: UK-based cancer charity combining research funding with patient information and support. Comparable in mission (cancer-focused nonprofit combining research grants with patient-facing services), though far larger in scale.
• Suomen Syöpäyhdistys ry (Finnish Cancer Society): National umbrella organization of Finnish cancer associations; Pirsy is a regional member of this network. Directly comparable as a cancer-focused nonprofit delivering support, advocacy, and research funding across Finland.
• American Cancer Society: Large US nonprofit providing cancer patient support services, research funding, and advocacy. Closely comparable to Pirsy's combined patient-support-and-research-funding model, though at vastly greater scale.
• Syöpäsäätiö (Cancer Foundation of Finland): National grantmaking foundation funding cancer research in Finland; operates within the same Syöpäjärjestöt ecosystem as Pirsy. Comparable as a cancer-focused nonprofit that funds research, though operating at national rather than regional scale.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: Major UK cancer charity providing practical, emotional, financial, and informational support to cancer patients. Highly comparable mission and service mix (counseling, peer support, rehabilitation guidance) operating at much larger national scale.

Direct peers

• Turun Syöpäyhdistys (Turku Cancer Association): Regional cancer support organization in Southwest Finland, part of the same national Syöpäjärjestöt network. Comparable service mix and target population (cancer patients and families in a defined Finnish region).
• Pohjois-Suomen Syöpäyhdistys (Northern Finland Cancer Association): Regional cancer support association covering Northern Finland. Same network affiliation and similar psychosocial support, counseling, and research-grant activities, making it a structurally close peer.
• Helsingin ja Uudenmaan Syöpäyhdistys (Helsinki and Uusimaa Cancer Association): Another regional Finnish cancer patient support association within the Syöpäjärjestöt network. Provides the same portfolio of counseling, peer support, rehabilitation, and research funding services in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region.

Others

• Pirkanmaan Hoitokoti (Pirkanmaa Hospice): Finnish hospice and palliative care provider co-founded by Pirsy in 1988; the Pirsy CEO sits on its foundation board. Closely related entity in adjacent end-of-life care, sharing governance and ecosystem rather than directly competing.
• Tays Syöpäkeskus (Tays Cancer Center): Regional cancer treatment center at Tampere University Hospital; a core strategic partner rather than competitor. Comparable as part of the regional cancer-care ecosystem where Pirsy provides psychosocial wraparound support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pirkanmaansyopayhdistys
• Facebookfacebook.com/1712749455607401
• Instagraminstagram.com/pirsyry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pirkanmaan-sy%C3%B6p%C3%A4yhdistys

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Pirkanmaan Syöpäyhdistys