Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered

What Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered does

FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered) is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in Tampa, Florida, that provides education, peer support, advocacy, and research-enablement services to individuals and families affected by hereditary cancer. The organization's stated beneficiaries include previvors (carriers of inherited cancer-risk mutations who have not been diagnosed), hereditary cancer survivors, family members and caregivers, and healthcare providers such as genetic counselors, oncologists, and fertility specialists. FORCE was founded by Sue Friedman and operates a community-led model in which trained volunteers anchor the Peer Navigation Matching Program, message boards, the Private Facebook Group, and the annual Advocacy Day in Washington, DC.

The product and service suite is breadth-oriented rather than technology-oriented: XRAY reviews and summarizes cancer research news; a Helpline (866-288-RISK) offers confidential support in English and Spanish, including a Genetic Counselor line; Peer Navigation matches users to volunteers with similar experiences; 24/7 message boards host peer discussion; Webinars deliver expert-led education; Decision Checklists generate personalized question lists; a Healthcare Provider directory lists genetics-knowledgeable clinicians; and a Clinical Trial Matching tool supports trial enrollment. Research Advocate Training positions patients as consumer reviewers in federally funded research. FORCE uses Microsoft Copilot and generative AI tools to draft and summarize educational material and to convert content into infographics and video, with all output reviewed by staff and advisory board before publication. Stripe processes online donations; the website, email, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube serve as primary distribution.

The business model is a donation-based nonprofit with two principal revenue streams: individual and foundation donations (with a structured donor ladder and a Legacy Circle) and corporate sponsorship from pharmaceutical and diagnostics companies including AstraZeneca, Merck, Eisai, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Genentech, GSK, Lilly, Gilead Foundation, Exact Sciences, Foundation Medicine, and Illumina. All services to end users are provided free of charge. Governance is via a Board of Directors and Advisory Board, and the organization has earned a Charity Navigator 4-star rating and GuideStar Platinum Transparency 2025 recognition. No parent company, subsidiaries, or external funding rounds apply.

Name

Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered

Legal name

FORCE-Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered, Inc.

Website

https://facingourrisk.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

FORCE is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 that provides free education, peer support, advocacy, and research-enablement services to individuals and families affected by hereditary cancer, including previvors, survivors, and family members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual and Foundation Donations: FORCE receives donations from individual supporters and foundations. The organization lists major donors at various levels ($100,000+, $50,000-$99,999, $25,000-$49,999, $10,000-$24,999, $5,000-$9,999, $1,000-$4,999). Donors can contribute through the website donation system.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Pharmaceutical and healthcare companies sponsor FORCE's mission. Sponsors include AstraZeneca, GSK, Daiichi-Sankyo, Foundation Medicine, Illumina, Novartis, Gilead Oncology, Johnson & Johnson, Genentech, Merck, Lilly, Pfizer, Eisai, and Exact Sciences. Sponsor messages are clearly labeled and separate from editorial content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FORCE is a national nonprofit patient advocacy organization that provides free education, peer support, and resources for individuals and families affected by hereditary cancer. Its core offerings include the XRAY program for reviewing cancer research news, a Peer Navigation Matching service connecting users with trained volunteers, a toll-free helpline with Genetic Counselor access, 24/7 message boards, expert-led webinars, clinical trials matching tools, and insurance/financial assistance navigation. All services are provided at no cost to the hereditary cancer community.

Product overview

FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered) is a nonprofit patient advocacy organization that provides a comprehensive suite of educational, support, and research engagement resources for individuals and families affected by hereditary cancer. The organization offers multiple interconnected services including the XRAY program for reviewing cancer research news, Peer Navigation Matching for personalized support, a Helpline with Genetic Counselor access, 24/7 Message Boards for community discussion, Webinars featuring expert presentations, Decision Checklists for medical preparation, a Healthcare Provider directory, and Clinical Trials matching tools. Additional support services include insurance navigation resources, financial assistance information, advocacy training programs, and a private Facebook community. All educational content is developed with expert review, and FORCE integrates AI tools including Microsoft Copilot to help generate and summarize materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• XRAY (eXamining Relevance of Articles to Young Survivors): A program that reviews and summarizes cancer research news and media articles to help individuals understand and evaluate health-related information.

Products and services

• XRAY (eXamining Relevance of Articles to Young Survivors) A program that reviews and explains cancer research news and media coverage in plain language, helping individuals understand the latest hereditary cancer research findings.
• Peer Navigation Matching Program A confidential 1:1 support service that matches individuals with Peer Navigator volunteers who have similar hereditary cancer experiences, providing personalized guidance and a free resource guide.
• Helpline A toll-free support helpline (866-288-RISK / 7475) providing nonjudgmental support and resources in English and Spanish, with a Genetic Counselor helpline also available.
• Message Boards A 24/7 online forum where individuals can discuss hereditary cancer topics with others facing similar concerns.
• Webinars Live and on-demand webinar presentations featuring experts on topics of interest and importance to the hereditary cancer community.
• Decision Checklists and Tip Sheets An interactive tool that creates personalized lists of questions to ask doctors and tips to prepare for surgeries and procedures.
• Find Healthcare Providers A directory to locate services or medical experts knowledgeable in cancer genetics, including genetic counselors, oncologists, surgeons, fertility experts and more.
• Research and Clinical Trials Matching Tools to help match individuals to hereditary cancer detection, prevention, and treatment studies and clinical trials.
• Insurance and Reimbursement Resources Information on health insurance coverage and reimbursement for healthcare services, including tips on insurance appeals and customizable sample appeal letters.
• Financial Assistance Resources National resources and grant programs to help offset costs for genetic services, cancer screenings, surgeries, treatments and more.
• Advocacy and Public Policy Programs Federal and state advocacy efforts ensuring the hereditary cancer community's voice is represented, including Advocacy Day events and educational resources on laws like ACA, GINA, and WHCRA.
• Research Advocate Training A program that trains patients with no science background to use their personal experiences to help guide hereditary cancer research.
• Private Facebook Group A private social media community for connecting with others affected by hereditary cancer.
• Glossary Definitions for commonly used terms related to hereditary cancer and genetic testing.
• Brochures Downloadable and orderable educational materials on hereditary cancer topics.
• FORCE Blog Educational content and personal perspectives on topics of interest and importance to the hereditary cancer community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves individuals and families affected by hereditary cancer through multiple support channels including helpline, peer navigation, and online communities

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, moderate and core.

• AstraZenecamajorOthersPharmaceutical company listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page. Provides sponsorship funding to support FORCE's mission of improving lives of individuals and families facing hereditary cancer. AstraZeneca is listed in the $100,000 and above donor category.
• MerckmajorOthersPharmaceutical company listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page. Listed in the $100,000 and above donor category. Supports FORCE's mission through sponsorship funding.
• Gilead FoundationmajorOthersPhilanthropic arm of Gilead Sciences listed as a supporter in the $100,000 and above category on FORCE's Individuals and Foundations page. Provides grant funding to support hereditary cancer community programs.
• EisaimajorOthersPharmaceutical company listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page and in the $100,000 and above donor category. Supports FORCE mission through sponsorship.
• Novartis PharmaceuticalsmajorOthersPharmaceutical company listed as a supporter in the $50,000-$99,999 donor category on FORCE's Individuals and Foundations page. Provides corporate sponsorship funding.
• GenentechmajorOthersBiotechnology company listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page and in the $25,000-$49,999 donor category. Supports FORCE through sponsorship.
• GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)majorOthersPharmaceutical company listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page. Provides sponsorship to support FORCE's educational and support programs.
• Johnson & JohnsonmajorOthersHealthcare company listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page and in the $25,000-$49,999 donor category. Supports FORCE through sponsorship.
• Lilly (Eli Lilly)majorOthersPharmaceutical company listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page and in the $25,000-$49,999 donor category. Provides corporate sponsorship.
• Pfizer Inc.majorOthersPharmaceutical company listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page and in the $25,000-$49,999 donor category. Supports FORCE through sponsorship.
• Exact SciencesmoderateOthersMolecular diagnostics company listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page and in the $25,000-$49,999 donor category.
• Foundation MedicinemoderateOthersGenomic testing company listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page and in the $10,000-$24,999 donor category.
• IlluminamoderateOthersLife sciences company specializing in sequencing and array technologies listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page.
• Gilead OncologymoderateOthersOncology division of Gilead Sciences listed as an industry sponsor on FORCE's Industry Partners page.
• FORCE PartnerscoreOthersFORCE collaborates with partner organizations to advocate for greater awareness, broader access to care, and better treatment and prevention options for all those impacted by hereditary cancer. Partner organizations are listed on the Our Partners page.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Susan G. Komen: Largest U.S. breast cancer nonprofit with broad education, support, research funding, and advocacy programs; overlaps with FORCE in hereditary breast cancer support and policy advocacy but at materially larger scale.
• Cancer Support Community: National nonprofit providing social and emotional support, education, and community programs for people affected by any cancer; comparable peer-support and education model to FORCE.
• American Cancer Society: Largest U.S. cancer nonprofit covering all cancer types with 24/7 helpline, patient navigation, and research funding; overlaps with FORCE's educational and patient support offerings but at much broader scope and scale.
• National Breast Cancer Coalition: Advocacy-driven breast cancer nonprofit with strong federal policy and research advocacy presence; broader in scope than FORCE but shares the patient-advocacy plus research-advocacy model.
• Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance: Leading ovarian cancer research and advocacy nonprofit with survivor/previvor support services; relevant given hereditary ovarian cancer (BRCA, Lynch) is a core FORCE use case.
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer: National nonprofit providing education, peer support, and resources to people affected by breast cancer including those with hereditary risk; comparable educational content and community model.

Direct peers

• Bright Pink: Nonprofit focused on hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk for young women; delivers education, peer support, and provider resources that closely overlap with FORCE's previvor and survivor segments.
• Sharsheret: National nonprofit addressing hereditary cancer (notably BRCA) within the Jewish community, offering peer support, genetic counseling resources, and advocacy—directly comparable community-navigation model.
• Lynch Syndrome International: Nonprofit dedicated to Lynch syndrome (hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer) education and support, covering a hereditary cancer niche that overlaps significantly with FORCE's gene-by-gene resource library.

Emerging players

• National Ovarian Cancer Coalition: Nonprofit focused on ovarian cancer awareness, education, and support; serves a subset of FORCE's hereditary cancer community, particularly BRCA-driven ovarian cancer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/facingourrisk
• Facebookfacebook.com/facingourrisk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/force-facing-our-risk-of-cancer-empowered
• Instagraminstagram.com/facingourrisk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered