What Vechtgenotenhuis does

Vechtgenotenhuis is a Dutch non-profit psychosocial oncology center operated by Stichting Vechtgenoten, founded in 2008 and located in a monumental 1748 farmhouse in Ommen, Overijssel. It functions as a low-threshold walk-in inloophuis serving cancer patients, survivors, and their relatives in the Vechtdal region, providing free peer support, creative workshops (painting, mosaic, Zentangle), relaxation and wellness services (yoga, massage, sound therapy, foot reflexology), supervised swimming, structured peer support groups (grief, men's, young adults aged 20–45), return-to-work coaching, and educational information meetings. The center extends its reach into the clinical pathway through trained volunteers embedded at Saxenburgh Medisch Centrum's oncology department, day treatment, and clinical wards, and participates in the Oncologiezorgnetwerk Ommen.

The organization's offering is entirely non-commercial: all services are provided free of charge or at nominal material-recovery fees (€2.50–€15 per session), and there is no proprietary technology platform. Its go-to-market is community-led, relying on healthcare provider referrals, word-of-mouth, its website, email newsletters, social media, a podcast series ('Kanker en door!'), and participation in public events such as the Ommer Bissingh and its own fundraising events (Prins Sport Vechtgenotenloop, Following the River).

The business model is donation-driven: the organization holds ANBI (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) status, making contributions tax-deductible, and is funded through individual donations, recurring giving, local business sponsorships, legacies and bequests, and periodic fundraising campaigns. It is one of approximately 100 centers affiliated with IPSO (Instellingen PsychoSociale Oncologie), the national branch organization that provides quality frameworks and volunteer training. The foundation is governed by a voluntary board and supported primarily by unpaid volunteers, with only a small paid staff of two coordinators, an administrator, and a part-time relationship manager.

Name

Vechtgenotenhuis

Legal name

Stichting Vechtgenoten

Website

https://vechtgenoten.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vechtgenotenhuis is a Dutch non-profit psychosocial oncology center in Ommen that provides free walk-in peer support, creative workshops, wellness activities, and peer groups to cancer patients, survivors, and their families in the Vechtdal region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Psychosocial Oncology Support

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Chronic Condition Lifestyle Coaching (Non-Clinical) (HSADAGAH)

Keywords

• Psychosocial oncology support
• Cancer peer support
• Community wellness center
• Bereavement support services
• Creative therapy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ommen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Gifts: The organization relies entirely on voluntary financial contributions from individuals, including one-time gifts and recurring donations via bank authorization. Donations are the primary funding mechanism and are tax-deductible due to ANBI status.
2. Sponsorships: Local businesses and organizations sponsor the center to support its operational continuity. Sponsorship funds are used to cover rent, utilities, maintenance, and volunteer training, as well as to organize activities for guests.
3. Legacies and Bequests: The organization accepts legacy gifts and bequests as part of its long-term funding strategy to ensure continuity.
4. Fundraising Events and Campaigns: Periodic fundraising events and campaigns (e.g., Following the River ultra-run, Prins Sport Vechtgenotenloop, borrelplank actions) generate revenue for the center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Vechtgenotenhuis is a community-based psychosocial oncology center (inloophuis) that provides free, low-threshold peer support, creative workshops, relaxation and wellness activities, peer support groups, and informational meetings for cancer patients, survivors, and their relatives in the Vechtdal region of Overijssel, Netherlands. Operated by Stichting Vechtgenoten (ANBI-registered foundation), the center is housed in a 1748 monumental farmhouse and complements clinical cancer care through hospital-based volunteer services at Saxenburgh Medisch Centrum.

Product overview

Vechtgenotenhuis is a community-based psychosocial oncology center (inloophuis) operated by Stichting Vechtgenoten, offering a unified program of support services and activities for cancer patients, survivors, and their relatives. The center provides its services free of charge and without referral, operating as a warm, low-threshold meeting place. The core offering is the physical center itself, supplemented by multiple integrated activity programs including creative workshops (painting, mosaic, Zentangle), relaxation and wellness services (yoga, massage, sound therapy, foot reflexology), supervised swimming sessions, peer support groups (grief, men's, and young people's groups aged 20–45), coaching conversations (return-to-work and life-after-cancer), and professional information meetings and lectures. The center also produces digital content through a podcast series ('Kanker en door!') and published works such as the book 'Van Slag'. Additionally, Vechtgenotenhuis operates a hospital volunteer program in partnership with Saxenburgh Medisch Centrum. Funding comes entirely from donations, sponsorships, and fundraising activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vechtgenotenhuis Walk-in Center (Inloophuis) A community-based walk-in center where (ex-)cancer patients and their relatives can drop in for coffee, conversation, peer support, and access to a broad activity program, without appointment or referral.
• Creative Workshops (Painting, Mosaic, Drawing, Zentangle) Regular creative workshops including painting, mosaic, creative drawing, and Zentangle, led by skilled volunteers and external instructors, supporting mental well-being through artistic expression.
• Relaxation and Wellness (Yoga, Massage, Sound Massage, Foot Reflexology) Wellness activities including yoga, relaxation massage, sound massage (klankmassage), and foot reflexology, designed to help participants manage stress, pain, fatigue, and rebuild body trust after cancer treatment.
• Swimming with and after Cancer (Ommen and Hardenberg) Supervised swimming sessions for cancer patients in group baths, including exercise and relaxation components, delivered in partnership with regional swimming pools.
• Peer Support and Conversation Groups (Grief, Men's, Young and Cancer) Facilitated conversation groups including a six-session grief/bereavement program led by a trained grief counselor, a men's group, and a Jong & Kanker group for young adults aged 20-45, providing recognition, shared experience, and emotional support.
• Information Meetings and Lectures Lectures and informational meetings delivered by healthcare professionals on topics relevant to cancer patients and their relatives, with opportunities for Q&A.
• Podcast Series 'Kanker & Door!' A five-episode podcast series featuring personal conversations with young cancer patients covering lifestyle, environment, positive health, work, and late consequences, designed to reach younger cancer patients through accessible digital content.
• Coaching Conversations (Return to Work, Life after Cancer) Coaching conversations supporting return to work after cancer and general life coaching for women post-cancer, provided by certified coaches and trained volunteers.
• Hospital-based Volunteer Support (Saxenburgh Medisch Centrum) Trained volunteers from Vechtgenotenhuis present at the oncology department, day treatment, and clinical wards of Saxenburgh Medisch Centrum in Hardenberg, offering a listening ear, distraction, and non-medical support to patients and relatives.
• Book 'Van Slag – als het leven je raakt' A book published by the Vechtgenotenhuis painting group, combining personal life stories about cancer and loss with reproductions of participants' paintings. Proceeds from book sales benefit the center's operations.
• Monthly Kids Activities (for children of cancer patients) Monthly creative activity program for primary-school-aged children (groups 3-8) who have a parent affected by cancer, offering craft projects, scrapbooking, and creative themes in a supportive environment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15 years of continuous operation serving the Vechtdal region
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Saxenburgh Medisch CentrumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Vechtgenotenhuis works closely with Saxenburgh Medisch Centrum, the hospital in Hardenberg. Trained volunteers from the center are present on the oncology ward, day treatment unit, and clinical department, offering patients and relatives a listening ear, distraction, and answers to non-medical questions. The center also coordinates an information project within the hospital and the extern coordinator oversees this program.
• Zwembad Carrousel (Ommen)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe swimming sessions for cancer patients and survivors ('Zwemmen met en na kanker') are held in the goal-group pool at Zwembad Carrousel in Ommen. The pool is reserved for this group during the session time, and the center provides a trained swimming instructor and a volunteer.
• Zwembad De Slag (Hardenberg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimilar to the Ommen arrangement, swimming sessions for cancer patients are held at Zwembad De Slag in Hardenberg. The center works with a qualified swimming instructor (Judith Wilpshaar) and coordination is aligned with the oncology physiotherapist at Saxenburgh Medisch Centrum.
• IPSO (Instellingen PsychoSociale Oncologie)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVechtgenotenhuis is one of approximately 100 IPSO centers in the Netherlands. IPSO is the national branch organization for psychosocial oncology centers. It provides quality frameworks, training (including the volunteer training program), and a shared network. The center follows IPSO's guidelines and uses the IPSO registration system for guest data.
• Oncologiezorgnetwerk OmmencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Oncologiezorgnetwerk Ommen is a regional network of healthcare providers and professionals who collaborate to support cancer patients and their relatives. The Vechtgenotenhuis is a member of this network, contributing to coordinated care that includes physiotherapy, dietetics, psychological support, and practical home assistance.
• Borstkankervereniging Nederland (BVN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBVN (Breast Cancer Association Netherlands) collaborates with the Vechtgenotenhuis on information meetings about topics such as late effects of breast cancer. The center hosts BVN-led events and information sessions.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Maggie's Centres: UK-based charity operating a network of drop-in centers for people affected by cancer, offering free emotional, practical, and social support in architecturally distinctive buildings adjacent to major hospitals. The most internationally recognized direct analogue to Vechtgenotenhuis's inloophuis model.
• Huis aan het Water: Amsterdam-based IPSO-affiliated inloophuis offering free psychosocial support, creative workshops, and wellness activities to people affected by cancer. Comparable walk-in, non-clinical, donation-funded service model in a different Dutch region.
• Toon Hermans Huis (multiple locations): Network of Dutch psychosocial oncology inloophuizen affiliated with IPSO, providing free walk-in support, creative activities, and peer groups for cancer patients and relatives. Closest direct national peer in both mission and operating model.
• Cancer Support Community: US-based nonprofit operating a global network of community-based centers providing free psychosocial support, educational programs, and healthy lifestyle activities for people impacted by cancer. Largest international analogue to the inloophuis model Vechtgenotenhuis operates locally.
• Het Behouden Huys: Groningen-based psycho-oncology center affiliated with IPSO, offering psychosocial support, creative expression, and information programs to cancer patients and survivors. Comparable in program design, target audience, and reliance on volunteer-driven delivery.
• Inloophuis Scarabee: Leiden-based IPSO psychosocial oncology inloophuis providing peer support, creative programs, and informational meetings for cancer patients and their families. Directly comparable in service mix (workshops, peer groups, lectures) and non-clinical positioning.

Broad incumbents

• KWF Kankerbestrijding: Dutch national cancer society funding cancer research, prevention, and patient support, and operating the 'Huis in Actie' fundraising platform that supports IPSO centers including Vechtgenotenhuis. Functions as upstream funder and ecosystem enabler rather than a direct service competitor.
• Livestrong: US-based large nonprofit supporting cancer survivors through navigation, financial assistance, and survivorship programs. Operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach than Vechtgenotenhuis, but shares the mission of addressing non-clinical needs of cancer patients and survivors.
• Nederlandse Federatie van Kankerpatiëntenorganisaties (NFK): Umbrella federation of Dutch cancer patient organizations, representing collective interests at the national level. Comparable in advocacy and information-provision mission, but operates as a federation rather than a direct service-delivery center, positioning it as an ecosystem peer rather than a direct competitor.

Regional players

• Borstkankervereniging Nederland (BVN): Dutch patient association specifically for breast cancer patients that collaborates with Vechtgenotenhuis on information meetings about late effects. Comparable in disease-specific patient advocacy mission, but serves a narrower (breast cancer only) population and is structured as a membership association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@vechtgenotenhuis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichting-vechtgenoten

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Vechtgenotenhuis