Helping Kom op tegen Kanker prepare for the next chapter.

01 — CHALLENGE

Overcoming growing pains

With a legacy dating back to the 1950s, Kom Op Tegen Kanker has been investing in more cancer research, improving patient care, and advocating for a healthier society. Relying on a network of volunteers, activists and donors, it has established itself as one of the most prominent socially committed organisations in Belgium.

Having raised a record €47 mio in 2023, it was clear that the NGO was firing on all cylinders. But this growth in size and activities had put a strain on people and systems. As the new CEO David Vansteenbrugge took over as steward, he recognized the need to future-proof the organisation to prepare for what comes next.

Despite its driven and hard-working team, impressive efforts and impactful initiatives, the organisation noticed significant operational issues that put constraints on their everyday tasks and communication. The main challenges were:

• Executing the long-term strategy: Their goals and ambitions in the fight against cancer are clear, but are in need of a new strategic framework to make consistent choices for implementation. More guidelines could provide clarity across whole organisation, on what should and shouldn't be done.
• Short-term focus: Due to pressure, employees were focused on daily operations, aiming for quick wins and short-term impact. This left no breathing room for taking a step back and considering long-term strategic planning.‍
• Manual workflows: Communication tools, manual inputs and non-streamlined processes, resulted in a high risk for errors and loss of information.

02 — SOLUTION

Creating a blueprint for alignment

Recognising the importance of addressing these challenges, Kom op tegen Kanker joined forces with In The Pocket for support in this transformative journey. Our team helped the organisation identify the future capabilities. An important step in this process is clearly defining the core, differentiating capabilities.

03 — APPROACH

Working with key stakeholders to co-create the roadmap

The complexity of challenges requires the involvement and engagement of every part of the organisation. Workshops with different teams were hosted. These sessions provided information on where improvements were needed, and ideas for potential solutions. The result is an overview of the focus areas and initiatives to set up the organisation for success.

The collaboration included four stages:

1. Research and analysis

• Conducting a deep analysis of the existing structure, processes and systems.
• Interviewing internal stakeholders to understand current operations and challenges.      

2. Capability mapping

• Organising workshops to identify the skills required to reach the strategic objectives.
• Translating strategic ambitions to operational priorities by making a distinction between core and generic capabilities.

3. Enterprise IT & Data strategy

• Mapping all the different systems and data streams.
• Analysing gaps to address with the future IT landscape.

4. Plan ahead

• Offering guidance on the key capabilities, and associated roles, systems, and processes.
• Developing a strategic roadmap to guide the organisation in their digital transformation.

‍Read our article about how to execute your strategy.

04 — OUTCOME

Ready for the next chapter in the fight against cancer.

Kom op tegen Kanker keeps taking the fight against cancer to the next level. In prevention, research, and treatment support. The ambition is nothing less than creating a world where we can prevent cancer, cure it, or make it a burden at worst.
By looking at how they deliver value, now and in the future, the NGO gained a crucial birds-eye perspective. Based on this, the capabilities were identified to make an even bigger impact, without putting that burden on its people.
All this resulted in guiding principles and a roadmap. Here are a few examples of this new strategic execution framework:
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* Further embedding the use of levers, where initiatives strengthen each other.

* Broadening the purpose of patient care, to serve as antennas to spot social improvements. Or streamlining how insights from patients can improve research activities.

* Thinking in terms of ventures, bringing business thinking into an NGO context.

* Turning their marketing and communication skills into an organisation-wide skill, beyond fundraising.

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Now, the organisation is set for another chapter in their inspiring history. We feel proud to have played a small role in that story.