19 Sep 2016
By Ronny Allan
14 Comments

Procrastination – it’s a killer

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy, Survivorship, , , , , ,
It's amazing to think that one minute I'm back from a holiday in the Caribbean and the next minute I'm being told the inside of my body is a 'train crash'. Just how does that work?  In July 2010, I said to the Gastroenterologist investigating my low hemoglobin "I'm not even feeling ill". He sent me to an Oncologist who then told me that without treatment, the prognosis wasn't good (i.e. I would eventually die). I also told him I wasn't feeling ill ....as if my protest was somehow going to reverse the situation! The term 'silent cancer' was apt in…
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24 Aug 2016
By Ronny Allan
8 Comments
Stop talking about it, just go do it!

Stop talking about it, just go do it!

Inspiration, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy, Survivorship, Travel with Ronny, ,
"Yes, we must do this one day ......." and then we don't! We're all guilty of it aren't we? For years Chris and I have discussed travelling around the coast of Scotland and we're just back from a fantastic holiday where we saw some wonderful scenery. And we did the Edinburgh Tattoo on the way there! Yet another ....... "We must do this one day......." I've even decided that looking at this wonderful scenery is a form of medicine and a way to be inspired to do more. Admittedly we were motivated by the recent declaration of the new "North Coast 500"…
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01 Aug 2016
By Ronny Allan
10 Comments
Living with Cancer – if you’re reading this, you’re surviving

Living with Cancer – if you’re reading this, you’re surviving

Inspiration, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Survivorship, , , , ,
You may sometimes feel like you're not surviving but if you're reading this then you most definitely must be! For the first few years after my diagnosis, I avoided using the word 'survivor' in relation to my incurable cancer. I had no idea what was going to happen. It just didn't seem to sit right despite the fact I'm a 'glass half full' kind of guy. However ........ I was studying the term 'Survivorship' and found it also applies to those living with incurable and long-term cancer. This piece of research totally changed my thinking. Today is National Cancer Survivors…
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27 Jul 2016
By Ronny Allan
6 Comments

Exercise and Cancer: Forward is Forward

Inspiration, , ,
One of the very first blog posts I wrote was about exercise. Basically I said it was like medicine and I have not changed that view much.  Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood but it's also known to help improve self-esteem and cognitive function.  You will not find a single healthcare institution that doesn't recommend exercise in any shape of form. All cancer patients should attempt to keep active and this is even more important if you are being treated for long-term cancer. Why? Because keeping active will not only help your physical condition but it will…
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24 Jun 2016
By Ronny Allan
14 Comments
What you don’t know might kill you

What you don’t know might kill you

Awareness, Treatment, , , , , , , ,
A few weeks before I was diagnosed in July 2010, Chris and I flew off to Barbados on holiday.  Both of us were looking forward to a nice break after a hectic start to 2010.  When we got back, we both agreed it was the most relaxing holiday we had ever been on. However, what I didnt know all the time I was lying on a sunbed soaking up the Caribbean sun drinking 'pina coladas', was the fact that Neuroendocrine Tumours had been growing in my small intestine, had spread into my mesenteric lymph nodes, into my liver, into my left…
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15 Jun 2016
By Ronny Allan
4 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer – it can be ‘smoke and mirrors’

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, , , , , , , , ,
In a previous life, I used the term 'smoke and mirrors' quite a bit.  I was used to dealing with many different types of people, some who wanted something, some who wanted to buy or sell something. Most of the time it was overt but the devil was usually in the detail.  Sometimes there was an element of 'covertness' or a 'hidden agenda'.  It was always tricky working out the details of the hidden agenda and sometimes it was only known when it was too late.  Some of you will already be seeing where I'm going with this line of thinking -…
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13 Jun 2016
By Ronny Allan
4 Comments

Intra-Operative RadioTheraphy (IORT) for Neuroendocrine Cancer – new landmark treatment launch

Awareness, Treatment, , , , , , , , , , , ,
New treatments seem to be appearing every month and that is good news for patients.  I have a personal connection to this one though.  In 2014, Chris and I walked along Hadrian's Wall, a 2,000-year-old World Heritage structure in Northern England.  This was part therapy for me but also part fund-raising to help pay for this new treatment which launches today in Southampton General Hospital (UK) which was recently awarded the coveted title of European NET Centre of Excellence (along with Bournemouth and Portsmouth Hospitals).  It is the first ever deployment of this type of treatment in UK and Chris and I were…
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20 May 2016
By Ronny Allan
0 Comments
Clinical Trial: PRRT and Chemo combination therapy

Clinical Trial: PRRT and Chemo combination therapy

Clinical Trials and Research, , , , , , ,
Update 2022:  Trial complete.  Results:The final results of this trial were presented at ASCO 2022 where it was concluded as follows:"CONTROL NETs is the first randomized trial to demonstrate efficacy for PRRT in pNETs, in addition to a standard of care. Extended follow up confirms durable CAPTEM/PRRT activity, with superior PFS in pNETs. Late haematologic toxicity was seen in both mNET PRRT arms but was not higher with additional CAPTEM. The activity of CAPTEM/PRRT in pNETs should be tested in the phase III setting" - click here to read the abstract. Combination treatments are common in chemotherapy, but this trial was…
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21 Apr 2016
By Ronny Allan
12 Comments
Neuroendocrine Cancer – unexpected detours

Neuroendocrine Cancer – unexpected detours

Awareness, Inspiration, ,
I've mentioned 'luck' a few times in many of my 'cancerversary' milestones - these tend to make me reflect on my experience.  Even though I was metastatic at diagnosis, I think of myself as lucky on the basis that my tumours were found by 'chance', or to be more accurate, found following an innocuous set of circumstances.  This is a common diagnostic experience for many - but more people need that luck via better education and awareness. Click here to hear me talk about my diagnosis. As we know, Neuroendocrine Cancer can sometimes be very difficult to discover and diagnose.…
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04 Apr 2016
By Ronny Allan
3 Comments
Somatostatin Analogues and delivery methods in the pipeline

Somatostatin Analogues and delivery methods in the pipeline

Awareness, Clinical Trials and Research, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
NOTE - THIS IS IN NEED OF AN UPDATE AND IS ON MY LIST OF THINGS TO DOThis is my live blog post covering new developments in the area of new Somatostatin Analogues and new delivery systems. AbstractAs most of you will be aware, there are currently two main types of Somatostatin Analogues (SSA) in use for the treatment of mainstream Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs) - Octreotide and Lanreotide.  You can click on the links for information on both of these well-known NET treatments.  This post will focus on the not so well known and anything in the pipeline including different delivery…
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21 Mar 2016
By Ronny Allan
5 Comments

100,000 blog views – thank you!

Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer,
NET Cancer Blog has just recorded 100,000 blog views. I'm extremely excited to have reached this major milestone. However, I'm also really grateful to my followers on this blog site, on Facebook, on Pinterest, on Google+ and on twitter for supporting me through thick and thin. Your engagement with my blog whether a simple 'like', a share, a comment, a pin, a tweet, a retweet, an email or via a private message; is not only extremely motivating but also very humbling. Thank you so much for giving NET Cancer 100,000 pokes in the eye! Onwards and upwards to 200,000! Ronny I’m also active on Facebook. …
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18 Feb 2016
By Ronny Allan
12 Comments

Patient power – use it!

Inspiration, Patient Advocacy,
I recently wrote a blog entitled "Trust me, I'm a Doctor" which was a genuine attempt to say that we should try to work with our Doctors.  However, I also covered the issues that Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) patients face in finding someone who understands their disease and how best to treat it; and that can on occasion lead to issues with doctor-patient relationships and communication.  The blog then commented on a number of tips for better doctor-patient relationship and communication.  These tips were provided by a Doctor via my friends in Cancer Knowledge Network. In the blog above, there was an underlying…
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11 Feb 2016
By Ronny Allan
12 Comments
Tips for doctor patient communication – “Trust me, I’m a Doctor”

Tips for doctor patient communication – “Trust me, I’m a Doctor”

Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy, Survivorship, , ,
Reviewed and updated 4th June 2022Patient doctor communicationsOne of the most frequent posts on patient groups and forums is about the Patient-Doctor relationship (or occasionally a lack of it.....).   Personally, I have a lot of time and respect for all medical staff and I suspect that has been influenced by my general life experience, perhaps cemented since my diagnosis of metastatic Neuroendocrine Cancer in 2010.  The vast majority of people tend to trust Doctors and I'm a bit old-fashioned in this respect.  If you have metastatic Neuroendocrine Cancer, you see medical staff a lot!  Relationships and communication can therefore become more important than ever.However, people with less…
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28 Jan 2016
By Ronny Allan
4 Comments

Innovation at Royal Free – Lung Biopsy and Radio Frequency Ablation Service

Treatment, , , , , , , , ,
A team of radiologists and respiratory consultants who introduced a new and more efficient lung biopsy method at Barnet Hospital London, has been named the winner of the NHS Innovation Challenge Prize in the ‘cancer care’ category.  Barnet Hospital is run by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust which is well known for its Neuroendocrine Cancer Centre of Excellence. Not happy with this, they've now gone on to introduce a new service combining this innovative biopsy system with Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) of tumours in the same procedure. Combined Biopsy with Radio Frequency Ablation (RFA) This new service has significant advantages…
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10 Jan 2016
By Ronny Allan
5 Comments
Clinical Trial: Neuroendocrine Cancer drug in the pipeline – Fosbretabulin Tromethamine CA4P (incl combo with Everolimus)

Clinical Trial: Neuroendocrine Cancer drug in the pipeline – Fosbretabulin Tromethamine CA4P (incl combo with Everolimus)

Treatment, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
{NEW} added 4 June 2019 From ASCO 2019 conference extract: Of the 17 patients enrolled, 16 completed the 12-week trial. One patient was not evaluable due to noncompliance. No DLTs were observed at day 21. The highest dose of 10 mg daily oral everolimus in combination with weekly 60mg/m2 IV fosbretabulin is the RP2D. No grade 4 or 5 toxicities were noted. Grade 3 toxicities were seen in 5 patients; abdominal pain and hyperglycemia (not related to study drug), fatigue (possibly related), decreased lymphocyte count and anemia (related). Several patients had delay in treatment due to grade 2 AE’s (GI…
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29 Dec 2015
By Ronny Allan
2 Comments

Neuroendocrine Cancer – a Doctor’s experience

General, , , ,
UNFORTUNATELY, MILL HILL TIMES HAVE REMOVED THE DOCTOR'S STORY FROM THEIR WEBSITE BUT I'M TRYING TO OBTAIN THE SCRIPT ELSEWHERE. When I was undergoing my initial treatment and surgery I didn't really have the knowledge I have now.  I was initially treated by experienced Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) specialists in an established NET Centre and I guess I felt comfortable with what was happening.  In hindsight, I wish I had studied the disease earlier as I would have understood at the time what was actually happening to my body and more fully understood the treatments I was to undergo. As we…
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22 Oct 2015
By Ronny Allan
7 Comments
Your Money or Your Life

Your Money or Your Life

Inspiration, Survivorship, Treatment, , , , , , , , , , , ,
As I have a 2 year old post about Danielle, I wanted to preface it with this message. It is with great sadness that I let you know Danielle Tindle passed away at the end of August 2017 after a prolonged battle with Neuroendocrine Carcinoma. She had been fighting cancer in one form or another for 12 years and became passionate in campaigning for more attention for young cancer patients.  I've been following her story for almost 2 years and she has really inspired me.  The title of this article is based on the title of a TV programme about…
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15 Oct 2015
By Ronny Allan
17 Comments

Not all Cancer is simple

General, , , , ,
So Victoria Derbyshire has breast cancer and has used her 'workplace' as a platform to let people know she is a determined survivor. Nothing wrong with that, it's great cancer awareness for some and inspiration for others (including me). However, reading through various newspaper follow-up articles, blogs and social media comments, I can see criticism by many for producing an over simplified message (see picture below).  Although many of us will be wishing it was so, not all cancer is simple! Take Neuroendocrine Cancer for example. For some, this 'silent' cancer can take years to be finally diagnosed whilst the patient is misdiagnosed with…
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07 Sep 2015
By Ronny Allan
11 Comments

PRRT and the NHS England Cancer Drugs Fund (now archived information)

Treatment, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Please note this post is now historic information - PRRT (Lutathera) was eventually approved for use in UK.  See the following post for the very latest on PRRT worldwide - CLICK HERE I was extremely disappointed to learn of the decision to remove PRRT (Lutetium or Yttrium) from the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF).  You can read the detail of the decision here: CDF Statement.  PRRT has regularly been described by NET specialists and patients as the "magic bullet" due to its potential to shrink or kill tumours.  This is the second Neuroendocrine Cancer treatment to be withdrawn this year, after…
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04 Sep 2015
By Ronny Allan
2 Comments

Screw that diagnosis and get on with it!

General, , ,
  Every now and then I see a positive story during my travels around the internet.  When I saw this one from K**** in Pennsylvania, I had to share.  If you're feeling a little bit down and need cheering up, dig out this blog and take a read :-) K**** wrote: "I began my Carcinoid journey about 7 years ago, newly married to a wonderful man and his daughter at the age of 43.  I was also newly retired (from CPA and also Large Animal/Equine Surgical Veterinary Assistant) and was looking forward to a nice, peaceful, fun, loooong life. But, things…
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18 Aug 2015
By Ronny Allan
35 Comments
Neuroendocrine…..the little suckers get everywhere!

Neuroendocrine…..the little suckers get everywhere!

Awareness, , , , ,
UNDER REVIEW FOR REPUBLISHING USING 2025 DATA One of the key milestones in my awareness campaigns occurred when I featured as a guest blogger for one of the biggest cancer 'support' organisations in the world - Macmillan. The aim of the blog 'Sorry I'm not in service' was actually to highlight the consequences of cancer and its treatment (a Macmillan Campaign message), and to a certain extent to highlight the conflict that can often exist between work and cancer. However, it was also a fantastic opportunity for me to grab the interest of the general population with the word 'Neuroendocrine'.  The response was amazing and on twitter it…
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21 Jul 2015
By Ronny Allan
16 Comments
Sorry, I’m not in service

Sorry, I’m not in service

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, ,
This blog was first published in 2015 and featured by Macmillan Cancer UK - although they don't feature my guest blog now due to their revised publication rules (but you're reading it now so it doesn't matter!).  See this link to their Facebook post publishing my guest blog click here .....let's activate this 10 year old discussion in the Facebook post comments!  Let's get this post bumped up their Facebook feed - this generates awareness. It's good to be busy, it can take your mind off stuff you don't really want to think about. That was my tactic after being…
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14 May 2015
By Ronny Allan
8 Comments

Chasing normality

Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Survivorship, Treatment, , , , , , , , , , , ,
Cancer isn’t always a one-time event. It can be a chronic (ongoing) illness, much like diabetes or heart disease. Cancer can be closely watched and treated, but sometimes it never completely goes away. The cancer may be 'controlled' with treatment, meaning it might seem to go away or stay the same, and it doesn’t grow or spread as long as you are getting appropriate treatment. Sometimes the treatment shrinks the cancer, but the cancer is still there – it doesn’t go away and stay away – it’s not cured.  More people are living with cancer than ever before and the ratio…
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07 May 2015
By Ronny Allan
4 Comments

The C Word

General, ,
'The C Word' or 'The Big C' - the subject which must not be discussed.  Or is this now an out of date phrase?  I read a useful article a month ago where the author debated where we might be if, 50 years ago, we were as open about cancer as we are now (there, I said the word).  Nowadays you cannot turn a page in a newspaper without seeing a story of sadness, inspiration or medical science progress. Certainly the latter has played a huge part in reducing cancer mortality rates and sending more people into remission. We now have much…
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10 Feb 2015
By Ronny Allan
0 Comments

Turning a negative into a postive

General,
Interesting piece in the news today and there's an amazing story behind it.  The "Lung Cancer Breathalyser" is not a new technology but following the death of his wife from advanced colon cancer, inventor Billy Boyle has produced something good enough to have been accepted on a trial basis by the NHS. If successful, it has the potential to save thousands of lives. Lung Cancer is a big killer and the survival rate at Stage 4 is around 5%. Let's hope this invention works. When I was reading the article, I immediately recognised his wife as a blogger I was following and who…
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03 Feb 2015
By Ronny Allan
27 Comments

Lanreotide – Four more years

Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy, Survivorship, , , , , ,
This post has been superseded by the following: Lanreotide: it's calling the shots - click here. Lanreotide:  10 (then 13) more years please! - click here. Lanreotide vs Octreotide - click here. Original post: The UK general election steps up a gear this month and social media is playing a huge part in the debate leading up to 7 May 2015.  In the USA, the different parties are busily working on their candidates ready for 2016. It appears that politicians worldwide, are keen to exploit all areas of communication to eke out votes from the young and old who now use social media on a scale…
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28 Jan 2015
By Ronny Allan
9 Comments

Intelligent patients – just what the doctor didn’t order

General
    I'm extremely pleased and honoured to have been selected as the first guest contributor to feature in the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation's blog site! I've been following these guys since I was diagnosed.  They have been serving the Carcinoid/NET Community for over 44 Years and they are in my opinion the largest and most respected Carcinoid Cancer organisation on the planet. The Carcinoid Cancer Foundation began as the ‘Carcinoid Tumor and Serotonin Research Foundation’ in 1968 when the NIH fund for rare cancers was terminated. The name was changed to the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation in 1995. It is a non-profit…
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18 Jan 2015
By Ronny Allan
0 Comments

Disobedient Objects

General
My wife and I were in London recently and we took the opportunity to visit the world-famous Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in South Kensington.  A particular display caught my eye entitled "Disobedient Objects" and I immediately thought it had a scientific sound to it.  Imagining a set of everyday objects which somehow didn't behave as you would expect, it sounded great fun so I wandered in.  How wrong I was, it was actually an exhibition examining the powerful role of objects in movements for social change.  The term 'disobedient' was used as these objects were designed by grassroots social movements mostly for use in street protests.  These ranged…
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15 Jan 2015
By Ronny Allan
4 Comments
Well done NHS!

Well done NHS!

Treatment, , , ,
I've been reasonably lucky with my health over the years, suffering only the usual common ailments. I was slightly asthmatic as a child but this seemed to disappear when I left school going straight into military service. They say an army marches on its stomach... only partly true but the military did look after my health with regular check ups. I think the only medical emergency I had in my 29 years in that wonderful organisation was being knocked out in boxing training aged 16! When I left the military in 2001, I was fortunate to benefit from free health…
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07 Jan 2015
By Ronny Allan
7 Comments
The Mother of all Surgeries

The Mother of all Surgeries

Treatment, , , , , , ,
My plan for this week's blog was to continue with a surgery theme using the story of a lady who had what was described as the "Mother of all Surgeries" after being late diagnosed with a very rare and advanced type of appendiceal cancer. With NETs, surgery is a topical subject as not everyone will be able to have it and some might not even need it. Check out my blog "to cut or not to cut". I suggested in a previous blog that 'Surgery is a gift that keeps on giving' and that is probably true for many cancer survivors. However, I then added that NETs were…
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30 Dec 2014
By Ronny Allan
3 Comments

End of the year but not end of the mission

General
Hope you all had a nice festive break?  Chris and I had 3 separate dinners making sure we made the most of our extended family base.  We decided to join in the Christmas jumper fashion statement which seems to be vogue this year - thus the picture!  At least we got to wear them 3 times! Now that busy period is over, I've had the chance to reflect on the last 8 months of blogging and look forward to my plans for 2015. I created this blog site on 29 Apr 2014 mainly to document an 84 mile charity hike across Hadrian's Wall - a…
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05 Dec 2014
By Ronny Allan
0 Comments
Neuroendocrine Cancer – not an exact Science

Neuroendocrine Cancer – not an exact Science

Awareness, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Patient Advocacy, , , , , , , ,
UNDER CONSTRUCTION I've been interested in science since my school days and seem to remember it being separated into Biology, Physics and Chemistry for study and examination purposes. Biology wasn't on my radar and as I found Chemistry boring, I focused on Physics which seemed to be more 'modern' and exciting. Curiously, at the beginning of my Open University degree course some 25 years later, I found the Biology and Chemistry modules of my foundation year the most enjoyable part of the whole 6 year study.  Different teaching methods? different teachers?  Perhaps, but I suspect some maturity was involved plus a hunger for new knowledge. I seem to have caught the learning bug again since…
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01 Dec 2014
By Ronny Allan
2 Comments
Tobacco and Cancer: A smoking gun?

Tobacco and Cancer: A smoking gun?

Patient Advocacy,
I've never smoked so I'm reasonably confident my own cancer experience is not related to this type of personal lifestyle.  I did, however, grow up in a world where smoking was widespread and a generally accepted behaviour. We now know that smoking causes more than four in five cases of lung cancer. Lung cancer not only has one of the lowest survival rates of all cancers, but is the most common cause of cancer death in the UK.  Shockingly, most of these deaths are preventable, by giving up smoking in time or not starting at all. Smoking also increases the risk of at least 13 other…
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20 Oct 2014
By Ronny Allan
0 Comments

Awareness, Awareness, Awareness

General
When Tony Blair swept to power in 1997, he said:  "Ask me my three main priorities for government and I tell you education, education, and education".  His approach of repeated word emphasis has been copied and recycled by many others replacing the words with something to suit their own message.  I'm now guilty of similar plagiarism! One of the key aims of my blog is to spread awareness of Neuroendocrine Cancer and I'm very pleased to be part of the 'worldwide team' doing my bit to help. I started blogging in Apr this year mainly to support a sponsored walk but it…
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06 Oct 2014
By Ronny Allan
0 Comments

A Commitment to Fight Cancer

General
I was a spectator at the Bournemouth marathon on Sunday 5 Oct 2014.  I was there to shout for my old army friend, Steve Davis, who was running 26.2 miles for PLANETS Charity.  When Steve found out I was living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, he immediately volunteered his services to help raise funds. Steve is a runner but when you are '50 something', running a marathon is no easy feat - not easy on your feet either :-) I had seen excerpts of marathons on television but this was my first time as a spectator at a live event.  One thing that…
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19 Aug 2014
By Ronny Allan
0 Comments

Met an old friend today; his name is Gym

General,
I think I first met Gym at school in the sixties - we normally met on a weekly basis. We were reacquainted when I joined the army and hooked up more frequently! It was there I met some of Gym's friends, known as PTIs (Physical Training Instructors). Their opening line was normally "Ten times round my large bronze chest...... GO! " and then we would proceed with the 'beasting'.  I suspect I might now be prodded by the PTIs on my facebook page - there are one or two out there :-) I've always been a fairly fit guy but over time…
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17 Aug 2014
By Ronny Allan
2 Comments

Am I at fighting weight?

General
I recently blogged about my boxing experience in post: http://wp.me/p4AplF-r7  In those days I was just a wee skinny 16 year old guy! I think I was in the Bantamweight category, somewhere between 8 and 9 stone (50 - 57 kg). Although I gained some weight after years of service in the military, I didn't really 'bulk out' in the wrong places until I left the military aged 45. Even then it wasn't what you would call overweight or obese. I joined a gym, determined to maintain some form of fitness.  I sacked it due to pressures of work but then…
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12 Jul 2014
By Ronny Allan
1 Comment
Finding Hotspots

Finding Hotspots

Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, , , ,
Just back from a nice relaxing holiday in Tenerife.  I don't know about you but when overseas I find myself looking for 'hotspots' everywhere I go....... I don't mean trendy entertainment venues, I'm talking about the modern phenomenon known as a WiFi signal! I also mean free and open connections.  Even recent price reductions within Europe did not tempt me to use 'data'  overseas and I didn't even want to take advantage of the £2 per day upgrade of my mobile phone account which would give me access to my minutes/MBs overseas on a temporary basis. I just look for free WiFi…
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25 Jun 2014
By Ronny Allan
0 Comments
A Highland Coup

A Highland Coup

General
One of my favourite memories from childhood is the vision of the finest looking cattle in the UK - the Highland 'Coo' (for those who are thinking I've made a mistake in my title spelling, read on!).   The memories are not confined to seeing them grazing in the fields but I also remember them as the iconic symbol of a famous Scottish toffee known as "Highland Toffee" made by McGowans in Stenhousemuir - also famous for its football team :-)  Having researched this toffee for my blog, I just found out the firm went bust in 2011.  However, the brand survived and…
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19 Jun 2014
By Ronny Allan
4 Comments

Up and atom!!

General
  I already explained Day 1 of this 3 day 'scanathon' in blog: http://wp.me/p4AplF-lY     Bit techy but added some humour to dilute some of that down. Just a quick post to elaborate on the remainder of the experience which was completed yesterday. I've had this scan twice previously with the last one in the summer of 2011 and both were done in Bournemouth Hospital. Due to a merging of the Bournemouth and Poole Nuclear Medicine Departments, these are now done at Poole. Interesting journey from/to Ringwood especially in the rush hour!  Also, the hospital parking was challenging to say…
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18 Jun 2014
By Ronny Allan
0 Comments

Forget the posturing, it’s results that matter

General
    You can tell there is a football competition on and they don't get bigger than the World Cup which I believe is one of the world's great sporting competitions second only to the Olympics?  Like it or not, this is a time when football fans suddenly become experts, apparently knowing even more about the game than the managers, players, pundits and commentators - particularly in hindsight after the match!  Is it just me or do you also wonder why these 'armchair pundits' aren't in the aforementioned jobs :-) Social media has increased the reach of the armchair pundits and…
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16 Jun 2014
By Ronny Allan
2 Comments

I’ve just been nuked!

General
When I was in the military, I was given basic training in how to deal with the threat of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare (known then as NBC).   However, there was a focus on the chemical side as that was classed as the most defendable of the 3 and probably the most likely scenario (but that's only my opinion!).  I think the training for nuclear attack consisted of the following advice: 'put your head between your legs and kiss your arse goodbye' :-)  Some 13 years after departing that wonderful organisation, I'm now allowing radioactivity to be injected into…
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09 Jun 2014
By Ronny Allan
2 Comments

Beyond the Wall

General
One of the first tasks on return from Hadrian's Wall was to catch up with my favourite TV show Game of Thrones (GOT).  The latest story concerns Tyrion Lannister, the dwarf son of Lord Tywin Lannister. Tyrion is technically the heir to House Lannister, thus why his father Tywin is plotting to get rid of him using the murder of King Joffrey as the reason. There was even talk of him being banished for eternity to be the Lord of the Sworn Brothers of the 'Night's Watch' on the Wall to face the 'blue painted' barbarians not to mention the mysterious 'White Walkers'.  Can't…
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31 May 2014
By Ronny Allan
4 Comments
Hadrian’s Wall Day 6 – Mission Complete!

Hadrian’s Wall Day 6 – Mission Complete!

Awareness, Inspiration, Living with Neuroendocrine Cancer, Travel with Ronny, ,
The final leg of the our Hadrian's Wall walk took us from beautiful Carlisle to the remote coast of North Cumbria at Bowness-on-Solway.  We are staying there tonight before beginning our journey home tomorrow (via Newcastle). Amazingly our digs have a wicked view of the Scottish coastline and the setting sun - see picture above which was taken from our room.  It was pretty surreal to have finished 6 days of torturous walking but also to be able to look at such a wonderful view of the country in which I was born. Some people say final leg of the…
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30 May 2014
By Ronny Allan
2 Comments
Hadrian’s Wall Day 5 – Pass the morphine!

Hadrian’s Wall Day 5 – Pass the morphine!

Patient Advocacy
When I was in hospital for major surgery, I remember being briefed by my excellent nursing staff about all the tubes and pipes intruding and protruding into/from my body. One of the most important ones in the early days was known as PCA - Patient Controlled Analgesia. Basically, I could click a button whenever I felt the post-surgical pain was too much. As this administered morphine, safeguards were built in - for example, the machine limited me to 2 clicks within 5 minutes and then it wouldn't accept a request for another 5 minutes. That handheld push button device was…
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29 May 2014
By Ronny Allan
2 Comments
Hadrian’s Wall Day 4 – Welcome to Cumbria!

Hadrian’s Wall Day 4 – Welcome to Cumbria!

Patient Advocacy
That was a long day and a hard walk!  Started at Steel Rigg and ended at Lanercost and we were accompanied by our friend and ex-Army colleague, Jim Waterson.  Jim and I served together in Germany 1977-79 and then again in Blandford Dorset 1983-84.  Usual banter all day brought back more memories and news about some old mutual friends.  Thanks to Jim for a great day. Thanks also to Jennifer for picking us up to take us to the start point on the wall and vice versa at the end.The route was a mixture of hilly crags and rolling fields…
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28 May 2014
By Ronny Allan
5 Comments
Hadrian’s Wall Day 3 – Spectacular but wet!

Hadrian’s Wall Day 3 – Spectacular but wet!

Patient Advocacy
Chris and I adopted the famous military 'buddy buddy' system this morning by checking each other's feet and applying blister pads.  We then set off on a hilly section with some spectacular scenery.  But first we collected our friend Dave Taylor who was walking this tough section with us.The forecast rain didn't arrive until around an hour into the walk and then another hour after that it was time for waterproof trousers.   Pretty rough underfoot with plenty mud and damp grass.   Stonework was in some places dangerously slippy.  I fell once, fortunately I managed to miss landing on…
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27 May 2014
By Ronny Allan
4 Comments
Hadrian’s Wall Day 2 – The wall appears

Hadrian’s Wall Day 2 – The wall appears

Patient Advocacy
This was the first real piece of the wall we say and it's the second day We must have been doing a blistering pace today!  Four of them – I claim 3 and Chris has one.  Nothing spectacular but a discomfort we could do without. Blister kit has been deployed and resupply to see us through the week will RV with us on Day 4 at Steel Rigg (cheers Jim W). In hindsight I should have deployed the blister kit last night as I had a feeling my tender feet would be even more tender by end of play today.…
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26 May 2014
By Ronny Allan
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Hadrian’s Wall Day 1 – Sunny Newcastle

Hadrian’s Wall Day 1 – Sunny Newcastle

Inspiration
The first day under our belts but it wasn't easy.  We always knew it would be an odd walk with the first two thirds in urban environments. The first third of the route took us from Segedumun Fort, the official start/end of the wall walk in the east. There is evidence of Newcastle's previous and declining shipping industry all the way along the Tyne.  The second third took us through modern Newcastle including impressive views of the Sage and Baltic Arts Centres on the opposite bank and the iconic Tyne Bridge which we walked under.  Quite a lot of riverside…
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22 May 2014
By Ronny Allan
1 Comment

My blog goes International!

Awareness, Patient Advocacy
One of the most interesting statistics in my blog app is the total number of views recorded each day.  It even breaks the total down into which posts were most viewed and which countries the viewers were from (but please note it does not identify the name or any other details of viewers). I'm always very pleased to have readers from overseas locations - I hope they enjoy reading my blog and find it useful. To date, these include readers from USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Barbados, Belize, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal, Austria, UAE, Bahrain, Philippines, Nigeria, Kenya, Croatia,…
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