WOMEN as caregivers, leaders, entrepreneurs, and activists are collaborating better than ever to affect change where it’s needed.
International Women’s Day (IWD) marks the occasion where all can reflect and acknowledge the positive changes around women’s and girls’ rights and identities.
This year on Saturday, March 8, the IWD campaign theme is ‘Accelerate action,’ which is exactly what Neuroendocrine Cancer Australia (NECA), previously known as the Unicorn Foundation, aims to do.
NECA Chief Executive Meredith Cummins and Wallan resident and NECA advisor Sharon Rickard, along with many others, are endlessly campaigning for awareness around Neuroendocrine Tumours (NETs).
NETs are an insidious cancer that can occur across all genders, ethnicities, and ages. Unfortunately, NETs frequently camouflage themselves.
As a result, 60 per cent of NET patients have advanced disease by the time they are diagnosed, which tragically means the cancer has spread to other organs and has become incurable.
Frustratingly, NETs are frequently misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), menopause, heart conditions, anxiety, and even asthma, complicating treatment of the disease even further.
Ms Cummins wanted to ‘accelerate action’ in diagnosing the disease, and stated that changing the name of the foundation was the first step.
“Hence the reason we changed the name in 2020 so people can find us easier on Google,” she said.
“Awareness of NETs is so minimal.”
Thanks to recent government funding, there is now free and confidential support from a NET nurse available online, and a database of Australian NET specialists to search through.
“We have excellent specialists around Australia,” Ms Cummins said.
“All the specialists on [the website] have had to submit their CV and say why they want to be on the website.
“It does help a lot … keeping it up-to-date is one of the hardest parts.”
Ms Cummins noted that it was a ‘real privilege’ to engage with patients and survivors.
“It’s a real privilege to work with patients like Sharon,” she said.
“Sharon is on our consumer advisory group, and anything we are doing, we run it by them to make sure it is hitting the mark.”
Recently, Ms Rickard and the NET community held a fundraising event, March4NETs, to raise awareness and resources for the disease.
Her activism is spurred by her own diagnosis of the illness, which was discovered 10 years ago.
“I was diagnosed in 2015,” she said.
“However, unlike many, I was diagnosed promptly, and put on the right treatment path with the right medical team I needed.
“I’m thrilled to be able to say I’m in the ‘no evidence of disease’ category, and I truly want there to be more like me that can say these things.”
Later this year, Ms Rickard will participate in Run Larapinta, a four-day event that will see participants walk or run the 127km-long Larapinta Trail at MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs.
“I’m hoping to raise $7000, and I’d love to have corporate sponsors on board,” she said.
To endorse or support Ms Rickard for the event, visit www.fundraise.neuroendocrine.org.au/fundraisers/sharonrickard/sharon-runs-for-neca.
