Our Investment in Perci Health

17 Apr 2023

By Chantal Cox

Investment thesis

Every two minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer. Over the last 40 years, survival has doubled, with half of patients diagnosed surviving for a decade or more.
Cancer survival starts one day one of a cancer diagnosis, but while remission rates are improving, advances in cancer treatment have also introduced a wide range of long term side effects that require specialist help to manage.
Cancer doesn’t just impact health: it also makes a significant impact on psychological wellbeing, as well as carrying practical implications. Recovery from cancer can also make survivors feel isolated.
Perci Health believes that it’s time to let go of the last historical taboos surrounding cancer, and instead recognise it for the chronic condition that it is, and address the high physical, mental, emotional, social and financial costs associated with it.
The Perci team have built the first comprehensive, digital cancer survivorship clinic. The service offers bespoke, convenient healthcare with a focus on holistic recovery, aimed at patients living with cancer, as well as those further along in their survivorship journey.
The Perci platform offers access to a wealth of experts across multi-disciplinary fields, offering a physical, mental, social and emotional evidence-based care, with the aim of delivering better clinical outcomes for survivors.

Who are the founders?

With more than 14 years’ experience as an oncology dietician, Co-founder and CEO Kelly McCabe has developed a deep understanding of cancer care. Over four years as COO of HCA International Cancer Network, she developed a large network in the field, before meeting her co-founder, and CXO, Morgan Fitzsimons, whilst working at a start up.

Morgan brings well over a decade of transatlantic digital and brand marketing experience to Perci Health, having worked as Digital Director at CBS Television NYC, and Global Head of Marketing at ASOS. She’s perfectly placed for her role leading growth and digital experience in the company.

Why us?

At Octopus Ventures, we’re committed to supporting pioneers building solutions that will change the world. Knowing that one in every two people in England will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, we also know that solutions that improve diagnostics, outcomes or, like Perci Health, offer survivors multifaceted support and care in their journey can have an outsize impact.

Significant advances in cancer care in recent years must be understood against a backdrop of increased waiting times for therapy in the UK over the last four years. This delay has contributed to a wide range of long-term effects. Perci understands this. With a team comprised of individuals with extensive clinical and operational expertise, and an extensive oncology network, Perci is well equipped to respond to the needs of cancer survivors.

By reframing cancer as a chronic condition, associated with high (and frequently longer term) physical, mental, emotional, social and financial costs, Perci is acknowledging the truth that cancer survivors have long understood. Wraparound cancer services, that provide holistic support to survivors, have, until now, been hard to access, confined to word-of-mouth or the echo champers of online patient forums.

Perci’s tech-enabled solution, recognising that ‘survivorship’ starts on day one of a cancer diagnosis, is a direct response to this need. It has the potential to improve millions of lives with its multidisciplinary, holistic and evidence-based care, improving clinical outcomes as it helps survivors navigate the ups and downs of their survivorship journeys. We’re proud to lend our support to Kelly, Morgan and the Perci team as they pursue this vital mission.