Youth Cancer Europe

What Youth Cancer Europe does

Youth Cancer Europe (legal entity: Youth Cancer Europe Foundation, charity registration number 3/2015, fiscal code 35424351, EU Transparency Register 988772631423-40) is a patient-led, non-profit advocacy organisation headquartered in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, founded in 2015 by Shajjad Rizvi and Katie Rizvi of Asociația Little People Romania together with Šarūnas Narbutas of the Lithuanian Cancer Society. Its core mission is to represent adolescents and young adults (AYAs, ages 15–39) affected by cancer at the European policy level and to deliver a community of practice across more than 40 countries. The organisation does not sell products; its revenue derives from EU institutional grants (notably EU4Health and Horizon Europe) and donations processed through Fundraise Up, with services delivered free to beneficiaries.

Its core programmatic outputs are the European Youth Cancer Network (YARN), the largest multi-stakeholder lived-experience initiative of its kind in Europe, spanning 25 EU Member States and 3 neighbouring countries through 19 Beneficiaries, 1 Affiliated Entity, and 39 Associated Partners; the Youth Cancer Council, a 100-member pan-European advisory body of young people with lived cancer experience; and the ACE Academy, the first EU-funded training programme dedicated to advocacy, communication, and empowerment for young cancer advocates. YCE also acts as a partner in multiple EU-funded digital health consortia delivering platforms such as LATE-AYA (AI-driven late-effects monitoring via wearables), EU-CIP (cancer information portal), smartCARE (survivor mobile application), ONCODIR (AI-powered prevention recommendations), and FORTEe (exercise oncology clinical trial). Its resource library includes the EDI Self-Assessment Checklist for Patient Organisations in 11 languages, the AYA Cancer Care Standards Roadmap, Guidelines for Inclusive Events, and the EDI Recommendations White Paper in 8 languages. Distribution occurs through the YCE website, Mailchimp newsletter, Discord community (beatcancer.eu), YouTube channel, and recurring presence at EU institutional and oncology conferences (ESMO, EONS, EU Parliament, UNTOLD Festival).

Name

Youth Cancer Europe

Legal name

Youth Cancer Europe Foundation

Website

https://youthcancereurope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Youth Cancer Europe is a patient-led non-profit foundation based in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, advocating for adolescents and young adults (ages 15–39) affected by cancer across more than 40 countries through EU-funded programmes, the 100-member Youth Cancer Council, and pan-European policy engagement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Advocacy

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Youth cancer advocacy
• Patient advocacy services
• Health policy advocacy
• Cancer survivor support
• Community network building

Headquarters

HQ city

Cluj-Napoca

HQ country

Romania

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Youth Cancer Europe is a patient-led non-profit advocacy organization that connects young people affected by cancer (ages 15–39) across 40+ European countries. It delivers the YARN (European Youth Cancer Network) pan-European initiative, the Youth Cancer Council advisory body, and the ACE Academy training programme, while providing policy advocacy at EU level, multilingual educational resources (EDI tools, AYA cancer care standards), and participation in EU-funded digital health platforms. All services are provided free to beneficiaries, funded through EU grants and donations.

Product overview

Youth Cancer Europe operates as a patient-led advocacy movement rather than a traditional product company. Its core offerings consist of the European Youth Cancer Network (YARN), a pan-European platform coordinating youth-led advocacy across 25+ EU countries; the Youth Cancer Council (YCC), an advisory body of 100 young people with lived cancer experience; and the ACE Academy, which provides advocacy training. The organization also participates in EU-funded digital health initiatives including LATE-AYA (AI-driven platform for late effects management), EU-CIP (cancer information portal), smartCARE (mobile survivor application), and ONCODIR (AI-powered prevention ecosystem). Resource products include EDI assessment tools, inclusive event guidelines, AYA care standards, and advocacy publications. The portfolio functions as a network of interconnected programmes, platforms, and resources unified by lived-experience-driven cancer advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YARN (European Youth Cancer Network): EU co-funded initiative bringing together young people with cancer experience, healthcare professionals, psychosocial care specialists, policy-makers, researchers, and patient organisations across 25 EU Member States and 3 neighbouring countries. Delivered by 19 Beneficiaries, 1 Affiliated Entity, and 39 Associated Partners.
• Youth Cancer Council (YCC)
• ACE Academy (Advocacy, Communication & Empowerment)

Products and services

• YARN (European Youth Cancer Network)

Quantifiable outcome

• 180 participants from 32 countries attended the largest meeting of the European Network of Youth Cancer Survivors
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• EU4Health Programme (19 Beneficiaries, 1 Affiliated Entity, 39 Associated Partners)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025YARN (European Youth Cancer Network) is the largest multi-stakeholder, lived experience-driven effort of its kind in Europe, funded under Grant Agreement No 101219053. Spans 25 EU Member States and 3 neighbouring countries.
• Innovative Health Initiative (IHI JU) - Horizon Europe Consortium (READI Project)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Public-private partnership for clinical study inclusion with support from European Union Horizon Europe, COCIR, EFPIA, EuropaBio, MedTech Europe, Vaccines Europe, and UKRI. YCE contributes across four key work packages.
• STRONG-AYA Consortium (14 partner organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2022Interdisciplinary European network improving healthcare services for AYAs with cancer aged 15-39, bringing together partners from Netherlands, Romania, UK, Italy, France, Belgium, and Poland. YCE is on the Patient Advisory Board.
• E-QuoL ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2021E-QuoL provides e-health tools for children, adolescents, and young adults who survived cancer. The Little People coordinates working group on social challenges. YCE maximizes visibility as Associated Partner.
• Asociația Little People RomaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding organization of Youth Cancer Europe Foundation. The founders of Little People cancer charity in Romania (Shajjad and Katie Rizvi) created Youth Cancer Europe and Little People Romania coordinates EU projects including E-QuoL. This is the foundational partnership from which YCE emerged.
• CEIPES ETSminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerItalian organization that organized the YARN Healthy Lifestyle Bootcamp in Sicily, collaborating with YCE to deliver the program for 49 members of the Youth Cancer Council.
• European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare (Oliver Várhelyi)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMet with European Health Commissioner on World Cancer Day for Youth Policy Dialogue, securing commitment to keep cancer as EU priority and hold follow-up meeting.
• Parliament of the Republic of MoldovacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHigh-Level Inclusivity Roundtable organized by YCE bringing together Ministry of Health, National Cancer Control Programme, Moldovan Oncological Institute, and patient organizations to advance cancer care policy.
• European Parliament (MEP Stelios Kympouropoulos, MEP Tomislav Sokol)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerHigh-level policy dialogue at European Parliament to present EDI recommendations for equitable cancer care, hosted by MEPs with participation from patient advocates and healthcare providers.
• OUTpatients UK (Stewart O'Callaghan)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK's leading LGBTQ+ cancer charity founded by Stewart O'Callaghan. Collaborated on EDI in Cancer Care initiatives, joint webinars, and policy recommendations for inclusive cancer care.
• Senate of Romania (Senator Nicoleta Pauliuc)GTM or Marketing PartnerYCE patient advocate presented AYA work at Romanian Parliament conference on National Day of Cancer Survivors, hosted by Senator Nicoleta Pauliuc.
• Inclusive Employers Ltd.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCo-organized EDI in Cancer Care Training welcoming 59 participants from 25 countries representing 51 organizations across healthcare, academia, and patient advocacy.
• European Commission (Stella Kyriakides)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerYCE patient advocate Nicola Unterecker spoke at World Mental Health Day Conference hosted by European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety.
• Peer Visit Partner Hospitals (Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Italy, Ghent University Hospital, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Radboudumc)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive leading AYA cancer centres in Italy, Belgium, and Netherlands that YCE facilitated peer visits to, identifying best practices in holistic care and psychosocial support.
• European Parliament Special Committee on Beating Cancer (BECA)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerYCE participated in BECA hearings on cross-border healthcare and fertility preservation, contributing to EU cancer policy development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Fortee_project
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCt3yF8k
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/youthcancereurope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Youth Cancer Europe