The arrow I have

I have to admit, I’m worried. In two days we launch a social media campaign on Facebook and Twitter aimed at PCPs, NPs, medical schools and the general public about NET cancer. It’s the last arrow I have in my quiver and I’m far from sure it’s enough to make this dragon even wince. But it’s the arrow I have, so…

I made a promise.

This campaign has to go viral in ways nothing I’ve ever posted–or written anywhere on anything–has done. It has to reach communities I’ve never figured out how to reach effectively. We’ve worked on it for months–and I’m still tinkering with it today–will likely still be doing so tomorrow.

Hoping for an avalanche

Earlier this year, I described what I’ve spent the last nearly nine years doing as standing on top of a mountain throwing pebbles, hoping to start an avalanche that would wake people up to the reality of neuroendocrine cancers.

It’s the last arrow…

I’ve watched in horror as the numbers of diagnoses and the number of patients has climbed year after year. We stand at the edge of NET cancer losing its rare disease status, yet it remains a disease neither medical professionals nor the public has any real awareness of.

Time’s arrow

It’s been a decade since Jane’s H1N1 flu battle opened the gate to her NET cancer’s closing act. It’s been nine years, two months, and 14 days since we knew what she had. We’re barely seven weeks from the ninth anniversary of her death.

…standing on top of a mountain throwing pebbles…

In that time, I’ve raised some money, inspired some people–thrown lots of pebbles–but NET cancer remains largely unknown and largely underfunded. And I’m down to that last arrow–that last pebble. And I’m afraid it isn’t going to be enough.

Death and failure

I’ve lost track of how many patients I’ve known have died this year. There have been too many. I know more will die before this year ends. Each one tears at my soul–each one reminds me we’ve failed–that I’ve failed to honor the promises I made myself when Jane died: to raise awareness so no one hears what we heard the day her doctor told us what she had–“I’ve never heard of this cancer before;” to create the money that would help to find a cure; to find the money that would make an early diagnosis common rather than an exception.

…down to that last arrow…

I thought all those things would be easy. How could anyone who heard Jane’s story not be moved to help? All I needed to do was write and speak and advocate. These were things I knew how to do–have done all my life.

Competing voices

And I failed. There are hundreds–maybe thousands of diseases our there with the same trouble. No one knows about them except the people who have them. No one cares about them except for those affected by them. A thousand things clamor for attention every day. No one has time for the things that don’t have a direct impact on their lives or the lives of their families.

There have been too many.

Starting Friday, we will try again. Over the course of 30 days, we’ll post our 30 facts and hope they get reposted and read and will do some good. I have a plan for a follow-up project in December and January if this even sort-of works.

And then?

And if it doesn’t…

If it doesn’t…I guess I’ll try to make a new arrow or look around for some loose pebbles somewhere.

…we will try again.

I made a promise.

–Harry Proudfoot,

President, Walking with Jane