Bowel Cancer New Zealand

What Bowel Cancer New Zealand does

Bowel Cancer New Zealand is a registered charitable trust (CC44166) founded in 2010 and headquartered in Albany, Auckland, that operates as the nation's leading charity dedicated to reducing the impact of bowel cancer. The organisation delivers four interconnected programmes: patient support (a free nurse support line staffed by Victoria Thompson, online support groups with 750+ members, funded counselling, rehabilitative physiotherapy, and financial assistance), advocacy (championing the national screening programme since 2016 and pursuing policy change on screening age), research (funding projects through Cancer Research Trust NZ with a five-year ambition of up to $500,000, plus peer-reviewed publications such as the Never Too Young Report), and awareness (the annual 'Get to the Bottom of It' Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in June, the 'Move Your Butt' February campaign, and digital tools including an interactive Symptom Checker and an AI-powered chatbot).

The technology footprint centres on a digital patient support platform accessible via website and a dedicated app, comprising the Symptom Checker (an interactive six-symptom questionnaire covering blood in stool, bowel habit changes, abdominal pain, lumps, tiredness, and unexplained weight loss), an AI chatbot for general enquiry handling and resource routing, an online donation portal, and integration with the Grassrootz fundraising platform. Recent product launches include the CHALLENGE: Movement for Life programme (April 2026), delivered via the Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation (PINC & STEEL) network of physiotherapists, and the FIT for Symptomatic testing pathway supported for nationwide rollout in 2026. A peer-reviewed New Zealand Medical Journal publication in June 2026 documented the experiences of more than 350 younger patients.

BCNZ is 100% community funded with no government assistance, generating income through individual donations (one-time and regular giving), corporate sponsorships (CottonSofts, Plumbing World, Olympus, Kellogg's Sultana Bran), fundraising events (Auckland Marathon, Hawke's Bay Marathon, Run the Forest Rotorua), and gifts in wills. The cost structure allocates 74% of funds to programmes, 14% to administration, and 12% to fundraising. The organisation operates with 1-10 employees, led by Chief Executive Peter Huskinson, with a small leadership team covering patient support, marketing and communications, and fundraising.

Name

Bowel Cancer New Zealand

Legal name

Bowel Cancer New Zealand

Website

https://bowelcancernz.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bowel Cancer New Zealand is a registered charitable trust providing nationwide patient support, screening advocacy, research funding, and awareness campaigns for New Zealanders affected by bowel cancer, funded entirely by community donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Health Charity and Patient Support Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Hospitals, Clinics & Charitable Healthcare Providers (BPAGACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

Keywords

• Bowel cancer charity
• Cancer patient support
• Health advocacy services
• Cancer awareness campaigns
• Cancer research funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: 100% community-funded organization receiving no government assistance. Relies on generosity of individual New Zealanders through one-time and regular giving donations
2. Corporate Sponsorship and Partnerships: Corporate partners including CottonSofts, Plumbing World, Olympus, and Kellogg's Sultana Bran provide sponsorship support
3. Fundraising Events: Annual fundraising events including Auckland Marathon, Hawke's Bay Marathon, Run the Forest Rotorua, and Bowel Cancer Awareness Month campaigns such as Move Your Butt
4. Gifts in Wills: Legacy giving through bequests in supporters' wills

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Bowel Cancer New Zealand is a registered charitable trust that delivers free nationwide patient support, advocacy, awareness, and research programmes focused on reducing the impact of bowel cancer in New Zealand. Its core offerings include a Nurse Support Line, CHALLENGE: Movement for Life rehabilitation programme, funded counselling and physiotherapy services, online patient support groups, and the Never Too Young awareness campaign. The charity is 100% community funded, relying entirely on individual donations, corporate sponsorships, fundraising events, gifts in wills, and research grants.

Product overview

Bowel Cancer New Zealand operates as a charitable organization offering a portfolio of patient support, awareness, advocacy, and research services rather than a traditional product-based business. Core services include a Symptom Checker digital tool, the CHALLENGE: Movement for Life exercise rehabilitation programme, a Nurse Support Service, an online patient support group, and funded support services (counselling, physio, financial assistance). The organization runs annual awareness campaigns including Bowel Cancer Awareness Month in June and produces research publications such as the Never Too Young Report. Additional digital offerings include donation portals, fundraising registration platforms, and an AI-powered chatbot for general enquiries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CHALLENGE: Movement for Life: A fully funded, three-year supported recovery exercise programme for patients with stage 2 or stage 3 bowel cancer, delivered in partnership with Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation (PINC & STEEL).
• Never Too Young
• Move Your Butt

Products and services

• Symptom Checker An interactive online digital tool that guides users through six key bowel cancer symptoms (blood in stool, changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, lumps, tiredness, and unexplained weight loss) to help identify potential warning signs and encourage appropriate medical consultation with a GP.
• CHALLENGE: Movement for Life A fully funded three-year supported recovery exercise programme for patients with stage 2 or stage 3 bowel cancer, designed to begin within six months of completing chemotherapy. Based on the international CHALLENGE randomised controlled trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, delivered through Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation physiotherapists.
• Nurse Support Service A free, confidential nurse support line staffed by registered nurse Victoria Thompson, available Monday to Thursday 9am-4pm via phone (0800 226 968), email, or website chat function, providing patient support and clinical enquiries assistance.
• Funded Support Services Free services including counselling, rehabilitative physiotherapy, and financial assistance for eligible bowel cancer patients and their families, addressing emotional, physical recovery, and financial burden needs.
• Online Patient Support Group A community-based online support group connecting bowel cancer patients and their whānau, providing peer connection and shared experiences throughout the cancer journey, with 750+ members and 46% year-on-year growth.
• Online Donation Portal Secure online donation system allowing one-time and monthly donations with preset amount options ($25, $50, $100, $250) and tax credit eligibility for donations over $5 under New Zealand's donations tax credit scheme.

Quantifiable outcome

• 46% increase in online patient support group usage this year, with 750+ patients supported over six years
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

AI capability3 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• Cancer Research Trust New Zealand (CRTNZ)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2026Major research partnership announced June 2026 where Bowel Cancer NZ invests $80,000 in the 2026 CRTNZ research grant funding round with a longer-term ambition to invest up to $500,000 over five years. The partnership enables collaboration with a highly regarded national research funding organization to identify and support high-quality, high-impact research projects through independent expert peer review.
• Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation (PINC & STEEL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Launched CHALLENGE: Movement for Life programme in April 2026 - a fully funded supported recovery exercise programme for people with stage 2 and stage 3 bowel cancer. The Cancer Rehabilitation Foundation delivers the programme through their national network of cancer rehabilitation physiotherapists. The programme is based on the international CHALLENGE trial published in NEJM showing structured exercise improves survival outcomes.
• GrassrootzcoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline fundraising platform partnership enabling supporters to create fundraising pages, share campaigns, and collect donations. Used for events including Auckland Marathon, Hawke's Bay Marathon, and Run the Forest Rotorua fundraising.
• CottonSoftsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor featured on website footer
• Plumbing WorldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor featured on website footer
• OlympusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor featured on website footer
• Kellogg's Sultana BranminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor featured on website footer

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fight Colorectal Cancer: US patient-advocacy organisation focused on colorectal cancer research, policy, and patient support. Comparable as a research- and advocacy-driven disease charity that complements traditional cancer foundations.
• Bowel Cancer Australia: Australia's leading bowel cancer charity with the same disease-specific mission of awareness, support, advocacy, and research. Most directly comparable peer given shared trans-Tasman disease burden, similar screening-age policy advocacy, and charity-funded model.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: UK's leading cancer patient-support charity offering nurse helplines, financial assistance, and information services. Highly comparable patient-support operating model that BCNZ's nurse support line, counselling, and financial assistance programmes mirror.
• Colorectal Cancer Alliance: Largest US colorectal cancer nonprofit providing patient support, screening navigation, and research funding. Comparable as a disease-specific charity combining direct patient services with advocacy and research investment.
• Bowel Cancer UK: UK's dedicated bowel cancer charity offering patient support, research funding, and policy advocacy. Directly comparable on disease focus, programme mix (nurse support, awareness campaigns, research grants), and charity-of-record positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Society NZ: New Zealand's largest general cancer charity covering all cancer types with support, research, and advocacy. Serves as the broader incumbent in the same domestic market that BCNZ competes and collaborates with for donor share and policy influence.
• Cancer Council Australia: Australia's peak national cancer-control nonprofit spanning all cancers. Comparable as the broader incumbent counterpart to disease-specific charities like Bowel Cancer Australia and BCNZ, offering a benchmark for national-scale cancer charity operations.

Emerging players

• Breast Cancer Foundation NZ: New Zealand disease-specific cancer charity operating patient support, research funding, and advocacy. Comparable as a fellow NZ health charity with a similar donation- and event-funded model and similar size/scale.
• Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand: NZ charity supporting patients with blood cancers through nurse support, education, and research funding. Comparable as a fellow small NZ disease-specific charity with similar patient-support services and community-funded revenue model.
• Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ: New Zealand prostate cancer charity providing awareness, support, and advocacy. Comparable as a fellow NZ single-disease men's cancer charity competing for the same donor, volunteer, and event fundraising pools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BowelCancerNZ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bowel-cancer-nz
• Instagraminstagram.com/bowelcancernewzealand
• Xx.com/BowelCancerNZ

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Bowel Cancer New Zealand