Ung Cancer

What Ung Cancer does

Ung Cancer is a Swedish nonprofit organization (ideell förening) founded in 2012 and headquartered in Göteborg, with a postal/visitation address in Stockholm. It is the only Swedish organization focused exclusively on young adults aged 16-35 affected by cancer — a demographic that falls between pediatric and adult oncology and faces distinct psychosocial, financial, and rehabilitation needs. The organization provides a structured support ecosystem to members (free, digital-first) including a mentorship program, conversation buddies (samtalsvänner), in-person member meetups across approximately 20 Swedish cities, free digital courses, rehabilitation programs such as "Träning på dina villkor," and direct financial grants of up to 10,000 SEK per application (capped at 60,000 SEK lifetime). Its member-driven product surface includes twice-yearly member-voted bracelets, the "Fuck Cancer-loppet" running event, and the testicular cancer awareness campaign "Kolla Bollarna" (rebranded from "Kolla Pungen" in 2021).

The business model is donation- and partnership-driven. Ung Cancer holds a 90-konto certified by Svensk Insamlingskontroll, complies with Giva Sverige's quality code, and is certified "Tryggt Givande." Revenue streams include individual one-time and monthly (autogiro) donations routed through Swish (9005745) and bank giro (900-5745), merchandise sales through shop.ungcancer.se, corporate partnerships and sponsorships, and individual or company-initiated crowdfunding (egen-insamling). The organization explicitly excludes partnerships with firms associated with alcohol, weapons, drugs, tobacco, or tanning.

The core strategic asset is the minKod innovation project, launched in 2018 with Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset, Sahlgrenska Universitetssjukhuset, and the Centre for Person-Centred Care (GPCC) at Göteborgs universitet. minKod places cancer-affected young adults as co-researchers and has produced the Team Ung multidisciplinary contact pilot and the PRISM resilience program; Phase 3 (from 2023) is funded through Regionalt Cancercentrum Stockholm Gotland and supports a national training rollout. Operating geography is exclusively Sweden (organization number 802456-7763), and the organization is governed by a member-elected board led by chair Caroline Ensér.

Name

Ung Cancer

Legal name

Ung Cancer

Website

https://ungcancer.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ung Cancer is a Swedish nonprofit providing free psychosocial, financial, and rehabilitative support to young adults aged 16-35 affected by cancer, operating member meetups in approximately 20 cities and an innovation project with Karolinska and Sahlgrenska university hospitals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Patient Advocacy and Psychosocial Support

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Adaptive & Special Needs Personal Training (HSADAAAL)

Keywords

• Young adult cancer support
• Cancer patient advocacy
• Peer support services
• Psychosocial oncology support
• Nonprofit fundraising services

Headquarters

HQ city

Göteborg

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations & Monthly Giving: Ung Cancer raises funds from private individuals through one-time Swish donations (65 SEK suggested), monthly giving programs (autogiro), commemorative gifts, and tribute cards. The organization emphasizes transparency about how donations are used.
2. Merchandise Sales: Ung Cancer operates a web shop selling bracelets (e.g., 'Livsglädje', 'Glöd') with designs voted on by members. Proceeds fund the organization's activities.
3. Corporate Partnerships & B2B Giving: Companies can become corporate supporters, participate in events (Fuck Cancer-loppet, pärl-AW, Göteborgsvarvet), make corporate gifts, and sponsor campaigns. The organization explicitly avoids partnerships with companies associated with alcohol, weapons, drugs, tobacco, or tanning.
4. Crowd-fundraising & Insamling: Individuals and companies can start their own fundraising campaigns (Swish collections, egen-insamling) to benefit Ung Cancer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Ung Cancer provides free membership-based psychosocial, financial, and rehabilitative support services to young adults aged 16-35 in Sweden who are affected by cancer or are close relatives of someone affected. The core offering includes mentorship, conversation buddies, member meetups in approximately 20 cities, digital self-help courses, financial grants (up to 10,000 SEK per application), rehabilitation/exercise programs, and policy advocacy. Revenue is generated through individual donations, monthly giving, corporate partnerships, and member-designed bracelet sales.

Product overview

Ung Cancer is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive support ecosystem for young adults (ages 16-35) affected by cancer. The core offering includes peer support programs (Mentorskapsprogrammet, Samtalsvänner, Medlemsträffar), financial assistance (Ekonomiskt stöd), rehabilitation support (Träning på dina villkor), and digital courses. The organization runs the awareness campaign 'Kolla Bollarna' for testicular cancer awareness and sells member-designed bracelets (Fuck Cancer Armband, Medlemsarmband) through its shop. The innovation project minKod develops solutions including Team Ung and PRISM programs. Core membership is free and provides access to all support services, with annual member meetings (Pärldagar) and events like Fuck Cancer-loppet building community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mentorskapsprogrammet (Mentor Program) A matching program connecting young adults aged 16-35 who have been affected by cancer with mentors who have had similar experiences, providing peer support and guidance throughout the cancer journey.
• Samtalsvänner (Conversation Friends) A peer-support service connecting members with others in similar cancer-related situations for one-on-one conversation and emotional support.
• Medlemsträffar (Member Meetups) Regular in-person member gatherings held in approximately 20 cities across Sweden, giving young adults affected by cancer the opportunity to meet others in similar situations; all costs (including travel for distant members) are covered by Ung Cancer.
• Ung Cancers digitala kurser (Digital Courses and Tools) Free digital tools and self-paced courses for members, designed to support both those directly affected by cancer and their relatives.
• Ekonomiskt stöd (Financial Support Grants) Financial assistance program for members covering daily expenses, psychological and physical rehabilitation, and aids; grants of up to 10,000 SEK per application, with a maximum of 60,000 SEK per member over a lifetime.
• Träning på dina villkor (Training on Your Terms) A six-week health and exercise program designed to strengthen members physically and mentally, offered seasonally to support recovery after a cancer diagnosis.
• Pärldagar (Pearl Days) Multi-day engagement events combining education, conversation, and community for members and supporters, held since 2012.
• Team Ung A multidisciplinary team developed under the minKod innovation project that contacts newly diagnosed young adults to offer relevant information and extra support; piloted at Karolinska and Sahlgrenska University Hospitals.
• PRISM (Promoting Resilience In Stress Management) A program developed under the minKod innovation project in which young adults learn methods and tools to cope with the difficult situation of a cancer diagnosis, including planning new daily routines and processing difficult thoughts and feelings.
• Member Bracelets (Medlemsarmband / Fuck Cancer Armband) Seasonal member-designed bracelets released twice yearly and sold through shop.ungcancer.se, with designs voted on by members; proceeds fund Ung Cancer's operations. The spring 2026 release was 'Livsglädje' (Joy of Living).

Quantifiable outcome

• Member meetups held in approximately 20 cities across Sweden
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Karolinska UniversitetssjukhusetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead hospital partner in the minKod innovation project (since 2018). Ung Cancer collaborates with Karolinska to develop and test new solutions for young adult cancer patients, including the 'Team Ung' multidisciplinary team pilot and the PRISM resilience program. Cancer-affected members participate as co-researchers.
• Sahlgrenska UniversitetssjukhusetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner in the minKod project, running the Team Ung pilot and participating in the PRISM program. Jointly developing new care approaches for young adult cancer patients.
• Centrum för personcentrerad vård (GPCC), Göteborgs universitetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner in the minKod project, contributing expertise in person-centered care research.
• Regionalt Cancercentrum Stockholm GotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding and strategic partner for Phase 3 of the minKod project (starting 2023), supporting the Team Ung pilot and national training program.
• Regionalt Cancercentrum VästcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional cancer center partner collaborating on the minKod project and the original Kolla Bollarna campaign.
• KPMGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional services partner contributing to the minKod innovation project for young adult cancer care.
• VoltminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative agency partner that collaborated with Ung Cancer and the Swedish Golf Federation on the 2021 Kolla Bollarna (Check Your Balls) testicular cancer awareness campaign.
• Svenska Golfförbundet / MoreGolf Mastercard TourminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports federation partner for the Kolla Bollarna 2021 campaign, bringing sports outreach to young men as the target demographic for testicular cancer awareness.
• Västra GötalandsregionenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government partner for the original Kolla Pungen campaign (2013) and subsequent Kolla Bollarna campaign development.
• Albins HjärtaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlbins Hjärta is a nonprofit that supports young adults with cancer and makes fundraising collections for Ung Cancer. It sees itself as a complement to Ung Cancer's activities, with all collected funds going directly to Ung Cancer's operations.
• NorteamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNorteam partnered with Ung Cancer for the Varje Steg Räknas (Every Step Counts) initiative, sponsoring a runner in the New York Marathon to raise funds for Ung Cancer.
• Giva SverigecoreOthersUng Cancer is a member of Giva Sverige, the Swedish trade organization for responsible fundraising, and follows its quality code. Svensk Insamlingskontroll provides annual audits of the organization's 90-konto.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Trekantsambandet (Danish Young Adult Cancer Network): Trekantsambandet is a Danish network for young adults affected by cancer, offering peer meetups and support across Denmark. It is directly comparable in mission and demographic, but operates in Denmark rather than Sweden, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.
• Barncancerfonden (Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation): Barncancerfonden supports children (0-18) with cancer and their families in Sweden through research funding, family support, and advocacy. It is comparable as a Swedish age-specific cancer nonprofit with hospital partnerships, but operates in the pediatric segment adjacent to (not overlapping with) Ung Cancer's 16-35 demographic.

Direct peers

• Teenage Cancer Trust: Teenage Cancer Trust is a UK charity focused on young people aged 13-24 with cancer, funding specialized hospital units and support services. It is comparable as a demographic-specific cancer support organization delivering both peer/community services and hospital-integrated care, mirroring Ung Cancer's Team Ung model.
• Ungdom mot Kreft (Young People Against Cancer, Norway): Ungdom mot Kreft is the Norwegian nonprofit dedicated to young adults affected by cancer, offering peer support, meetups, and advocacy. It is the closest international functional peer to Ung Cancer, sharing the same young-adult-only mission, peer-support model, and Nordic regulatory fundraising context.
• Stupid Cancer: Stupid Cancer is a US-based nonprofit dedicated to young adults (15-39) affected by cancer, offering peer support, advocacy, and educational programs. It is directly comparable in mission and demographic targeting, and serves as a reference point for the young-adult cancer support category that Ung Cancer operates in within Sweden.

Broad incumbents

• Hjärnfonden (Swedish Brain Foundation): Hjärnfonden is a major Swedish health nonprofit funding brain research and supporting patients, operating with a 90-konto and broad fundraising apparatus. It is comparable as a Swedish 90-konto-certified health nonprofit competing for the same donor and corporate partnership pool as Ung Cancer, though its disease focus is different.
• Cancerfonden (Swedish Cancer Society): Cancerfonden is Sweden's largest cancer research and patient support nonprofit, funding research across all cancer types and demographics. It is comparable as a Swedish cancer nonprofit operating in the same fundraising and advocacy landscape, but it serves all age groups rather than the young-adult niche Ung Cancer occupies.

Emerging players

• Min Stora Dag (My Big Day Foundation): Min Stora Dag is a Swedish nonprofit that grants wishes and experiences to children and young people with serious illnesses. It is comparable as a Swedish nonprofit serving young people with serious health conditions through experiential and supportive programs, partially overlapping with Ung Cancer's psychosocial support mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ungcancer
• Facebookfacebook.com/ungcancer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ung-cancer
• Instagraminstagram.com/ungcancer
• Xx.com/ungcancer

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Ung Cancer