Vascular Anomalies Canada

What Vascular Anomalies Canada does

Vascular Anomalies Canada (VAC-AVC) is a federally incorporated Canadian non-profit network organization, established in 2021 by Dr Philip John, Vicky Price, and Kelley Zwicker, headquartered in Chester, Nova Scotia. It operates under Corporation Number 1264394-4 pursuant to the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act and serves the community affected by vascular anomalies—rare disorders affecting blood vessels. Its mission is delivered through two parallel programs: a Healthcare Professionals Education Program and a Patient Education Initiative.

The core offering combines an accredited HCP Education Program (featuring 90-minute Guest Webinars, moderated Case Rounds, and recorded content retained for three months, certified as RCPSC MOC Section 1 self-approved group learning), Patient Education Materials (printable fact sheets, inspirational stories, and curated video content supported by Pfizer Canada and LGDA), a Find a Clinic locator (Google Maps-based), an Advocacy Program (including Alpelisib access), Patient and Family Events, and a Member Resources Portal. The technology backbone is the Wild Apricot membership management platform, accessed via member.vacweb.ca, which handles enrollment, renewals, event registration, member directory access, and communications. Supporting integrations include PayPal and Interac e-Transfer for payments, Vimeo and YouTube for video, and calendar integrations (Google, Microsoft 365, iCalendar).

The business model is membership-based with tiered annual fees: physicians $200, other healthcare professionals $50, students/trainees free, individual patients/families/caregivers $15, family bundles $25, and "Friend of VAC" $40. Fees are processed via Wild Apricot or Interac e-Transfer to the treasurer and are prorated after June 30. Revenue is supplemented by donations (note: VAC is not yet registered as a charity and cannot issue tax-deductible donation receipts) and pharmaceutical grants from Pfizer Canada (Patient Education Initiative), Pierre Fabre, and LGDA (HCP Education Program). Professional memberships require Board approval, and the organization is governed by a Board of Directors elected from its membership base, with two-year director terms and externally audited financial statements presented at the annual Members Meeting.

Name

Vascular Anomalies Canada

Legal name

Vascular Anomalies Canada-Anomalies Vasculaires Canada

Website

https://vacweb.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Vascular Anomalies Canada is a Canadian non-profit network organization providing accredited education, advocacy, and patient support for healthcare professionals and families affected by vascular anomalies, operating a membership-based model with tiered fees and pharmaceutical grant support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rare Disease Patient Advocacy & Education Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Clinical Research Support (CRC/CTA) (EDAOAJAO)

Keywords

• Rare disease advocacy
• Vascular anomalies education
• Patient support services
• Healthcare professional education
• Membership nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Chester

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from healthcare professionals and patients/families/caregivers. Fee structure includes tiered pricing: physicians ($200), healthcare professionals ($50), students/trainees (free), patients/families ($15 individual, $25 bundle), friends ($40).
2. Donations: The organization accepts donations to support its educational initiatives and patient resources. Note: VAC is not yet registered as a charity and cannot issue donation receipts for income tax purposes.
3. Pharmaceutical Grants and Support: Pfizer Canada provides grant support for the Patient Education Initiative. Pierre Fabre also provides support. LGDA supports the HCP Education Program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Vascular Anomalies Canada (VAC-AVC) is a Canadian non-profit membership organization that delivers education, advocacy, and community-connection services to people affected by vascular anomalies. It runs a healthcare professional education program (live webinars, Case Rounds, RCPSC MOC–accredited CME), produces patient-facing educational content (fact sheets, videos, inspirational stories), operates a clinic finder, hosts patient and family events, and advocates for treatment access (e.g., Alpelisib). All services are layered on a Wild Apricot membership platform with tiered annual subscriptions for professionals, patients/families, and supporters.

Product overview

Vascular Anomalies Canada (VAC-AVC) operates as a collaborative network organization rather than a single software product. The core offering combines a Healthcare Professionals Education Program (featuring CME-certified live webinars and Case Rounds via Wild Apricot), Patient Education Materials (fact sheets, videos, and inspirational stories), advocacy initiatives for treatment access, a Find a Clinic locator, and a Member Resources Portal. All services are coordinated through a Wild Apricot-powered membership platform that serves healthcare professionals, patients, families, caregivers, and organizational supporters across Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Healthcare Professionals Education Program Comprehensive continuing education program for healthcare professionals featuring 90-minute live Guest Webinars with Q&A, Case Rounds moderated by experienced specialists, and access to recorded content for up to three months. Accredited as Section 1 self-approved group learning through the RCPSC, providing MOC credits.
• Patient Education Materials Educational resources for patients, families, and caregivers including printable fact sheets about vascular anomalies, inspirational stories from members, and helpful videos. Content developed with support from Pfizer Canada and LGDA.
• Advocacy Program Advocacy initiatives to improve care and support for vascular anomalies patients in Canada, including the Alpelisib access campaign and connecting patients with healthcare professionals and support groups.
• Find a Clinic Clinic locator service helping patients find specialized vascular anomalies clinics across Canada. Locations are displayed via Google Maps with markers for individual clinics including contact information.
• Patient and Family Events Online events for patients, families, and caregivers to connect, share experiences, and learn from experts. The first event was held February 21, 2026 with 45 participants; a second event is planned for October 17, 2026.
• Membership Program Three-tier membership structure offering Professional memberships ($50–$200/year), Patient/Family/Caregiver memberships ($15–$25/year), and Friend of VAC-AVC memberships ($40/year). Includes access to webinars, resources, events, and advocacy programs. Students and physicians-in-training in Canada receive free membership.

Quantifiable outcome

• 45 participants connected at first Patients, Families and Caregivers online event (February 2026)

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Wild ApricotcoreTechnology or IntegrationWild Apricot provides the membership management platform that administers all membership activities including enrollment, renewals, event registration, member communications, and forum participation. The secure platform gives members direct control of their membership and provides the organization with member management capabilities.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders (CORD): Canada's national umbrella for rare disease patient organizations, providing advocacy, policy engagement, and member services — directly comparable to VAC as a Canadian membership-based nonprofit advancing care for a rare-disease community.
• Cure HHT: US-based nonprofit for hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a vascular anomaly — comparable as a patient-and-physician-facing organization funding research, education, and clinic finder services for a single vascular anomalies condition.
• International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA): The global scientific and medical society for vascular anomalies, offering classification systems, congresses, and physician education — the closest global peer to VAC's vascular-anomalies-specific HCP education mission.
• Lymphangiomatosis & Gorham's Disease Alliance (LGDA): US-based rare-disease nonprofit focused on lymphatic and Gorham's diseases (vascular anomalies subtypes) — actually a current partner of VAC and structurally a near-twin in patient support, education, and advocacy for a related vascular anomaly community.
• The Sturge-Weber Foundation: International patient advocacy organization for Sturge-Weber syndrome, a vascular anomaly — structurally analogous to VAC with patient/family support, HCP education, and research funding missions.

Emerging players

• PHACE Syndrome Community: Smaller US-based community organization for PHACE syndrome (a vascular anomaly involving facial hemangiomas and cerebrovascular anomalies) — comparable in mission but at an earlier organizational stage than VAC.

Regional players

• EURORDIS – Rare Diseases Europe: European federation of rare disease patient organizations representing ~1,000 member groups — parallel model to VAC's Canadian rare-disease advocacy role but operating across Europe rather than a single country.

Broad incumbents

• National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD): Established US-based umbrella for rare diseases providing advocacy, research grants, and patient resources — much larger than VAC but covering a comparable rare-disease advocacy and education mission across a broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Vascular Anomalies Canada