The Cancer Journey Institute Recognized with the Cancer Coaching Education & Support Excellence Award at the Great Companies Global Business Awards 2026
Cancer is often described through its medical treatment, but the experience extends far beyond the clinical setting. Patients, survivors, thrivers, and caregivers can also face emotional, mental, and spiritual challenges that require space, understanding, and support.
The Cancer Journey Institute was established around this broader understanding of the cancer experience. Founded in 2012 by Shariann Tom, the Pacifica, California-based organization has developed an educational and coaching model designed to help people navigate the personal dimensions of cancer while also training others to provide specialized support.
Through its Cancer Journey Coach training, individual coaching, workshops, events, resources, and educational content, the Institute has worked to establish coaching as a complementary form of support within the wider cancer journey.
For this work, The Cancer Journey Institute has been recognized with the Cancer Coaching Education & Support Excellence Award at the Great Companies Global Business Awards 2026.
Website: www.thecancerjourney.com
Key Highlights
Established in 2012 by Shariann Tom as a specialist organization focused on Cancer Journey Coaching.
Developed an accredited cancer coach curriculum and methodology, with core training programs accredited by NBHWC and ICF.
Provides training and coaching for patients, survivors, thrivers, caregivers, and aspiring Cancer Journey Coaches.
Reports more than 10,000 lives touched and more than 150 coaches trained through its work.
Has expanded its reach beyond the United States, with clients and Certified Cancer Journey Coaches across North America, Europe, Asia, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia.
Has received multiple recognitions, including the ICF Impact Award, an American Lung Association award, a Success Magazine award, and a previous Great Companies Award.
Building a Different Kind of Support Around Cancer
The Cancer Journey Institute began with a question about what happens beyond the treatment of the physical body.
In 2012, Shariann Tom and Keri Lehmann developed the Institute after identifying what they viewed as a gap in conventional cancer support. Their experience led them toward the emotional, mental, and spiritual dimensions of the cancer journey—areas they believed deserved greater attention alongside medical care.
The organization describes itself as the first U.S. organization dedicated to educating coaches to work specifically with cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, and caregivers.
Rather than positioning coaching as a replacement for medical professionals, therapists, navigators, or social workers, the Institute takes a complementary approach. Its coaches are trained to walk alongside individuals, creating a safe relationship in which people can process their experiences, explore what matters to them, and reconnect with their own sense of strength and agency.
This philosophy has become central to the Institute's identity: not telling people what they should do, but helping them discover their own answers.
From Cancer Experience to Cancer Coaching Education
One of the Institute's most significant contributions is its focus on cancer coaching education and professional training.
Its core programs provide structured education for people who want to specialize in Cancer Journey Coaching and for existing coaches seeking to develop expertise in supporting people affected by cancer.
The organization's training programs are accredited by the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC) and the International Coaching Federation (ICF), adding established professional frameworks to its specialized cancer coaching methodology.
The Institute also offers individual coaching, workshops, live events, virtual programs, and Coach Retreats. This creates multiple pathways for engagement—whether someone wants to become a Cancer Journey Coach, receive coaching support, or simply access resources for their own experience.
The result is an ecosystem that connects education, professional development, direct support, and community.
Supporting People Through the Wider Cancer Journey
The Cancer Journey Institute's approach is based on the idea that every cancer experience is different, while still containing moments when people may need help processing change, uncertainty, identity, relationships, and life after treatment.
Its work therefore extends beyond coach certification.
The Institute publishes educational resources, including The Call of Cancer, and hosts The Cancer Journey Podcast. These channels allow its ideas and resources to reach people who may not be participating in a formal coaching program.
The organization reports that its work has touched more than 10,000 lives and trained more than 150 coaches. Its growing international network includes trained and Certified Cancer Journey Coaches across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia.
That geographic reach reflects an ambition that extends beyond a single training organization: building a wider network of people equipped to provide specialized emotional, mental, and spiritual support throughout cancer journeys.
Recognition Built Around Education, Impact and Community
The Institute's development has also been accompanied by external recognition.
In 2024, the organization received four awards, including the International Coaching Federation Impact Award, an award from the American Lung Association, a Success Magazine award, and a Great Companies Award.
For the Institute, however, an important milestone occurs with every graduating training class. Each cohort represents a new group of coaches entering the field with specialized knowledge and a commitment to supporting people through one of life's most challenging experiences.
That educational multiplier is particularly relevant to the Cancer Coaching Education & Support Excellence Award. The Institute's contribution is not limited to the individuals it coaches directly; it also seeks to expand the number of people capable of offering specialized cancer coaching support.
What Sets The Cancer Journey Institute Apart
The clearest distinction is its specialization.
While cancer care includes established professional roles such as medical navigators, therapists, and social workers, The Cancer Journey Institute has focused specifically on developing the role of the Cancer Journey Coach.
Its methodology is built around supporting individuals without taking away their autonomy. Coaches are intended to help clients process their experiences, identify what matters to them, and rediscover their own sense of value and power.
This cancer coaching support model is designed to work alongside traditional cancer care rather than compete with it.
That positioning gives the Institute a defined role: developing people and resources that address dimensions of the cancer experience that may not be fully covered by clinical treatment alone.
Looking Ahead
The Cancer Journey Institute's long-term vision is ambitious: a world with more than one million trained Cancer Journey Coaches serving people who want emotional, mental, and spiritual support during their cancer journeys.
Its broader vision is also about changing the language and mindset around cancer—from viewing the experience primarily as a “battle” toward understanding it as a journey navigated with awareness and choice.
As cancer coaching continues to develop as a specialized field, the Institute is positioned to build on its training methodology, international coach network, educational resources, and community programs.
Award Recognition
Cancer Coaching Education & Support Excellence Award Great Companies Global Business Awards 2026
The award recognizes The Cancer Journey Institute for its contribution to cancer coaching education, specialized support, coach development, and community resources—and for its continued effort to broaden the understanding of what support can look like throughout the cancer journey.
Company Snapshot
Company: The Cancer Journey Institute
Founder: Shariann Tom
Established: 2012
Location: Pacifica, United States
Industry: Education & Training
Website: www.thecancerjourney.com
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