PanKind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation

What PanKind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation does

PanKind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation is the only Australian charitable foundation exclusively dedicated to pancreatic cancer. Founded in 2008 as the Avner Pancreatic Cancer Foundation (rebranded to PanKind in July 2020) and headquartered in Mosman, Sydney, the organisation operates a four-pillar model of research investment, patient and carer support, advocacy, and public awareness. Its core scientific product is a competitive research grants programme that has invested A$20.5 million across 76 projects at 21 Australian universities and research institutions since inception, including the APRISE national screening study delivered with the Jreissati Pancreatic Centre at Epworth. Patient-facing assets include the Family History Checker (a National-Guidelines-based risk assessment), the Clinical Trial Finder (powered by TrialScreen and matching patients to trials by tumour profile and location), the free Living with Pancreatic Cancer booklet, a Support Navigator service staffed by clinicians such as Dianne Tividad, and the 2025-launched Carers Support Program.

PanKind's distribution and revenue mechanics are community-led and event-driven rather than commercial. The organisation runs flagship campaigns — Put Your Foot Down walks across 12 Australian cities (A$750,000 raised from 4,000 walkers in 2025), the Remember September campaign (a record A$2.69 million in 2025, supported by a dedicated app built with Funraisin and Made with Ed and HealthKit integration), and the Play in Purple sports partnership (11,000 players in 2025) — alongside regular monthly giving, EOFY tax appeals, in-memory and bequest giving, merchandise via shop.pankind.org.au, and corporate partnerships led by Founding Partner Woolworths, Suttons Motor Group and Tour de Cure Australia. All donations of A$2 or more are tax-deductible and all patient resources are delivered free of charge. Backed by 160 volunteers and a small professional team led by CEO Michelle Stewart (since 2019), PanKind was founded following Avner Nahmani's 2007 inoperable diagnosis, with co-founders Caroline Kelly, Grant O'Brien and Peter Hosking setting an initial A$1 million research target — reached in under two years — that has since grown into the national pancreatic-cancer platform described above.

Name

PanKind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation

Legal name

PanKind Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation

Website

https://pankind.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PanKind is the only Australian charitable foundation exclusively dedicated to pancreatic cancer, funding research (A$20.5M across 76 projects since 2008), delivering patient and carer support services, and running national awareness and fundraising campaigns for patients, carers, donors and corporate partners in Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Research & Patient Support Foundation

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Pancreatic cancer research
• Cancer patient support
• Medical research grants
• Charitable fundraising events
• Health awareness advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Mosman

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations - One-time: Individual donors make one-off tax-deductible donations to fund pancreatic cancer research, advocacy, awareness and patient support. Donations can be made via the website, in memory of a loved one, or through a tribute page.
2. Regular Giving / Monthly Donations: Ongoing monthly donations from regular givers who commit to automated monthly contributions via bank account or credit card. Annual tax receipts are issued each July. This provides predictable revenue enabling strategic research investment and program planning.
3. Tax Appeal Campaigns: Annual tax-deductible giving campaigns (e.g., Tax Appeal 2026) timed before 30 June EOFY to encourage donations. Features patient stories (e.g., Dee) and specific research projects to drive giving.
4. Gifts in Wills / Bequests: Donors are encouraged to leave a gift in their Will to Pankind, providing long-term legacy giving. Tribute pages can be created in memory of loved ones.
5. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate organisations (e.g., Woolworths as Founding Partner, Suttons Motor Group, Tour de Cure) provide financial and in-kind support through sponsorships, cause-related marketing, workplace giving programs, and philanthropic giving.
6. Fundraising Events: Revenue generated through events including Put Your Foot Down walks (4,000 walkers, $750,000 raised in 2025), Remember September ($2.69 million raised in 2025), Play in Purple sports partnerships, Run for Pankind races, and gala events.
7. Workplace Giving: Employees of corporate partners can donate through workplace giving programs, with some employers matching contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

PanKind is a non-profit foundation that funds pancreatic cancer research through competitive grant rounds to Australian universities and institutions, delivers free patient and carer support services (Support Navigator, Carers Support Program, evidence-based booklets, risk and clinical-trial digital tools), advocates for equitable access to care, and runs national awareness and community fundraising campaigns. Its offerings are funded by individual donations, regular giving, gifts in wills, corporate partnerships, workplace giving, and event-based fundraising.

Product overview

Pankind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation operates as a patient advocacy and research funding organization rather than a traditional technology company. The organization offers a suite of digital tools and patient support services centered around its mission to triple pancreatic cancer survival rates by 2030. Core digital products include the Family History Checker (a risk assessment tool), Clinical Trial Finder (TrialFinder), and the Remember September App. These are complemented by patient resources including the Living with Pancreatic Cancer Booklet, Support Navigator service, Carers Support Program, and the APRISE National Screening Study for high-risk individuals. The organization funds pancreatic cancer research through its Research Grants Program and runs community awareness events including Put Your Foot Down walks and Play in Purple. The products function as integrated support ecosystem connecting patients, carers, researchers, and supporters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Family History Checker
• Clinical Trial Finder (TrialFinder)
• Living with Pancreatic Cancer Booklet
• Support Navigator Service
• Pankind Carers Support Program
• APRISE National Screening Study
• Remember September App
• Research Grants Program
• Put Your Foot Down Walks
• Play in Purple

Quantifiable outcome

• Triple survival rates by 2030 (from ~5% to ~15%)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / founding partner, core, flagship / core, flagship / founding member and minor.

• Woolworths Groupflagship / founding partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Woolworths Group is the Founding Partner of Pankind. Woolworths has been a key supporter since Avner Nahmani (the founder) was a senior executive at Woolworths. Woolworths colleagues and the company itself contributed to the original $1 million fundraising appeal and have continued to support through corporate giving, workplace fundraising, and cause marketing. Woolworths staff have participated in fundraising events and the company provides ongoing organisational support.
• Suttons Motor GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSuttons Motor Group is a Driving Change partner for Remember September, Pankind's annual September fundraising and awareness campaign. The partnership involves supporting the Remember September initiative to drive fundraising and awareness for pancreatic cancer.
• Tour de Cure AustraliacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTour de Cure Australia is a major supporter of Pankind, contributing to fundraising efforts and awareness campaigns for pancreatic cancer. The partnership involves event-based fundraising and community engagement.
• World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition (WPCC)flagship / coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPankind is a member of the World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition — a collective of over 100 organisations from more than 30 countries united by a single goal: to drive progress in pancreatic cancer outcomes globally. Through the WPCC, Pankind shares knowledge, amplifies awareness campaigns, and advocates for earlier diagnosis and better treatment options worldwide.
• Australian Pancreatic Cancer Allianceflagship / founding memberStrategic or Co-development PartnerPankind is a founding member of the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Alliance — a collaborative network of researchers, clinicians, not-for-profits and people with lived experience established in 2015. The Alliance works to accelerate change by improving coordination, advocating for greater funding, and driving national strategies for earlier diagnosis, access to care, and cutting-edge research.
• Cancer AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Alliance, contributing to the collaborative effort to raise awareness and accelerate progress for those affected by pancreatic cancer in Australia.
• Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Alliance. The Garvan Institute is a major pancreatic cancer research institution and has received Pankind research grants including through the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Genome Initiative.
• GI Cancer InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Alliance. Contributes to the collaborative network of organisations working to improve pancreatic cancer outcomes in Australia.
• Pancare FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Alliance. A not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting those affected by pancreatic and upper GI cancers.
• Jreissati Family Pancreatic Cancer Centre (Epworth)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPankind funds a surveillance study with the Jreissati Pancreatic Centre at Epworth for those at higher pancreatic cancer risk, building clarity and structure around early detection through the APRISE national screening study.
• Dare to HopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Alliance, contributing to the collaborative effort to raise awareness and accelerate progress for those affected by pancreatic cancer.
• Team LopezcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Alliance. A patient advocacy and support group for those affected by pancreatic cancer.
• TrialScreen (Clinical Trial Finder)coreTechnology or IntegrationPankind partners with TrialScreen to power its Clinical Trial Finder tool (trialfinder.pankind.org.au), which helps patients find personalised clinical trial opportunities matched to their tumour profile and location in Australia.
• Amplia TherapeuticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Pankind Scientific Meeting 2025. Amplia Therapeutics is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing drugs for cancer treatment.
• Cook MedicalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Pankind Scientific Meeting 2025. Cook Medical is a medical device company.
• Company of BiologistsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the Pankind Scientific Meeting 2025. The Company of Biologists is a charitable organisation publishing journals in the field of experimental biology.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN): US-based pancreatic cancer advocacy organization funding research, providing patient services, and running federal advocacy. Directly comparable combined research-funding + patient-support + advocacy model, with a larger US patient population and more developed federal policy operation.
• Pancare Foundation: Australian not-for-profit dedicated to supporting people affected by pancreatic and upper GI cancers. Directly comparable as a co-member of the Australian Pancreatic Cancer Alliance with overlapping patient support, research funding, and advocacy missions targeting the same Australian patient population.
• Lustgarten Foundation: US-based pancreatic cancer research foundation, the largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research globally. Directly comparable disease-exclusive focus and research-grant model, with a much larger scale and Research Affiliate program embedded in major US cancer centers.
• Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research: US-based foundation exclusively dedicated to pancreatic cancer research funding and patient support. Directly comparable disease-exclusive grantmaking model, though it concentrates more on US-based academic research.
• Pancreatic Cancer UK: UK-based charity exclusively dedicated to pancreatic cancer, funding research, providing patient support, and running awareness campaigns. Directly comparable mission, structure, and beneficiary focus to Pankind, but operating in the UK market with a larger population base.
• National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF Australia): Australia's leading disease-specific (breast cancer) research and awareness foundation. Closely comparable Australian nonprofit model combining grant-funded research, patient support resources, national awareness campaigns, and corporate partnerships, but with a higher-incidence disease and larger fundraising base.

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Council Australia: Australia's peak national cancer control nonprofit, funding research, advocacy, and support across all cancer types. Comparable as a research-funder/advocate/support provider in Australia but as a broader-portfolio incumbent whose reach includes but is not specialized to pancreatic cancer.

Emerging players

• Cure Cancer Australia: Australian nonprofit funding early-career cancer researchers across cancer types. Comparable grants-based cancer research funding model and Australian footprint, but with a broader cancer-type remit and a sharper focus on researcher pipeline rather than patient support services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avner-pancreatic-cancer-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 PanKind, The Australian Pancreatic Cancer Foundation