The C/Can story
Where you live and who you are shouldn’t determine the quality of cancer care you receive.
City Cancer Challenge (C/Can) is a global not-for-profit working alongside local and national stakeholders in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to strengthen cancer care systems, developing solutions that are coordinated, locally owned, scalable and sustainable over time.
We have trained over 3,400 healthcare professionals, developed more than 160 solutions addressing priority system gaps, and engaged 124 civil society organisations in shaping locally relevant solutions. Our work has reached 937K cancer patients at city level and 13.8M at national level. Read our annual reports.
C/Can was founded on the belief that cities are an ideal entry point for systemic change. As microcosms of national health systems, cities concentrate populations, health infrastructure and decision-making power at a scale where reforms can be tested and adapted. Solutions proven in one city are replicated in other cities and scaled into national and regional health systems, and they are already being embedded into national cancer control policies.
C/Can starts with cities to strengthen health systems
Cities reflect a country’s broader health system, so the barriers that hold back cancer care in a city often mirror those holding it back nationally. By working with cities to overcome these barriers, we help build solutions that don’t just travel, but take hold where they’re applied.
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Start in cities, scale beyond them
View moreCities give us the right scale to co-design, test and refine solutions with the people who plan and deliver care. Once proven, these solutions are replicated beyond a single city and scaled across national and regional health systems.
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Support health system strengthening
View moreCancer is an ideal entry point to strengthen health systems and build their resilience. We support cities and countries to put changes in place that can be scaled up and replicated across health services.
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Ensure local ownership and sustainability
View moreWe strengthen the connections between people, policies and processes to build lasting capacity. By convening policymakers, healthcare providers, patient groups and partners, we create communities that lead the journey to self-reliance.
Meet our team
We are a multi-sectoral network of leading experts transforming the way cancer care is addressed from the ground up.
View team
The C/Can evolution
We started in cities. We didn’t stop there.
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2017-2019
Testing and defining the model
We tested whether cities could be effective starting points for locally driven approaches that improve access to quality cancer care in resource-limited settings.
Milestones
- Designed and tested the City Engagement Process Framework (CEPF).
- Engaged core partners to shape the operational model.
- Launched the first cohort of key learning cities (Asunción, Cali, Yangon, Kumasi).
- Demonstrated the feasibility of multi-stakeholder city partnerships and local ownership as drivers of national change.
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2019-2023
Implementing and validating the model
C/Can showed that locally owned, city-based approaches can strengthen health systems, deliver measurable improvements, and shape national policy.
Milestones
- Completed the first city implementation cycles generating robust lessons and measurable outputs.
- Refined and validated the CEPF by applying it across new cities and diverse contexts.
- Achieved C/Can’s first publication on the CEPF model, key learnings and best practices.
- Gained recognition from UN agencies and global partners.
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2023-2025
Building a solid, outcome-driven organisation
C/Can strengthened its structure, governance, and systems so we could consolidate learning and show results across an initial network of cities.
Milestones
- Launched the Global Programme Unit to drive city delivery and performance.
- Strengthened Technical Cooperation and Capacity Development (TCCD) as C/Can’s technical backbone.
- Introduced City Assessment Dimensions to shift from outputs to outcome measurement, with proxy KPIs endorsed by key partners.
- Consolidated long-term partnerships, improved governance, and reinforced C/Can’s reputation as a trusted, innovative actor in cancer care.
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2025-present
Expanding and deepening impact
We applied proven models and solutions to scale
C/Can’s methods, drive national adoption, and establish C/Can as a long-term partner in transforming health systems.Milestones
- Consolidate results in Core Cities, shifting from implementation to measurable outcomes.
- Apply validated models to new “Horizon Cities” and diverse geographies, and explore adaptation for broader health system strengthening.
- Strengthen financial sustainability through diversified funding.
- Elevate C/Can’s global influence through thought leadership, technical expertise, and strategic partnerships.
