With its annual Dag Tegen Kanker (Day Against Cancer), the Vlaamse Liga tegen Kanker (VLK - Flemish League against Cancer) draws attention to cancer patients and their relatives, care-givers and their commitment. At more than 90 locations, hospitals and the League's own "walk-in-houses" - volunteers are present with a stand to communicate this theme, supply information and hand out pins with the event symbol to passing sympatisers.

After the successful sunflower symbol designed by KAN Design several years ago, the League was thinking of a solidarity ribbon as a new symbol for this year's event. With the intention that the VLK ribbon should be distinctive enough to avoid getting in the way of other well-known soldarity ribbons, and also to have the design registered.

With due care, KAN Design set to work and came up with a knotted ribbon. The knot refers to the "keeping in mind" of patients and their relatives, similar to the tradition of tying a knot in a handkerchief to remember something. By crossing the two ends of the ribbon, the familiar shape of a solidarity ribbon was retained, with the VLK logo on it to keep the ends together.

For the 100,000 required pin badges, a supplier was found in China capable of producing this intricate work. With a volunteer identification pin as a second version, to which the ribbon can simply be pinned to complete it.

For the stand, a modular system of cardboard blocks was devised, featuring different graphics on each side. This allows different combinations to be quickly and easily installed in function of available space, while the folded down blocks are also very easy to transport and store. Since not every side contains text specific for the Day Against Cancer, the blocks can easily be re-used for other purposes.

A large 3D version of the ribbon was also made from flexible vinyl, to be attached to the stand and to separate stand-up displays as identification and to attracts attention. As a final feature, floor stickers depicting an image of the ribbon knot were used to create a trail of footprints to show passers-by the way to the VLK stand.