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The Camino Medal you hold in your hands represents your resilience and everything you conquered and gained on your path. But also, it represents a contribution to cancer research, since for each medal that is sold €5 will be donated to the Netherlands Cancer Institute.

In the internationally renowned Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) excellent healthcare for cancer patients is combined with high-quality, innovative research. This leads to new, improved breakthroughs and treatments arising frequently. The Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Foundation collects donations to make more cancer research at the NKI possible, in order to find a cure for every cancer.

Your Camino medal donation
Because there are many hundreds of different types of rare tumors, these cancers affect a large group of patients. Unfortunately, patients with these rare forms of cancer have a smaller chance of survival. Little research is being done into treatments for rare tumors, which means that major innovations are not being made. At the NKI we have a large focus on research into rare types of cancer.

Two rare forms of cancer in detail
Internal medicine oncologist Carolien Schröder conducts research into breast cancer in men at the AVL. 'Breast cancer is so rare in men that they are often excluded from studies into new medicines. Their long-term prospects are therefore worse than those for female patients. And the disease is usually discovered late in men, because little attention is paid to it.'

Internal medicine oncologist Margot Tesselaar conducts research into small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, a rare, aggressive form of cancer. 'The pharmaceutical industry is not that interested in research into rare diseases. Clinical studies are expensive and the target group for medication is small. I also notice this in my research into neuroendocrine carcinomas. This makes it difficult to find financing, very frustrating.'

The origin of Outdoor Medals
When Leroy van Steenis heard that both his mother-in-law and father-in-law had been affected by a rare form of cancer, he immediately took action. Together with his father he cycled to Santiago de Compostella and linked it to a fundraising campaign for research into rare forms of cancer. Half of the proceedings went to research into breast cancer in men and the other half to research into small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Upon his arrival in Santiago, his wife Fabienne gifted him with a medal to celebrate his accomplishments. This led to the idea of continuing to raise money for these rare types of cancer through the founding of Outdoor Medals and the sale of the Camino Medal you hold in your hands.

If you want to make an additional donation to the NKI, you can follow this link.