Select Page

NET Cancer Day   10 November 2024

Easily missed.Take a closer look at neuroendocrine cancer

 #LetsTalkAboutNETs    #NETCancerDay

I was only 29 when I was diagnosed with NET cancer.
PATIENT
Pauline (France)

I am Pauline, 33 years old and I live in France. I love board games, knitting and swimming. I was discovered my NET fortuitously in 2017. It took 9 months to diagnose midgut NET G1 with multiple hepatic metastases and a marked carcinoid syndrome.

I have SSA treatment and had bowel surgery + 2 chemoembolization with various complications.

The announcement of my NET was difficult, I was 29 years old and I had to learn to live with the rhythm of my fatigue, my pains, and hospitalizations with anxieties such as the unknown, death, fear of treatments, isolation. With my husband we saw our projects collapse: we made the decision not to have children (this is too risky), or buying a house, a project we have forgotten for the moment. I had to give up my job as a caregiver and was dismissed in March 2021.

Despite all this, there is a positive point I learned to take care of myself, to listen to myself, and to listen to my body, and it is a shame for a caregiver. I am fortunate to have a very present husband, family, and friends.

There is a person who inspires me every day, a deceased friend. He had cystic fibrosis and lung cancer and he defied science by living over the age of 40 years old, he had a strength that I have never seen anywhere else, I always felt small in front of him. I even had a hard time imagining that he was sick. I always think of him and even more so when it’s difficult: what would Gus say to you? Without a doubt to keep hope, to be positive and this damn disease will not get the better of us. I feel lucky that life has put it in my way. So: “Fight yourself”.

I am a member of Apted that I discovered a little time before the official announcement of my NET because at the time I was told of a neuroendocrine lesion. The association has been very supportive, both by Christine the President and also by other patients. I discovered beautiful people with sometimes a more chaotic course than mine. They became friends.

Thanks to Apted I met recently 3 other persons with whom we created a Facebook and Instagram page: My Neuro-Endocrine Tumor. We share testimonies under different themes.

Today I am well, I am stable. I still have fatigue and pains, but I enjoy every day that life gives me and the main one I am HERE.

Find out about symptoms, tests and treatments of 26 types of NETs in 11 languages with Global NET Patient Information Pack

Browse Stories

View these stories in your language by using the Google Translate button above.

Simona (Italy)

Simona (Italy)

I am Simona, I am 59 years old and I have been living with an ileal neuroendocrine tumor since when I was 47. How...

Read Story

Sandra (USA)

My name is Sandra Dillon and I’m 53 years old. I have 4 grown children and 3 wonderful grandchildren. I live in Florida, USA...

Read Story

Sheri (South Africa)

Sheri Fairbank, age 44, from South Africa. Hobbies: Yoga, Art, theatre, time at the beach, meditation. I am a very hands-on mum of...

Read Story

Jack (New Zealand)

I'm Jack van der Salm from New Zealand, currently 66 years old, and with my wife Jo-Ann, we own a dairy farm at...

Read Story

Katja (The Netherlands)

My name is Katja Starrenburg and I live in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. I am 51 years old, married, and I...

Read Story

Michel (Mexico, Canada)

My name is Michel DeQuevedo, I am a 52-year-old Mexican - Canadian musician living in Hamilton ON, Canada. How were you diagnosed...

Read Story

Corinne (France)

My name is Corinne, I am a 61 year-old GP, married to an A & E doctor, I have two children - a...

Read Story

Sergio (Chile)

My name is Sergio Alvarado, I am from Chile, 53 years old. I am Professor of Mathematics and a veterinary doctor. I have...

Read Story

Britta (Denmark)

My name is Britta, I am 73 years old and live in Denmark. I live in a flat with my dog. My current...

Read Story

Bill (USA)

My name is Bill Thach, I am a 38 year-old living in the United States in the state of Texas. I am married...

Read Story

Nicholas (Kenya)

My name is Nicholas Rotich. I am a Kenyan. 47 years old. Hobbies: Farming and environmental conservation. How were you diagnosed and how...

Read Story

Angela (Brazil)

My name is Ângela Maria Rocha, I'm 54 years old, I'm from Brazil and I live in Minas Gerais, in the city of...

Read Story

Oliver (Germany)

My name is Oliver. I live in Germany, I am 59 years old, I have been married for 35 years, I have 2 children, 4 grandchildren...

Read Story

Yu Qi (Taiwan)

Age: 51 years old Name: Yu Qi Country: Taiwan Hobbies: travelling, making new friends, learning new things. How were you diagnosed and how...

Read Story

Luciano (Italy)

I’m Luciano. I was born in Milan in 1949. I am married and I have one daughter. I currently live in Monza...

Read Story

Karin (Belgium)

I am Karin from Belgium, 64 years old. I live in a green village in Limburg and am a mother of 3 children and...

Read Story

Anne (The Netherlands)

My name is Anne Zeijpveld. I’m 45 years old and was born in The Netherlands, but have lived in Seattle, United States...

Read Story

Jasmyn (USA)

My name is Jasmyn Ramirez, I’m 21 years old from California in the United States! I’m a fourth-year college student majoring...

Read Story

Amanda (Australia)

My name is Amanda and I live in Australia. I am a lover of netball. My favorite thing is to take my...

Read Story

Mei-Ying (Taiwan)

Name: CHEN, MEI-YING, Female Age: 65 years old Hobbies: Hang out with friends and do outdoor activities. How were you diagnosed and how...

Read Story

Michael (South Africa)

My name is Michael Meredith, I am 75, married and live in the Western Cape in a beautiful village called Riebeeck Kasteel, which...

Read Story

Duncan (South Africa)

My name is Duncan Macduff and I am 45 years old. I am fortunate to live in the beautiful city of Cape Town...

Read Story

Ruben (Argentina)

I am Ruben, 57 years old, from Argentina. How were you diagnosed and how long did it take?  I had diarrhoea and rectal...

Read Story

Mariska (Netherlands)

My name is Mariska Masselink, I live in the Netherlands. My age is 53. I love walking my dog, a wonderful Dachshund, reading...

Read Story

Michael (Israel)

Michael Rosenberg, born in Bucharest, Romania on 26/12/1952. I emigrated to Israel in 1970 at 18 years of age, studied Computer Science. Lived in South...

Read Story

Julian (Germany)

I am Julian , Germany, 33 years old.  Motorcycles are my hobby. How did you get your diagnosis? How long did it take? I...

Read Story

Jean-Pierre (Canada)

My name is Jean-Pierre Durand, I live in Quebec, Canada. I’m 69 years old and my hobbies are travelling, camping, hiking, skiing...

Read Story

Geoff (Australia)

My name is Geoff Tomlin, 76 years old and I have lived in Tasmania, Australia all of my life. I have been married...

Read Story

Adriana (Uruguay)

I am Adriana, 67 years old, from Uruguay. How were you diagnosed and how long did it take?  It took 10 years. Since 2012 I...

Read Story

Paul (USA)

My name is Paul Kaczmarek. I am 48 years old and I live in the United States. I like being in the outdoors...

Read Story

Lydia (UK)

My name is Lydia, 16 years of age and diagnosed with MEN1 when I was 4 years old. MEN1 is on my dad’s...

Read Story

Dr Sugandha Dureja (India)

I am Dr Sugandha Dureja, MD, FEBNM, a Nuclear Medicine physician working in New Delhi India. I am trained in Theranostics from...

Read Story

Tanisha (USA)

My pheochromocytoma journey began in the late year of 2008. I didn’t have symptoms but a light fainting episode. I went to...

Read Story

Simon (Canada)

My name is Simon and I’m 36 years old. I live in Quebec, Canada. I’m an aerospace engineer and a proud...

Read Story

Richard (Kenya)

My name is Richard Kiprono Ngeno from Kapsoit, Kericho County of Kenya. I am a 37-year-old man and a small-time farmer. My...

Read Story

Pauline (France)

I am Pauline, 33 years old and I live in France. I love board games, knitting and swimming. I was discovered my NET...

Read Story

Julie (UK)

My name is Julie Rose, I am 48 (49 in November) and I used to enjoy taking part in a lot of fitness, running...

Read Story

Esteve (Spain)

My name is Esteve, I was born in Barcelona and I am 56 years old. I have a great family and I am...

Read Story

Dr Mark Lewis (USA)

My name is Mark Lewis. I am living in the USA but was born in Scotland. I am 42 years old. I work...

Read Story

Dirk (Belgium)

Dirk Van Genechten, Belgian (Flemish), 62. Hobbies: my grandchildren, traveling, good food and wine, petrolhead (cars and motorcycles). How were you diagnosed and...

Read Story

Barbara (Italy)

My name is Barbara. I am 51 years old, I was born in Rome and live in Santarcangelo di Romagna close to Rimini...

Read Story

Sue Williams (UK)

2018, I had lost two stone, busy life, family and full time job, at 56 I thought that was how life was? Relaxing after...

Read Story

David Corbin (UK)

I was first diagnosed in August 2019 and after seeing multiple consultants in a short period of time I was referred to Sheffield...

Read Story

Andreia (Portugal)

I was diagnosed in August 2013 after 5 years of dealing with a recurring pain attributed to a cyst in my left ovary. The...

Read Story

Amanda (UK)

I was diagnosed as being menopausal at 48 in 2014 and opted for HRT so from then on I was getting regular checks and...

Read Story

Adam Martin (Northern Ireland)

For 18 months I thought I had a food intolerance, or IBS as almost every time I ate I had stomach pains. The...

Read Story

Pauline Mather (UK)

I was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer of my pancreas & liver February 2019. I had major Whipple surgery May 2019 at Freeman hospital Newcastle...

Read Story

Marbellys Bayne-Azcarate (UK)

I was diagnosed in October 2015 with Stage IV Neuroendocrine Cancer. I had been experiencing intermittent and unexplained abdominal pain for five years...

Read Story

NETs are more common than brain, ovarian, and cervical cancer and incidence is on the rise.

We need the help of our global community to raise awareness and improve diagnostic times and the quality of life for NET patients around the world.

On November 10, help us spread the word

Know the symptoms. Push for diagnosis. #LetsTalkAboutNETs