§ 1 – Name, registered office, scope of activities, financial year and logo

a) The name of the association is “I-Can-Ser e.V.”.
Names in other languages:
• German: I can serve humanity – International Cancer Aid Network
• English: I Can Serve Humanity – International Cancer Assistance Network
• Turkish: İnsanlığa Hizmet Ediyorum – Uluslararası Kanser Yardım Ağı
The unified short form is “I-Can-Ser e.V.”.

 

b) The association is registered in the Hamburg register of associations under number VR 26206.

 

c) The financial year is the calendar year from January 1 to December 31.

​

d) The association primarily operates in Germany; it may also operate abroad, provided the requirements of tax law are met and the use of funds is verifiable.

 

e) The association’s logo consists of a red heart with a white star, the lettering “I CAN SER e.V.” and a heartbeat signal.

​

§ 2 – Purpose and charitable status

a) The association exclusively and directly pursues charitable and benevolent purposes within the meaning of §§ 51–68 AO.

 

b) The purposes of the association are:
• the promotion of public health and public health care (§ 52 para. 2 no. 3 AO);
• the support of persons in need within the meaning of § 53 AO, especially financially disadvantaged cancer patients and, where applicable, other seriously ill persons in Germany and abroad.

 

c) The purposes are realized in particular through:
• organizing and implementing concrete support measures for cancer patients and economically disadvantaged persons, especially through counseling, accompaniment to medical institutions, facilitation of treatments and financial assistance;
• organizing information and awareness events, seminars, training sessions and publications to promote public health and cancer prevention;
• establishing and operating an international support network, especially through cooperation with hospitals, doctors, rehabilitation and social institutions;
• collecting and forwarding donations to finance support services;
• providing psychosocial support to patients and their relatives;

 

d) Cooperation with domestic and foreign institutions is permitted based on written agreements. Donations are accepted. Activities abroad comply with § 63 AO documentation rules.

 

e) The association acts selflessly and does not primarily pursue its own economic purposes.
Funds may only be used for statutory purposes.
Members receive no benefits.
No person may be favored by inappropriate expenses or excessive remuneration.
The association operates voluntarily and without profit intention.
It may carry out special humanitarian projects.
Funds must be used promptly (§ 55 AO).

​​

§ 3 – Membership, rights and obligations, membership fee and termination of membership

a) Membership: Any adult natural or legal person who recognizes the aims and statutes of the association may – regardless of country of residence – become a member of the association. Each member has one vote in the general assembly.

​

b) Admission procedure: The application for membership must be submitted in writing via the website or by e-mail.
The board decides on the application. A rejection must be justified in writing. The person concerned has the right to appeal the rejection to the general assembly. The general assembly makes the final decision. The person concerned must be informed of this right in the rejection letter. Membership begins upon receipt of the confirmation of admission; the obligation to pay the membership fee remains unaffected.
There is no entitlement to admission.

 

c) Membership fee: The fee must be paid within one month after admission and thereafter annually no later than May 10 to the association’s account – preferably by standing order. The amount of the fee is determined by the general assembly and published on the website. In justified cases, the board may defer or waive the fee.

 

d) Termination of membership: Membership ends by death (in the case of legal persons by dissolution), resignation or exclusion.
Resignation may be declared at any time in writing via e-mail or the website and becomes effective upon receipt by the board. Members who resign or are excluded have no claims to the association’s assets.

 

e) Exclusion of members: Members who, despite two written reminders, fail to pay their fee by the end of the year or who violate the statutes, association decisions or damage the reputation of the association may be excluded. A written warning must be issued before exclusion.
The member concerned has the right to be heard at the next general assembly. The decision of the general assembly is final.

 

f) Rights and obligations of members: Each member has the right to participate in association activities, use its services, vote and stand for election. Members are obliged to support the aims of the association, pay fees on time and behave respectfully. Disputes should be resolved internally where possible.

 

g) Beneficiaries of assistance (cancer patients) do not need to be members in order to receive support. The type and scope of assistance shall be determined by the board in accordance with the financial capacity of the association in a guideline.

​

§ 4 – General Assembly

a) The ordinary general assembly shall take place annually no later than March 31. The date shall be announced at least two weeks in advance by written invitation via e-mail including the agenda. In addition, a notice shall be published on the association’s official website. Due to the international nature of the association, online participation shall be enabled; translations into other languages may be provided.

 

b) The general assembly shall be chaired by an elected chairperson and a minute-taker. The board, treasurer and auditors shall present their reports; submitted motions of members shall be discussed. All resolutions and the course of the meeting shall be recorded in writing and signed by the chairperson and the minute-taker.

 

c) The general assembly shall have a quorum if at least one third of the members are present. If this quorum is not reached, a second meeting with the same agenda shall be convened within two weeks, which shall have a quorum regardless of the number of participants. This must already be stated in the first invitation.

 

d) Resolutions shall be passed by a simple majority of the members present by open vote. In case of a tie, a second vote shall be held.

 

e) Amendments to the statutes require a two-thirds majority of the members present and entitled to vote. The general assembly shall also make the final decision on membership applications rejected by the board.

 

f) Voting rights: Only members who have paid their membership fee at least two months prior to the meeting are entitled to vote. Voting rights may be transferred to another member by written proxy (maximum one proxy per person). Upon request of a voting member, a secret ballot shall be held. An electronic voting system may be used.

 

g) Election of the board: The board consists of five regular members and three substitute members. In odd years, the chairperson, deputy chairperson and secretary are elected; in even years, the treasurer and one additional member (term: two years). In addition, three substitute members, one internal auditor and a deputy are elected annually.

 

h) An extraordinary general assembly may be convened by resolution of the board or upon written request of at least one quarter of the voting members. The invitation shall be issued at least two weeks in advance by e-mail.

 

i) Motions to be included in the agenda must be submitted in writing to the board at least three days before the meeting. Amendments to ongoing agenda items may be submitted during the meeting.

 

j) Example agenda of the ordinary general assembly:

1. • Election of the chairperson

2. • Election of the minute-taker

3. • Report and discharge of the board

4. • Financial and audit report

5. • Consideration of submitted motions

6. • Approval of the work and budget plan

7. • Determination of membership fees

8. • Board elections (see § 4 g)

9. • Election of auditors

10. • Final decision on rejected membership applications

11. • Miscellaneous, closing remarks

​

§ 5 – Board of Directors

a) The Board of Directors consists of the Chairperson, the Deputy Chairperson, the Treasurer, the Secretary, one additional member (a total of five regular members), as well as three substitute members.

 

b) The Board represents the association, convenes the General Assembly, implements its resolutions, manages the day-to-day operations, administers the association’s assets, prepares annual reports, and decides on the admission of new members.

 

c) The Board is elected by the General Assembly. Re-election is permitted. The term of office is two years.

d) The Board may adopt internal rules of procedure for its work, provided that they do not conflict with this statute or the resolutions of the General Assembly.

 

e) Due to the international nature of the association, the Board may make use of translation and communication services.

 

f) The Board has a quorum when at least 51% of its members are present. Decisions are made by simple majority; in the event of a tie, the vote is repeated.

 

g) Board meetings are held at least every two months and are convened in writing with a notice period of three days. Decisions are recorded and signed by the Chairperson and the Secretary.

 

h) The Board may establish working groups or advisory committees and involve external experts on a voluntary basis.

 

i) Substitute members may attend Board meetings without voting rights; in the event of the absence of a regular member, they take over in a predetermined order.

 

j) Board members and appointed persons work on a voluntary and unpaid basis. Only documented necessary expenses are reimbursed (§ 3 No. 26a EStG).

​

§ 6 – Branches

a) The association may establish branches in Germany or abroad by resolution of the Board, provided that this complies with the respective national laws. The provisions of this statute shall apply accordingly to the branches.

 

b) Branches are obliged to implement the decisions of the main association and to comply immediately with instructions from the Board or local authorities.

 

c) Persons who join a branch shall automatically be considered members of the main association. Each branch shall be represented in the General Assembly by one delegate with one vote.

 

d) The main association shall support the branches materially and organizationally within its means. In return, the branches shall participate in joint projects and activities.

​

§ 7 – Financial Regulations, Representation and Authority to Sign

a) The association’s sources of income are membership fees, donations, public grants, project funds, sponsorships, interest, proceeds from events, and, where applicable, tax-privileged economic activities.

 

b) In accordance with § 60 of the German Fiscal Code (AO), the association shall keep all tax-privileged income in a separate account and use it exclusively and directly for charitable or benevolent purposes. Any economic activities shall serve solely the realization of the association’s statutory purposes.

 

c) Financial administration and authority to make payments: The Treasurer and the Chairperson are authorized to open, manage, and operate the association’s bank accounts. The Treasurer may act and sign alone for transactions up to €10,000 per case. Expenditures exceeding €10,000 require an additional resolution of the Board. The Treasurer shall present an up-to-date financial report at each regular Board meeting.

 

d) Long-term obligations: The acquisition or sale of real estate and financial obligations with a duration of more than one year require the approval of the General Assembly.

 

e) Financial year and accounting: The financial year is the calendar year. The annual financial statement is prepared by the Treasurer, audited by the auditors, and submitted to the General Assembly.

 

f) Representation and signing authority:
• The association is represented in accordance with § 26 BGB by the Chairperson and the Deputy Chairperson
• The Chairperson or the Deputy Chairperson may each represent the association individually
• The Board may, by resolution, grant special powers of attorney to other members or representatives
• Legally binding contracts shall be signed by the Chairperson or, in case of representation, by the Deputy Chairperson
• The Treasurer may act alone for ongoing payments

 

g) In accordance with § 30 BGB, the Board may appoint a managing director with powers defined in writing.

h) Liability: Members of the Board and appointed representatives shall be liable only in cases of intent or gross negligence (§§ 26, 31a, 31b BGB). The association shall not be liable for damages towards its members unless required by law. In the case of property ownership or employed staff, appropriate insurance must be concluded.

 

i) Data protection: All functionaries are obliged to treat personal data confidentially in accordance with GDPR and BDSG. This obligation shall continue even after the termination of their function.

 

j) Compensation and reimbursement of expenses: Work within the association is voluntary and unpaid. Only documented necessary expenses (e.g. travel costs) may be reimbursed, provided they directly serve the charitable work. Any private benefit is excluded (§§ 55–56 AO). The Board may, if necessary, employ paid staff with duties defined in writing.

​

§ 8 – Dissolution of the Association

a) The dissolution of the association may only be resolved by the General Assembly convened specifically for this purpose with a dedicated agenda. A two-thirds majority of the members present and entitled to vote is required. If this majority is not achieved at the first meeting, a simple majority shall be sufficient at a second meeting held within two weeks.

 

b) In the event of dissolution, the liquidation shall be carried out by the Chairperson together with the chair of the meeting or by persons appointed by the General Assembly.

 

c) In the event of dissolution or the loss of tax-privileged purposes, the assets of the association shall be transferred to “Haus der Krebs-Selbsthilfe – Bundesverband e.V. (HKSH)”, which shall use them exclusively and directly for charitable or benevolent purposes. Decisions regarding the use of the assets may only be implemented after approval by the tax authorities.

​

§ 9 – Final Provisions

a) The Board is authorized, after prior consultation with the competent authorities (in particular the tax office and the register court), to make editorial changes or legally required adjustments to the statute without the need for a new resolution by the General Assembly. Furthermore, the Chairperson or the Treasurer are each individually authorized to carry out official registration procedures, open bank accounts, and sign all necessary documents.

​

b) This statute was unanimously adopted at the founding General Assembly on 22 June 2025 and was last revised on 23.03.2026 in accordance with the requirements of the tax authorities.

​

________

"The only binding and legally valid version of these statutes is the German original version. The translations are provided for information purposes only."

​

​

​

​

​

​