Connecting Globally….Treating Locally
“Improving communication between patient and doctor by giving you the same language and understanding of your disease”
Malecare is a leading prostate cancer nonprofit organization and the most respected prostate cancer patient advocacy group globally. Founded in 1998, Malecare has grown into America’s first, largest, and foremost men’s cancer support and advocacy nonprofit. It is internationally recognized for pioneering patient-centered programs that improve community impact, advance patient advocacy, and support minority healthcare needs. Malecare’s 501(c)(3) status and professional leadership (oncologists, psychologists, and social workers) ensure a highly effective, data-driven approach that corporate partners can trust. Guided by a mission to help men live longer and happier lives, Malecare delivers measurable outcomes in prostate cancer awareness, patient survival, and quality of life, aligning with corporate social responsibility goals of health equity and impact.
Community Outreach and Impact
Malecare engages in extensive community outreach, touching the lives of cancer survivors and their loved ones at the grassroots level. The organization operates the nation’s and world’s largest network of prostate cancer support groups, including the first-ever support groups for gay and bisexual men, with weekly meetings nationwide and online. Through its Global Prostate Cancer Alliance (formed 2011), Malecare collaborates with partner organizations across continents to amplify its community impact and share best practices.
From February 2020 through December 2022, Malecare supported nearly 100,000 people with prostate cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic —a testament to its reach and dedication in times of crisis. All services are provided free of charge, ensuring that men in any community can access life-saving support without barriers. This unparalleled outreach has fostered trust and improved outcomes in diverse communities, demonstrating the tangible impact corporate funders seek in their philanthropic partnerships.
Patient Activation and Empowerment
A core tenet of Malecare’s philosophy is patient activation and empowerment. Malecare was built on the idea of “men fighting cancer together,” and it sets the standard for peer-to-peer support and patient leadership. The organization’s programs educate and empower patients to take active roles in their care, make informed decisions, and advocate for themselves and others. In 2013, Malecare developed its innovative Patient Action Leaders model, training survivors to become community advocates and mentors. Through workshops, support forums, and the upcoming Cancer Academy e-learning platform (beta launched in 2025), men are equipped with knowledge and tools to navigate prostate cancer confidently. By turning patients into advocates, Malecare amplifies the patient voice in healthcare and policy discussions, ensuring that those affected by prostate cancer are not just recipients of care but active shapers of their health outcomes
Prostate Cancer Awareness and Advocacy
Malecare is at the forefront of prostate cancer awareness initiatives and advocacy efforts. The organization drives public awareness campaigns and educational programs that bring critical attention to prostate cancer screening, early detection, and treatment options. Malecare’s advocacy extends to influencing healthcare policy and research funding: it has led successful grassroots campaigns urging the U.S. Congress and agencies like the CDC to increase prostate cancer research budgets. The result of these efforts includes secured federal funding (such as two consecutive $25 million allocations to the CDC’s prostate cancer programs) and greater resources for patient services. Malecare also convenes high-impact events — for example, it produced the first national prostate cancer patient conference with an all-female expert faculty in 2019 and hosts annual conferences like Pride and Prostate Cancer to reach LGBTQ+ audiences. By collaborating with clinicians, policymakers, and fellow nonprofits worldwide, Malecare ensures that prostate cancer advocacy remains strong, unified, and effective. These efforts not only raise awareness on a global scale but also align with corporate funders’ goals of supporting visible, results-driven advocacy in public health.
Data-Driven and Evidence-Based Approach
At Malecare, programs are grounded in data and continuously refined through an evidence-based approach. The organization established a dedicated psychosocial research unit to study patient needs and outcomes, ensuring that its interventions are guided by scientific evidence and real-world data. Malecare actively participates in research: in 2017 it became the first prostate cancer nonprofit to co-lead a National Cancer Institute-funded clinical trial on post-treatment quality of life, bringing the patient perspective into clinical research. The team collects and analyzes patient-reported outcomes to drive improvements — for instance, the CancerGraph mobile app (launched in 2016) enables men to track symptoms and quality-of-life indicators in real time, generating data to inform better care strategies. Malecare has also completed international studies like “Here to Hear,” examining how patients worldwide learn about prostate cancer, and published white papers on critical issues (e.g., the impact of racism and homophobia in healthcare). This rigorous, data-centric culture means that every initiative is monitored for effectiveness and transparency. For corporate stakeholders, Malecare’s commitment to measurable results and accountability provides confidence that support is directed to programs with proven efficacy and continuous improvement.
Innovative Programs and Technology-Driven Solutions
Innovation is a hallmark of Malecare’s approach. The organization continually pioneers technology-driven solutions to improve patient support and outcomes. Malecare has the distinction of earning multiple U.S. patents for its inventions – including the first medical device patented by a prostate cancer nonprofit (awarded in 2014)– showcasing a spirit of scientific ingenuity. Embracing digital health early on, Malecare created CancerMatch.com in 2006 as a cancer survivor matching and dating platform, and later launched cutting-edge tools like the Cancer Copilot virtual navigator app in 2014. In recent years, Malecare has integrated artificial intelligence into its services: its Cancer Copilot system now leverages AI large language models (LLMs) and was among the first to develop cancer patient–focused GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) assistants. Another breakthrough initiative is Vitawaves (launched in 2023), an online journaling and family update platform for cancer patients, which provides a new way for patients to track their journey and communicate with loved ones. Malecare’s forward-thinking team constantly explores new technologies – from mobile apps to e-learning platforms – to deliver personalized cancer information and psychosocial support at scale. For corporate partners invested in innovation, Malecare represents a unique opportunity to support state-of-the-art solutions that transform the patient experience.
Commitment to Minority Populations and Health Equity
Malecare has an unwavering commitment to minority healthcare support, dedicating significant resources to underserved populations including African American, Latino, and LGBTQ+ men. Recognizing the disproportionate impact of prostate cancer on African American men – who face mortality rates more than twice that of their white counterparts – Malecare launched the Twice As Many initiative to combat this disparity through research, education, and community engagement. The organization also introduced the Black Prostate Cancer Alliance in 2021, a coalition aimed at improving outcomes for Black men via targeted outreach and policy advocacy. For the LGBTQ+ community, Malecare’s legacy of leadership dates back to the late 1990s: it started the world’s first support program for gay and bisexual prostate cancer patients in 1998 and later established the National LGBT Cancer Project in 2005 as the first comprehensive program for all LGBTQ+ cancer survivors. Malecare today facilitates the world’s largest gay men’s prostate cancer support network and is internationally recognized for its LGBTQ+ cancer advocacy and research efforts. Other culturally competent programs include outreach for Spanish-speaking men and even the first and only male breast cancer support group network, reflecting Malecare’s broad vision of inclusivity. All these initiatives are designed with cultural sensitivity and are often delivered in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Hebrew, French, Italian)to maximize accessibility. Malecare’s focus on health equity ensures that corporate funders contribute to closing gaps in care and outcomes for historically marginalized communities, exemplifying social responsibility in action.
History of Achievements and Successful Initiatives
With over 25 years of service, Malecare has a storied history of achievements and groundbreaking initiatives that underscore its reputation for excellence and innovation. The organization’s track record of “firsts” in the prostate cancer community is unparalleled, highlighting a consistent drive to address unmet needs:
- 1998: Established the first support program for gay and bisexual men with prostate cancer, breaking silence and stigma in the LGBTQ+ community.
- 2005: Launched the National LGBT Cancer Project, the first national advocacy and support program for all LGBTQ+ cancer survivors, expanding Malecare’s outreach to sexual and gender minorities.
- 2013: Created Start A Cure, the world’s first cancer research crowdfunding platform, empowering the public to directly support promising prostate cancer research.
- 2014: Became the first prostate cancer nonprofit to receive a U.S. patent for a medical device, demonstrating Malecare’s inventive approach to improving cancer care (a radiation exposure measurement tool).
- 2017: Co-led the first NIH-funded clinical trial conducted by a prostate cancer patient advocacy organization, partnering with university researchers to study post-treatment quality of life and elevating the role of nonprofits in clinical research.
- 2021: Organized the inaugural Black Prostate Cancer Alliance and the first annual Pride and Prostate Cancerconference, forging new alliances to fight racial and LGBTQ+ disparities in prostate cancer on a national scale.
- 2024: Introduced Cancer Academy, the first-of-its-kind e-learning platform for cancer patients (in beta testing), reflecting Malecare’s ongoing innovation in patient education and empowerment.
Each of these milestones reflects Malecare’s proactive and inventive spirit. Few organizations can claim such a breadth of successful initiatives – from support groups and educational programs to research and technology – that consistently anticipate and address the evolving challenges in cancer care. This legacy of success provides corporate funders with confidence that Malecare not only has a visionary plan, but also the proven capability to execute programs that deliver results.
Collaborative Leadership and Global Partnership
Malecare’s effectiveness is amplified by its collaborative efforts and partnerships. The organization works closely with hospitals, universities, and fellow nonprofits to magnify its impact. It formed the Global Prostate Cancer Alliance to unite prostate cancer organizations worldwide, sharing knowledge across borders to improve patient advocacy universally. Malecare’s collaborations with academic institutions and healthcare companies (for example, partnering with Novartis on addressing prostate cancer disparities) illustrate its openness to public-private partnerships. By bringing stakeholders together – patients, clinicians, researchers, and corporate allies – Malecare fosters a unified approach to tackling prostate cancer. For corporate funders, engaging with Malecare means joining a network of leaders committed to social responsibility and global health improvement. Malecare’s transparent, cooperative style ensures that every partnership is mission-focused and results-oriented, providing shared value for the community and supporters alike.
Malecare stands as a premier model of patient advocacy, community service, and innovative problem-solving in the prostate cancer field. Its long history of community outreach, patient empowerment, advocacy, data-driven strategy, and minority-focused support has made it an indispensable leader in men’s health. Malecare’s respected global reputation has been earned through consistent impact and accountability, aligning perfectly with the values of corporate social responsibility. By supporting Malecare, corporate partners invest in a proven vehicle for prostate cancer awareness, health equity, and meaningful change – advancing a world where all men, regardless of background, can face prostate cancer with hope, support, and the best possible outcomes.