What Love Your Nuts Foundation does

Love Your Nuts Foundation Trust is a South African Section 18A non-profit organization headquartered in Cape Town that runs a testicular cancer awareness, education, and patient-support programme. Founded by cancer survivor Torsten Koehler in 2006 and formalized after a former student credited a school talk with saving his life, the foundation operates with a small core team (1-10 personnel, founder full-time since 2017) supported by four trustees, three medical advisors, and three advisory-board professionals. Its primary audience is men aged 15-45 (the highest-incidence demographic), students Grade 3-12 via school programmes, testicular cancer patients and survivors, and corporate sponsors seeking Section 18A tax-deductible donations.

The foundation's core offering is the Cancer Smart Programme, which combines the in-development Cancer Smart Gaming App (built in partnership with Nelson Mandela University's Centre for Community Technologies, targeting Grades 3-12 with modules on cancer warning signs, prevention, healthy lifestyles, and when to seek medical advice), a Cancer Smart booklet and teacher manual, educational talks at schools and corporates, and Goodie Bags distributed to students. Awareness is driven through three flagship sports events: the Cape Town Marathon Nuts Team (official charity partnership), the GREAT Tour cycling event (first held 2021, 2022 edition covered 1,088km from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town), and the Nuts Swim from Robben Island. Founder Koehler's memoir, "Love Your Nuts - Testicular Cancer touched my Life," is sold in English and German via Amazon globally and through direct signed copies. Patient support is delivered through a survivor-to-patient emotional support network and a fertility-preservation partnership with Wijnland Fertility Clinic.

Revenue mechanics rely on individual and corporate donations (PayFast, PayPal, SnapScan, EFT, GivenGain peer-to-peer), merchandise sales through a WordPress e-commerce shop (underwear R100-160, running vests R260, cycling shirts R460, swimwear R280-360, books R120, accessories R25, with Payflex installment option), and event entry fees (e.g., R2,000 for Nuts Swim, which includes branded swimwear and boat support). No revenue figures are publicly disclosed and no institutional grants or funding rounds are reported; near-term plans reference advertising sales and paid research-data access tied to the Cancer Smart App as potential new revenue lines.

Name

Love Your Nuts Foundation

Legal name

Love Your Nuts Foundation Trust

Website

https://loveyournuts.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Love Your Nuts Foundation is a South African non-profit providing testicular cancer education, early-detection awareness, patient emotional support, and school-based programmes targeting men aged 15-45, students, and corporate sponsors, funded through donations, merchandise sales, and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Health Awareness & Education

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

Keywords

• Cancer awareness education
• Testicular cancer support
• Health charity fundraising
• School cancer education
• Patient survivor support

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual and corporate donations accepted via PayFast, PayPal, SnapScan, and EFT. Registered Section 18A NPO can issue tax-deductible certificates. Fundraising through GivenGain platform for event participants and campaign supporters.
2. Merchandise Sales: E-commerce sales of branded merchandise including books (R120), underwear (R100-R160), headzees (R145), cycling shirts (R460), running vests (R260), swimwear (R280-R360), keyrings (R25), shoelaces (R25). Payflex installment payment option available (4 interest-free payments over 6 weeks).
3. Event Entry Fees: Nuts Swim event entry fee of R2,000 includes LoveYourNuts swimwear, SanParks permits, and boat support with transfer to Robben Island. GREAT Tour cycling events with entry-based fundraising.
4. Advertising Revenue: Planned advertising space sales to companies targeting teenagers as their target demographic. Online schools/colleges/universities can advertise courses to enrolled students.
5. Research Data Access: Universities and researchers pay for access to student engagement data from the gaming app for research projects on cancer, diseases, AI, depression, nutrition, fitness, obesity, etc.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Love Your Nuts Foundation is a South African non-profit that delivers testicular cancer education, awareness campaigns, and emotional support for patients and survivors. Its core activities include school and corporate educational talks, the Cancer Smart gaming app and school programme for students, fundraising sports events (Nuts Swim, GREAT Tour cycling, Cape Town Marathon), and a survivor-to-patient support network. It supplements these mission activities by selling branded merchandise and books through its online shop to fund operations.

Product overview

Love Your Nuts Foundation operates primarily as an educational awareness organization rather than a traditional product company. The core offering is the Cancer Smart Programme, a comprehensive cancer education initiative comprising the Cancer Smart Gaming App (an interactive educational tool for students Grades 3-12), the Cancer School Programme with supplementary materials, Educational Talks by survivors, and school goodie bags. Torsten Koehler's personal memoir 'Love Your Nuts' serves as an awareness publication. The organization also sells branded merchandise (underwear, activewear, accessories) through its shop to fund operations. Patient support connects diagnosed men with survivors for emotional assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cancer Smart: Cancer education gaming app and school programme for students from Grade 3 to 12, teaching cancer warning signs, prevention, healthy lifestyles, and early detection through interactive modules.

Quantifiable outcome

• >90% testicular cancer cure rate with early detection
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wijnland Fertility CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFertility preservation partner specializing in sperm freezing for cancer patients who face infertility from cancer treatments. Clinics help patients understand options before starting treatment. Message: 'Losing a ball is tough enough – don't lose your fertility along with it.' Dr. Johannes van Waart serves as Medical Advisor.
• Cape Town MarathoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial charity partner enabling runners to join Nuts Team, raise awareness for testicular cancer, and fundraise for the cause. Foundation receives visibility at one of South Africa's major sporting events targeting young male participants.
• CompassionHatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHat partner for cancer patients experiencing hair loss from chemotherapy. Partnership enables Headzee product line and provides hat options for cancer patients. #loveyournuts partnered with CompassionHat for variety of hats for ladies and gents.
• Gerntholtz (Dr. Gerntholtz Inc.)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPatent and Trademark Attorney providing intellectual property advisory. Otto Gerntholtz, admitted to High Court and sworn translator, serves on Advisory Team. Business focus on protecting health and IP.
• MontaguminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSnack company supporting health initiatives. 'Because WE CARE. We Inspire better choices and offer great tasting, healthier snack options for people who want to live better.'
• Springer & NelminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal firm providing attorney and notary services. Andreas Springer serves on Advisory Team. Passionate about law and committed to quality of service.
• urban espressominorGTM or Marketing PartnerBoutique PR agency with passion for doing PR differently. Advocates for driving awareness of early detection and kicking cancer in the nuts.
• Nelson Mandela University - Centre for Community TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationDevelopment partner for Cancer Smart gaming app. Centre works closely with Ministries of Health and Education, facilitating rollout to schools nationwide. Critical partnership for app development and South African education system integration.
• Vega School of DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGaming app design competition winner: team from IIE-Vega Durban with 'Cancer Crusher' game. Students Mathew Rall, Keagan Du Plessis, Liam Schultz, Geraldine Seyffert, and navigator Kuleza Phiri developed prototype voluntarily.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Movember: Global men's health nonprofit that uses high-profile fundraising and awareness campaigns, including testicular cancer initiatives. It is directly comparable in mission, target audience, brand-led engagement and donor model.
• Orchid: UK charity addressing male cancers, including testicular cancer, through awareness, research and support. It is comparable in health education, patient support and fundraising, although its cancer scope is broader.
• The Testicular Cancer Society: Nonprofit focused on testicular cancer awareness, education and survivor support. It is a direct category peer serving a similar male audience through cause marketing, education and support activities.
• Testicular Cancer Foundation: US nonprofit focused on testicular cancer awareness, education, research and patient support. It closely matches Love Your Nuts' cancer-specific education and support mission for young men.

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA): South African cancer nonprofit providing cancer education, support, advocacy and fundraising. It operates in the same regional cancer-awareness ecosystem as Love Your Nuts but serves a much broader cancer remit.
• American Cancer Society: Large US cancer nonprofit spanning research, prevention, patient support and advocacy. It overlaps with Love Your Nuts on education, awareness and donor engagement while covering all cancer types.
• LIVESTRONG: Cancer survivorship nonprofit known for awareness, support and fundraising. It is comparable through survivor-led storytelling, patient support and cause engagement, although its programs are broader and more established.
• Cancer Research UK: Large cancer research and awareness nonprofit with public education, prevention and fundraising activities. It is comparable in mission and donation-led model, but operates at substantially greater scale and breadth.

Others

• Cancer Alliance: South African collective working on cancer control and advocacy. It is a relevant ecosystem participant because it connects cancer education, policy and partner organizations in the same regional market rather than competing as a specialist testicular-cancer nonprofit.

Regional players

• Teenage Cancer Trust: Youth cancer charity delivering education, support and care services to young people. It overlaps with Love Your Nuts' student and young-adult focus and its cancer-awareness model, but serves a broader range of cancers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_kh8WsVxr_K10dMelndEtA
• Facebookfacebook.com/loveyournuts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/loveyournuts

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Love Your Nuts Foundation