About us: Deutsche Krebshilfe/ German Cancer Aid

Germany’s leading non-governmental and non-profit organization in the field of oncology

German Cancer Aid

Founded in 1974 and based in Bonn, Deutsche Krebshilfe (German Cancer Aid) has been working tirelessly to improve cancer control for more than 45 years. German Cancer Aid is Germany’s leading non-governmental and non-profit organisation in the field of oncology and enjoys respect from political institutions and the health and research community. It aims to fight all manifestations of cancer by improving care for patients, promoting research and increase cancer awareness through information, education and public campaigns.

Following the motto "Helping. Researching. Informing", German Cancer Aid supports high quality research projects with potential for significant clinical impact to improve prevention, diagnosis, therapy, after-care and self-help for the benefit of cancer patients. The organisation also invests in the training of future generations of scientists and medical doctors. German Cancer Aid regularly launches campaigns, organises information events and designs brochures to inform the public about various types of cancer, early detection as well as prevention. It also offers services and assistance to patients and their families, provides advanced training to those who work daily with cancer patients and supports self-help associations. 

Foundation for Helping Children with Cancer

Right from the start, helping children and adolescents with cancer was part of the action programme of German Cancer Aid. In order to concentrate activities in paediatric oncology, the Foundation for Helping Children with Cancer was incorporated on 28 June 1996. This deals with research and all aspects of the fight against cancer in children.

Hardly any other field in oncology in Germany has had quite the same level of success as that achieved in the treatment of cancer in childhood: Today, four out every five children and adolescents survive their severe illness. But that was not always the case: A child or adolescent diagnosed with cancer around forty years ago only had a slim chance of being cured. There was a lack of organized structures for combating the disease, and scientific progress was very slow.

Much has happened since German Cancer Aid was founded in 1974: We have helped eliminate crises in the care of children with cancer in hospitals, equipped hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment, driven forward fundamental research into the mechanisms which lead to the development of cancer in children by funding research projects, funded numerous clinical studies into the development of new types of treatment, and supported the building and expansion of specialized oncology centres for children. The complete registration in a childhood cancer registry of all cases of childhood cancer also received our support. Today key responsibility for childhood cancer treatment and care is in the hands of experienced paediatricians – paediatric oncologists and haematologists – in combination with high degree of interdisciplinary cooperation with the other specialist disciplines involved in the care of children with cancer – such as surgery and radiotherapy.

Dr. Mildred Scheel Foundation for Cancer Research

This foundation was established on 16 February 1976 on the initiative of German Cancer Aid, in order to provide long term support to cancer research. It is essentially financed from inheritances obtained by German Cancer Aid. The foundation supports innovative research projects in all areas of oncology – both clinically orientated and experimental or theoretical projects. It helps to improve the available personnel and equipment in cancer research. It also supports young scientists. The foundation capital is 179.6 million Euros.

Mildred Scheel Society

This charitable society has existed since 7 November 1977. Its supporting members feel themselves particularly obliged to German Cancer Aid. They contribute at least 50 Euros per year, in support of German Cancer Aid and its Foundation for Helping Children with Cancer. The Society supports and operates the Dr. Mildred Scheel Academy for Research and Training in Cologne. The Society currently has more than 17,000 supporting members.

Dr. Mildred Scheel Academy for Research and Training

The Academy was founded on 30 April 1992 and is located in the Dr. Mildred Scheel House for palliative Medicine on the premises of Cologne University Hospitals. This is financially supported by the Mildred Scheel Society and offers a variety of postgraduate and advanced training courses for all professional groups confronted with the theme of cancer.