The Swedish Cancer Society
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At the Swedish Cancer Society, we work towards the vision of defeating cancer through financing the best cancer research in Sweden.
Being an independent non-profit organisation, we don’t receive any government support and rely entirely on legacy gifts and donations from individuals and companies.
Cancer survivors
In the year of 1951, the private individuals Ebba Andersson and Morri Nidén decided to find a way to raise money to cancer research.
They were both cancer survivors and together they formed the National Society for the fighting of Cancer Diseases, which later changed names to theSwedish Cancer Society.
Today, we are one of the largest financers of cancer research in Sweden. With the help of our donors, we have been able to contribute with more than 10 billion SEK to cancer research since the start in 1951.
Two out of three survive
The number of cancer survivors has more than doubled since the 1950s. Thanks to the great advances in research; two out of three diagnosed with cancer now survive the disease.
We have come a long way, but we are not done yet.
This is how we work to reach our vision – that fewer get cancer and more survive:
Financing research
To make sure that we support high quality research, our Research Commission consists of highly esteemed researchers. The members choose to award funds to research projects by following a defined process.
The research projects are evaluated based on a number of criteria:
- The uniqueness of the research
- Level of difficulty to realise the project
- That the project is in line with the overall aim of our organisation.
An important principle when evaluating projects, and to whom funds will be awarded, is the focus on the quality of the research. Other strategic or political perspectives should not be considered.
We inform about cancer
In many situations in life, we feel more secure when we have a certain level of knowledge about the situation. This becomes especially apparent in difficult and vulnerable times.
To spread knowledge about cancer is therefore a very important mission for us.
Through our different channels, we strive to support and strengthen patients, and friends and relatives, by informing them about cancer, treatments and research.
We also work to spread knowledge about prevention, and the fact that 30 per cent of all cancers can be prevented through healthy life choices.
Cancer support line
Since 1994, we offer information and support to patients and relatives via our cancer support line where our staff of health professionals with many years of experience within cancer treatment answer questions.
You can reach the Cancer support line via telephone: 010-199 10 10 or email them here
Social channels
We spread knowledge and engage with our audience in social channels (in Swedish), find out more here:
We make change happen
Politics plays an important role in the fight to beat cancer. The politicians decide the preconditions for prevention, health care and research.
Our advocacy work is therefore an important part of our work. We publish sustainable reports to help descision makers change the agenda and work with lobbying of authorities, organisations and policy bodies.
Our Policy Programme
In our yearly Policy Programme we hope to inspire more people to help shape even better cancer care and a society where it is easier to avoid lifestyle habits that increase the risk of cancer. Read the Policy Programme 2019
The Cancer Society Report (”Cancerfondsrapporten”)
Every year we publish our Cancer Society Report (Cancerfondsrapporten, pdf in Swedish) – a report where we focus on the current state of Swedish cancer research, cancer health care and preventitative work in the country.
Cancer – the numbers (”Cancer i siffror”)
We also publish the report Cancer – the numbers (Cancer i siffror) together with National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen).
The report includes facts and statistics about different cancer diseases (Swedish data).
We raise money to save lives
We run campaigns in many different ways all year round to fundraise money for cancer research.
Pink Ribbon (Rosa Bandet)
The Pink Ribbon-campaign is our biggest and most well-known campaign. It engages both companies and individuals throughout October every year.
Each year famous Swedes (one or more) design the pink ribbon, which is then sold in stores around the country.
Among the previous designers are Carin Rodebjer, Elsa & Helene Billgren, Ben Gorham and Efva Attling.
The Cancer gala – Together against cancer (”Cancergalan – Tillsammans mot cancer”)
During our live TV-gala, patients tell their stories about living with cancer, distinguished cancer researchers present their new discoveries and some of Sweden’s biggest artists perform on stage.
Peer-to-peer fundraisers
Every day individuals, students and associations engage and fundraise via our peer-to-peer fundraising functionality. Many of those who help us fundraise have a close connection to the disease.
Building donor trust: 90-account
The Swedish Fundraising Control (Svensk Insamlingskontroll) is a non-profit organisation which every year monitor all “90-accounts” in Sweden.
To be able to have a 90-account the organisation has to operate in an ethical and responsible way and to ensure that the money reaches the intended purposes without excessive costs.
The Swedish Cancer Society has a 90-account.
The Swedish Fundraising Association (Giva Sverige)
We are a member of the Swedish Fundraising Association.The association works towards ethical and professional fundraising among the public in Sweden.
Their aim is to achieve increased giving by improving the conditions for their members to fundraise in a trustworthy way.
