November 2024

NETRF’s 2024 Margie & Robert E. Petersen Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Symposium was held October 28-30 in Boston. Our Symposium convened 120 researchers from throughout the United States and eleven countries to discuss the latest advancements in neuroendocrine cancer research. The Symposium featured two days of presentations and a poster session, all designed to foster collaboration between scientists.  

“More so now than at any other previous meeting, we have reached a tipping point. We have reached the moment where work and support are producing important advances at an accelerating pace on multiple fronts,” commented James Bibb, a member of NETRF’s Board of Scientific Advisors (BOSA).  

Dr. Ramesh Shivdasani gave the keynote address and was presented with a NETRF Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Shivdasani Served as Chair of the Board of Scientific Advisors from 2007 to 2016. Elaine Nord and NETRF Board of Directors member Carrie Camino spoke about their experiences, providing an important patient perspective. 

Read more about the Symposium here.

This November, your generosity can have double the impact. Thanks to dedicated supporters, including some members of our Board of Directors, your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar—up to $100,000—through Giving Tuesday on December 3, 2024.*

We are proud to spotlight inspiring members of our NETRF community, like Dr. Jennifer Eads, leading a CAR T cell clinical trial after a decade of NETRF-funded research, Carrie Camino, who gives for a better tomorrow, and Cynthia Brown, who donates in memory of her daughter, Diamond.

Donate today, and your gift will have double the impact—fueling the research that is Changing Lives. Thank you for supporting this important work.

*Excludes Everlasting Impact and Community Fundraising gifts.

Congratulations to Dr. Ajay Kumar Sharma, of Johns Hopkins University, who has been awarded the 2024 ERF/NETRF Nuclear Medicine Pilot Research Grant in Neuroendocrine Tumors. This two-year grant is a collaboration between NETRF and The Education and Research Foundation for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (ERF). Read more about Dr. Sharma’s research to develop a new, more precise imaging and treatment radiotherapy.

In this episode, we’re diving deep into the symptoms caused by functional neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) and, more importantly, how to effectively manage them. Whether you’re navigating symptomatic neuroendocrine cancer yourself or supporting someone who is, this conversation will arm you with fresh insights and practical tools to take control. This is a updated and enriched update of an episode originally released in 2020. A special thank you to Dr. Eric Nakakura for lending his expertise to this valuable episode. Listen now.

November is National Caregiver Awareness Month, a time to honor the vital role caregivers play in supporting those with neuroendocrine cancer. While caring for a loved one is rewarding, it’s essential for caregivers to prioritize their own self-care to sustain their mental, emotional, and physical health. Remember, caring for yourself is not selfish—it’s an act of love that enables you to be present and resilient for the journey ahead. In this episode of the NETRF NET Thrivership Series, we identify factors of caregiver burnout and discuss the importance of self-care tools to help Neuroendocrine cancer caregivers.

NET Cancer Day on November 10 brought together global patient advocates to raise awareness of neuroendocrine cancer. “Easily Missed” was the theme of this year’s campaign, led by the International Neuroendocrine Cancer Alliance (INCA). NETRF is a proud member of INCA and shared the important messages about the need for earlier diagnosis and increased physician education. 

NETRF promotes awareness and education every day, not just on NET Cancer Day. You can help! Tell your doctor about The Think NENs Global Educational Program for Primary Care Physicians, an online Continuing Medical Education program about neuroendocrine cancer for primary care physicians. You can also share Dr. Elizabeth Zide’s video about her own neuroendocrine cancer diagnosis.

A big thank you to Jake Dawson, Taylor Dawson, and everyone who joined us for the #GoodScanCans4NETRF campaign this month in honor of NET Cancer Day! Your enthusiasm and support have been truly inspiring. A special thank you to Jake and Taylor for organizing a fantastic event at MULA in Omaha on November 10, which raised funds for NETRF research. Together, we’re raising our cans to a future without neuroendocrine cancer. Thank you for your generosity and commitment to making that future possible! 

A big thank you to Nancy Lewis for bringing the Dolly llama to the Good Scan Cans campaign! This video not only features our new favorite llama but also breaks down the leading-edge research NETRF and our community support—because who better to explain science than a llama? Nancy, your creativity and humor are gifts, and we’re so grateful for the smiles and awareness you’ve brought to this campaign. Thank you for proving that even llamas can be champions for research!

Great news! Give Freely is now available on your iPhone so all of your mobile shopping can help support the NEUROENDOCRINE TUMOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION!

Give Freely, co-founded by NETRF board member Steve Kaufer, is a mission-driven company that harnesses the collective power of online commerce for charitable good. Give Freely’s coupon finder is a simple and automatic way to support NETRF every time you shop online at no cost to you. 

Just add Give Freely to your Chrome browser or iPhone, and it will automatically find coupons for your online shopping AND donate a percentage of the sale to NETRF. It's a win-win!

NET Research Foundation
31 St. James Avenue
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Boston, MA 02116
(617) 946-1780 info@netrf.org

The mission of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation is to fund research to discover cures and more effective treatments for neuroendocrine cancer. NETRF is the largest global funder of neuroendocrine research and a preeminent resource for expert patient education and support.



NETRF is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.