The BLAZ Summer Soul Food Fundraiser 2015
Katie Brown is raising money for Neuroendocrine Cancer UK
Story
Friends,
Adam and I are holding this event to raise money for the NET Patient Foundation, a small charity set up in 2006 with the main aim of campaigning for better treatment for NET patients, just like my lovely mummy.
You'll find all the information below to understand NETs and why we need more awareness and more funds for this cause. Your generous donations will go directly into a specific research fund that focuses on a much needed personalised treatment for all NET cancer patients, including pancreatic NETs, and we are so very grateful for your support.
Katie, Adam, Ezra and the Laz family xxx
What are NETs?
NETs are Neuroendocrine tumours that develop from cells in the neuroendocrine system. They can arise anywhere in the body, but the most common sites are the bowel, pancreas and lung.
What are the stats?
There are probably around 10-14,000 people living with a NETs in the UK, with around 3-5000 new cases per year.
What is the prognosis?
The story of these cancers is a mixed one, there is cause to be optimistic and reasons, conversely, to be anxious. On the positive side, most NET tumours are more like a cancer in slow motion, but the downside is that many patients are diagnosed late and have metastatic spread disease when they are diagnosed and this means there is no cure and few specific drugs for NETs - all doctors can do is manage them, albeit in many cases for some time.
What needs to be done and why?
The tumours can occur anywhere in the body and each individual patient may have different types of mutations which may make their tumours susceptible to different therapies. Not only that, but their profile might change again after a certain therapy and so new samples for testing would be required from individual patients. Because of their relative rarity and diverse set of symptoms, the diagnosis and treatment of NETs require a multi disciplinary approach and a more 'personalised' type of cancer care.
This means that specialists from different fields - endocrinology, gastroenterology, oncology, radiology, nuclear medicine, genetics, pathology, and nursing - may all be involved in the treatment of NET patients and this is where your money will be going.
We hope that explains it all but if you have any further questions at all please don't hesitate to ask me at any time :)
Katie, Adam, Ezra and the Laz's xxx
NET Patient foundation
The 'NET Patient foundation' are a small charity who have been integral in helping me find the right place for the money we raise together. They have also been a huge source of support to myself and my family over the past year and a half.
TransNET
http://www.ukinets.org/transnets/
TransNET
http://www.ukinets.org/
Professor Tim Meyer
https://www.royalfree.nhs.uk/services/staff-a-z/professor-tim-meyer/
https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/OurServices/Consultants/Pages/DrTimMeyer.aspx
https://www.royalfree.nhs.uk/
https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/
About JustGiving - Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.