Information about breast cancer

Walk-in homes for people with breast cancer

For people with cancer and their loved ones, there are open houses or walk-in centers in Belgium. These are warm places where they can go for physical and emotional rest, both during and after their treatment.

These homes do not provide medical care, but focus on wellness and recovery, complementary to traditional oncology care.

Spread across the country, there are 15 to 20 such houses, often supported by organizations such as Pink Ribbon, the Foundation Against Cancer or Kom op tegen Kanker. They work around three pillars: psychological, physical and social well-being. Visitors there can participate in activities such as relaxation therapy, yoga, care massages, group discussions and individual counseling. Caregivers and family members are also welcome here.

These houses work largely with volunteers and offer a low-threshold service, tailored to the needs of cancer patients. Visitors find peace, recognition and support on their path to recovery and reorientation, also in terms of work or volunteer engagement. Walk-in centers fill an important gap in care and contribute to improving the quality of life of people with cancer.

Stories of passionate ex-patients

Many open houses start with a great story, at the initiative of energetic cancer patients who made it a job to support other cancer patients after their illness. One of them is Foffi Mavrakis, she started the Limani open house in Maasmechelen. Annick Van Ighem, former breast cancer patient, founded the Huis aan de Schelde in Dendermonde. Aalst, too, has had its own open house since 2025: Huis Hoop.

Below is a list of drop-in centers in Flanders and Brussels:

Below is a list of drop-in centers in Wallonia:

  • La Petite Maison — Liège
    Rue des Glacis 215,
    4000 Liège, Belgium 
  • Centre Oasis — Liège
    Avenue de l’Hôpital 1,
    4000 Liège, Belgium
  • Espace + — Liège
    Allée des Calamites 8,
    4000 Liège, Belgium
  • L’Espace ViVie — Verviers
    Rue de Liège 107/2,
    4800 Verviers, Belgium 
  • La Casanou — Mouscron
    Rue de la Coquinie 16,
    7700 Mouscron, Belgium 
  • Espace bien-être l’Essentiel — Namur
    Rue Julien Colson 39,
    5000 Namur, Belgium 
  • L’île en soi — Tournai
    53 Rue des Sports,
    7500 Tournai, Belgium 
  • L’Intermède — Mons
    46 Rue des Apôtres,
    7000 Mons, Belgium 
  • Joli Clos — La Louvière
    Rue Ferrer 159,
    7100 La Louvière, Belgium 
  • La Vie-là — Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve
    Rue du Roi Chevalier 3,
    1340 Ottignies-LLN, Belgium
  • Maison Mieux-Être — Charleroi
    67 Grand-Rue,
    6061 Charleroi, Belgium
  • La Vie en Marche — Marche-en-Famenne
    Aux Trois Sapins,
    6900 Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium 
  • Imagyn’AIR — Libramont-Chevigny
    Rue des Petites Terres 21,
    6800 Libramont-Chevigny, Belgium 

‍

‍

‍

‍

Continue reading

Treatments
Chemotherapy
TNBC

Own immune cells make chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer sometimes unnecessary

In 1 out of 4 triple-negative breast cancers detected at an early stage, post-treatment with chemotherapy is not necessary. These women have such a strong immune system that the risk of relapse is very small even without chemo.
Treatments
Move
Move

Breast cancer rehabilitation with yoga

With the support of Pink Ribbon , Sonia Vanderlinden, coordinator of the breast clinic Europe Hospitals Brussels, can offer low-threshold yoga sessions to cancer patients. "Not every cancer patient has the courage to get on a fitness machine," she says, "Yoga is a low-threshold alternative with proven beneficial effects.
Treatments
Triple-negative breast cancer
TNBC

New treatment for triple-negative breast cancer

Our natural immune system has the capacity to recognize and attack cancer cells, but cancer cells have mechanisms to escape from them. Immunotherapies have been developed to strengthen the immune system by thwarting these escape attempts. These therapies have significantly improved the treatment of several types of cancer, including triple-negative breast cancer.

Find out how you can support Pink Ribbon .

Thanks to our partners

How can you help?