Hi NETworkers!

Welcome to my monthly ‘Community’ newsletter. This is April 2017’s monthly summary of Ronny Allan’s Community news, views and ICYMI (in case you missed it!).

This year, it’s occurred to me that I’ve gone beyond just being known as a ‘blog’ and have transformed into something with a much wider focus within the NET Community and beyond. I’ve added a new section called NET News. This is a catch up of stuff I’ve accumulated over the past month but perhaps not yet posted or simply want to emphasise what I think is significant news about NETs or might impact or influence NETs  This section replaces ‘Highlights’ which will be renamed to ‘NET Cancer Blog Activity’ and cover my efforts to generate awareness and to help others.

NET News

The following news items may be of interest:

• PRRT.  Advanced Accelerator Applications (AAA) the manufacturers of Lutathera for PRRT have announced they are on track for a mid year resubmission of the data (NDA) to the US FDA for their consideration and hopefully approval.  They also indicated that the EMA authorisation may happen in Q3 (period 1 July – 30 September) – this would be key for UK where the treatment was withdrawn from routine service in 2015.  Read more here.
• New Trial.  Based on use of an immunotherapy drug ATEZOLIZUMAB (Tecentriq) combo’d with BEVACIZUMAB (more well known as Avastin) which is a type of biological therapy.  Click here.
• Everolimus and Sunitinib. In England, NICE approves Everolimus (Afinitor) and Sunitinib (Sutent). Read more by clicking here.

NET Cancer Blog Activity

Like April, May was a slower month in ‘new’ blogging terms due to a number of external projects and a continuing flow of private messages. I continue to suffer back pain but my GP is now sending me to a physiotherapist (I sometimes forget I’m a patient too!). However, despite a low month for brand new blogs, I still managed to accumulate the third biggest monthly blog views ever.  ……..Thank you all so much ♥

I continue to receive a steady flow of private contacts, mainly from patients seeking information. I don’t have an issue with private contact but please note my disclaimer.  The number of non-patients contacting me for other reasons (mainly to help with something) continues to grow.

BREAKING NEWS:  I’ve been nominated for the 2017 WEGO Health Awards in two categories so far, Blog and Patient Leader Hero.  If you remember last year, I made it to the final in two categories of Blog and Community and won the latter.   I’ll bring you more details in due course.

Speaking Engagements

On 7 July, I’ve been invited to speak for 10 minutes at the PLANETS patient conference in Southampton.  This is special for me as it’s where my major treatments took place and some of my medical team will be there.

On 13 July, I’ve been invited to speak for around an hour at the Cardiff (South Wales) NET Patient meeting.  Things are starting to happen in this area and I already know Dr Mo Khan who is a NET specialist working hard on behalf of patients.  I’m really looking forward to visiting and talking to this group.

Writing and other Engagements (external)

I contributed to an article written by the CEO of WEGO Health about the spread of fake health news (miracle cures etc).  You can read the post here –On Facebook fake news can be life or death

I wrote an article for Macmillan Cancer Support which is due to be published on 5 Jun 2017 (will post next week).  This is part of Macmillan Volunteers week and I volunteered to write about my recent experience in becoming a Macmillan Community Champion.

I took part in a Macmillan poster campaign last year and finally got to stand next to a working poster in my home town of Dundee!  Here’s me here next to the poster:

There are one or two others but they are not firm yet – but you’ll be the first to know when I know!

New (or significantly updated) Blogs Published

Due to the vagaries of Facebook inner workings, some of these may not have even shown on your Facebook timeline.  So, ICYMI …….here’s a summary with links:

• ASCO 2017 – Let’s talk about NETs #ASCO17.  Extracts on the NET subjects being discussed at the biggest Oncology conference in the world.
• Waiting on PRRT ….. light at the end of the tunnel?  Contains the latest update as at 31 May so this is really hot off the press.
• Neuroendocrine Tumours – not as rare as you think.  Now containing the latest SEER data confirming NETs no longer rare in USA.
• NETwork with Ronny © – Newsletter April 2017.   ICYMI

Awareness Activity in May 2017

New Audiences for NET Cancer.  From Day 1, I said it was my aim to find new audiences for NETS rather than just share stuff within our own community.

• I’m ‘extremely’ active on twitter and I find a lot of my research stuff there. I also use it to support other conditions and it’s mostly returned (i.e. others help with NET awareness). There is so much on twitter that I could swamp the community Facebook site so I started a twitter newsletter via an app called Nuzzel which seeks out stuff I normally like. Click this link and sign up if you think this is something you’d be interested in receiving.  Currently 192 subscribers – up 20% on last month.
• I continue to be featured by ‘external’ organisations such as WEGO and my PODCAST is reaching new audiences – click here.  Other irons are in the fire but unable to bring you firm news just yet.
• I’m making new friends in the interventional radiologist community and am waiting on a video featuring a NET Patient (will bring you details in due course) and I’m learning more about these technologies from reading their tweets – I had no idea how many different jobs these guys do! I’m also seeing an increase from the Pathology community.  The trailer for the documentary which will feature a NET Patient can be found by clicking here.  The actual documentary is now available on Vimeo and Amazon Prime.
• I’m proud to have been asked to become a ‘Community Champion’ on the Macmillan Cancer Support Forum helping outliers from the NET community there. I’ll be reporting more on this in the coming weeks.

Patients Included.  A new campaign for 2017. I was excited to have been invited to the first ever joint Patient-Physician symposium at the annual ENETS conference in Barcelona 8 – 11 March. I have really good information which will feed into my blogs, either as updates or new blogs. This new blog is a result of attending this symposium but it’s from an existing campaign run along the ‘Consequences’ campaign run by Macmillan Cancer Support for all cancers. In the war on Neuroendocrine Cancer, let’s not forget to win the battle for better quality of life

Social Media and Stats

Blog Milestone.  In May, I tipped over 290,000 views! Thank you all so much ♥ Keep sharing!

Facebook Milestone.  I’m aiming for 5000 followers by year-end and this is on track. The Facebook page is now my biggest outlet for awareness and education so please please please recommend this page to anyone you think would be interested.

Instagram

I’m expanding into Instagram to see how that goes. I’ve amassed over 200 followers to date. Initially, I’ll just be posting pictures of things that inspire me, mostly scenic photos of places I’ve been or want to go!  You can follow me here:  Click here to go to my Instagram page

Figures

• Facebook – 4689.  This is a key outlet for my blog – please encourage others to like my page (if you’d like to know how to use your Facebook to invite others to my page – let me know, I can provide you with a step by step approach). Please also join my 2017 awareness campaign event here (select ‘Going’)
• Twitter – 3915 / 3017 Follow me here @RonnyAllan1 / @NETCancerBlog
• Total Blog Views: 292,626
• Blog with most views: 9211 – The Anatomy of Neuroendocrine Cancer 
• Most blog views in one day:  2043 on 15 Jan 2017.  Why the spike? …..  “The Anatomy of Neuroendocrine Cancer” 
• Most blog views in one month: 19,303 in Apr 2017.  Why the spike? …. too many to list – see above!

Where did May 2017 Blog views come from? – Top 10 countries:  India on the up.

For interest. the 10 Ten Facebook followers by Country – Germany sneaking up.  Interestingly Canada reads more than Australia despite fewer followers.  India reads a lot!

WOW!  – that’s an amazing amount of awareness and hopefully, support for others.  However, I cannot do this without you guys liking, commenting and sharing!  The likes give me motivation, the comments (and private messages) give me inspiration (or at least a chance to explain further) and the sharing gives me a bigger platform.  A bigger platform generates more awareness.

Thanks for your great support in May.  Onwards and upwards!

Thanks for reading

Ronny

Hey, I’m also active on Facebook.  Like my page for even more news.

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Remember ….. in the war on Neuroendocrine Cancer, let’s not forget to win the battle for better quality of life!