The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity
The Children's Cancer Unit Charity is a Belfast-based not-for-profit founded in 1984 and the sole charity supporting the Children's Cancer Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, the only paediatric oncology treatment centre in Northern Ireland. It funds specialist staff, equipment, family support, bereavement services, research, and a telepresence robotics programme for ~60-70 children diagnosed annually.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersBelfast, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity does
The Children's Cancer Unit Charity is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the sole charity dedicated to supporting the Children's Cancer Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, which is the only treatment centre for childhood cancer and complex blood disorders in Northern Ireland, serving approximately 60-70 newly diagnosed children annually. The charity funds specialist staff roles (Play Therapists, Research Nurses, Social Workers), specialised medical equipment, facility infrastructure, and family support services, and contributes to paediatric oncology research in collaboration with Precision Oncology Ireland.
The charity's core service portfolio includes the Robotics Programme (telepresence robots that enable children to attend school remotely during treatment), a Family Room facility located across from the hospital, a Bereavement Support service (jointly run with Cancer Fund for Children), clinical support services (Play Therapy, Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Dietetics), and family support services (financial aid, pizza nights, events). The organisation operates as a registered charity (NIC104794) governed by a Board of Trustees and led by its first Chief Executive, Jane Hoare, appointed in January 2023.
The charity's revenue model is entirely donation-based, with streams including individual donations (one-off and regular), corporate partnerships (e.g., Aflac Northern Ireland since 2019, Davy), event fundraising (marathons, abseils, skydives, the annual CCUC Golf Classic), merchandise sales (wristbands, hoodies, beanie hats), legacies and gifts in wills, and community-led fundraising via JustGiving and Facebook Fundraising. Distribution channels are direct-to-consumer through the charity's own website and third-party platforms, with a single-country (Northern Ireland) operating footprint and a multi-channel marketing approach spanning website, social media, email, and PR.
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity
- Legal name
- The Children's Cancer Unit Charity
- Website
- https://childrenscancerunit.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Children's Cancer Unit Charity is a Belfast-based not-for-profit founded in 1984 and the sole charity supporting the Children's Cancer Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, the only paediatric oncology treatment centre in Northern Ireland. It funds specialist staff, equipment, family support, bereavement services, research, and a telepresence robotics programme for ~60-70 children diagnosed annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Paediatric Oncology Charity Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)
Keywords
Where The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Belfast
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: One-off and regular donations from individuals supporting children with cancer in Northern Ireland. Includes Gift Aid reclaim where applicable.
- Corporate Partnerships: Long-term charity partnerships with businesses, including employee fundraising, cause-related marketing, sponsorship of events, and match giving programmes.
- Event Fundraising: Revenue from participation events including marathons, abseils, skydives, and the annual CCUC Golf Classic.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of charity merchandise including wristbands, lapel pins, beanie hats, hoodies, t-shirts, and running vests.
- Legacies and Gifts in Wills: Charitable bequests and legacy donations left in supporters' wills.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Wristbands |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Beanie hats |
| Other | One time/ perpetual license | Donation impact equivalents |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Children's Cancer Unit Charity is a registered nonprofit that raises funds to support the Children's Cancer Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in Northern Ireland. It funds specialist clinical staff (Play Specialists, Research Nurses, Social Workers), medical equipment and infrastructure, family support services, paediatric cancer research, a telepresence Robotics Programme that helps children attend school remotely, a Family Room facility for families, and bereavement support. Revenue comes entirely from individual donations, corporate partnerships, community fundraising events, merchandise sales, and legacies.
Product overview
The Children's Cancer Unit Charity operates as a charitable organization supporting the Children's Cancer Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, rather than as a technology product company. The charity's offerings include: support services for families (Family Support Services, Bereavement Support, Family Room), educational support (Robotics Programme with telepresence robots), healthcare support services (Play Therapy, Social Work, Psychology, Physiotherapy, Dietetics), cancer research funding, and merchandise sales through its online shop. The portfolio centers on providing comprehensive care and support for children with cancer and their families throughout Northern Ireland.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Clinical Support Services Comprehensive funded clinical support including Play Therapy, Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy support, and Dietetics delivered at the Children's Cancer Unit for children and families undergoing cancer treatment.
- Family Support Services Practical and financial aid for families of children with cancer, including home-from-home comforts (pizza and coffee supplies, seasonal treats), a dedicated breathing space at HQ, and family time events throughout the year.
- Bereavement Support Service Bereavement support service for parents whose child has died from cancer, delivered in partnership with Cancer Fund for Children. Provides therapeutic support, home visits, phone support, peer groups, and retreats for up to three years.
- Robotics Programme Telepresence robot programme that enables children undergoing cancer treatment to attend school remotely, stay connected with classmates and teachers, and continue their education during extended hospital stays or treatment at home.
- Family Room A dedicated calm, cosy space at the charity's headquarters on the Falls Road across from the Children's Cancer Unit, offering tea and coffee, toys, books, TV, and comfy sofas for families between outpatient appointments at the hospital.
- Paediatric Cancer Research Funding and active contribution to paediatric oncology research, including support for clinical trials and collaboration with Precision Oncology Ireland, aimed at improving treatment options and outcomes for children with cancer.
- Charity Shop Merchandise Online and in-office sale of branded charity merchandise including wristbands (£1), lapel pins, beanie hats (£10-£12), hoodies, t-shirts, and running vests, with all proceeds supporting the Children's Cancer Unit.
Quantifiable outcome
- Robotics Programme enables children to continue school attendance during extended hospital treatment
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Aflac Northern IrelandcorePartnership since 2019 when Aflac NI arrived in Belfast. Aflac provides My Special Aflac Ducks to help children prepare for medical procedures. Staff fundraising and volunteering as part of the partnership, with significant employee engagement impact.
- Queen's University Belfast School of Nursing & MidwiferycorePartnership in its third year supporting future nursing workforce. Provides scholarship opportunities through the CCUC International Nursing Programme, events for students to meet the CHU nursing team, and support for oncology/haematology nursing education.
- Northern Ireland Cancer Charities Coalition (NICCC)coreCoalition of 34 cancer charities united to establish a local sector voice, strengthen advocacy on cancer issues, and facilitate unified engagement with governing officials.
- Northern Ireland Children's Health Coalition (NICHC)coreCoalition of leading charities working to improve health services and holistic support for children and families. Advocating for a dedicated Young Patients' Fund to help families cover hidden costs of childhood cancer treatment.
- Cancer Fund for ChildrencoreJoint funding of bereavement support service for parents whose child has died from cancer, providing therapeutic support, peer groups, and retreats for up to three years.
- Parents' Advisory Group (PAG)coreAdvisory group of parents who have had children go through cancer treatment. Jointly supported with Young Lives vs Cancer, Cancer Fund for Children, and Belfast Health & Social Care Trust to improve services and address parent-identified needs.
- Adolescents & Young Adults (AYA) Service PartnershipcoreFive-charity partnership (CCUC, Cancer Fund for Children, Young Lives vs Cancer, Friends of the Cancer Centre, Teenage Cancer Trust) working with Health Trusts to deliver regional support to adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer.
- Action CancersupportingCCUC funds Action Cancer to deliver Complementary Therapies within the Children’s Cancer Unit, providing therapeutic interventions to help children and parents deal with stress.
- Go Gold Campaign PartnerssupportingPartnership with Cancer Fund for Children and Friends of the Cancer Centre for Go Gold campaign to raise awareness of childhood cancers throughout Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September.
- Belfast Health & Social Care TrustcoreNHS partnership for delivery of the Children’s Cancer Unit services at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, including joint working with the multi-disciplinary team.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Candlelighters: Yorkshire-based childhood cancer charity supporting families through treatment and beyond. Directly comparable as a regional UK children's cancer charity with a similar model of family support, hospital-based services, and research funding.
- Children with Cancer UK: Leading UK charity funding research into childhood cancer and supporting affected families. Directly comparable as a UK-wide childhood cancer charity that combines research funding with family support, similar to CCUC's dual research/service model.
- Young Lives vs Cancer: UK-wide charity (formerly CLIC Sargent) supporting children and young people with cancer and their families. Directly comparable because it serves the same beneficiary population and is a current CCUC partner in the AYA Service Partnership.
- Cancer Fund for Children: Northern Ireland-based charity providing practical, emotional, and financial support to children with cancer and their families. Directly comparable because CCUC and Cancer Fund for Children jointly fund the bereavement service and operate in the same NI paediatric oncology support space.
- Teenage Cancer Trust: UK charity dedicated to cancer treatment and support for young people aged 13-24. Directly comparable because CCUC's AYA Service Partnership is co-delivered with Teenage Cancer Trust, and the beneficiary overlap (young cancer patients) is substantial.
- Friends of the Cancer Centre: Northern Ireland charity supporting cancer patients and their families at the Belfast City Hospital. Directly comparable as a NI cancer charity that partners with CCUC on the AYA Service and Go Gold campaign, sharing the same donor pool and corporate partners.
- Action Cancer: Northern Ireland cancer charity that CCUC funds to deliver Complementary Therapies within the Children's Cancer Unit. Directly comparable as a NI cancer charity operating in the same donor and partnership ecosystem.
Broad incumbents
- Macmillan Cancer Support: UK-wide cancer support charity providing financial, emotional, and practical support to people with cancer. Comparable as a much larger incumbent operating across all cancer types and age groups, including services that overlap with CCUC's family support work.
- Cancer Research UK: UK's largest cancer research and awareness charity. Comparable as a broad incumbent that funds childhood cancer research, overlapping with CCUC's research funding activities and competing for national-level donor share.
Regional players
- Irish Cancer Society: National cancer charity in the Republic of Ireland. Comparable because of geographic proximity and CCUC's all-island paediatric oncology conference partnership, indicating cross-border collaboration in childhood cancer services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity social profiles
Digital presenceThe Children’s Cancer Unit Charity financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity
What does The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity do?
The Children's Cancer Unit Charity is a registered nonprofit that raises funds to support the Children's Cancer Unit at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in Northern Ireland. It funds specialist clinical staff (Play Specialists, Research Nurses, Social Workers), medical equipment and infrastructure, family support services, paediatric cancer research, a telepresence Robotics Programme that helps children attend school remotely, a Family Room facility for families, and bereavement support. Revenue comes entirely from individual donations, corporate partnerships, community fundraising events, merchandise sales, and legacies.
Is The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity a public or private company?
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity founded?
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity was founded in 1984. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity based?
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity is headquartered in Belfast, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Partnerships, event Fundraising, merchandise Sales and legacies and Gifts in Wills.
Who are The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Candlelighters, Children with Cancer UK, Young Lives vs Cancer, Cancer Fund for Children, Teenage Cancer Trust, Friends of the Cancer Centre and Action Cancer. Broad incumbents are Macmillan Cancer Support and Cancer Research UK. Irish Cancer Society is listed as a regional player.
Does The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity.
What industry is The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity in?
The Children’s Cancer Unit Charity's product category is Paediatric Oncology Charity Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAA, Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS), with a secondary code of BPAGACAF, Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8000.