Walking with Jane is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

Walking with Jane is primarily about raising awareness about neuroendocrine tumors and carcinoid syndrome. But we also know that finding a cure–or even finding ways to slow this disease down–is going to cost money.

All the proceeds from the store–aside from what it costs us to ship the merchandise–go to the Relay for Life of Greater Fall River’s Walking with Jane team’s efforts. However, Relay For Life donations are NOT ear-marked for NET/CS research. Donations to Walking with Jane teams may help us get ACS’s attention focussed on NET/CS in the long run.

Another way to help with that effort is to write to Dr. Otis Brawley (otis.brawley@cancer.org) who is the chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society’s national headquarters in Atlanta. Your letters of support could help move research for NET higher on ACS’ list of priorities.

While you are writing letters, you might also drop a letter to your member of the US House of Representatives and your two US senators encouraging them  to make sure the National Cancer Institute spends more significant money on NET/CS in the coming year. With the budget mess coming to a head over the next 12 months, we will need all the help we can get to get NET/CS on the national agenda–and keep it there.

The Caring for Carcinoid Foundation  funds research at a number of research centers across the country. I walked with them in the Jimmy Fund Marathon Walk last year. Because of the generosity of their board of directors–who pay their overhead costs– every penny donated to them goes directly into NET/CS research.

was funding research when no one else was. They were founded by Dr. Richard Warner–the father of NET/CS research–when the National Cancer Institute ceased funding NET/CS research in 1968 because of budget cuts. They now mainly find programs to increase awareness of the disease and help support groups for NET/CS patients.

If you want to start your own Walking with Jane team for the Relay For Life in your community, contact me at walkingwithjane@gmail.com

Once we have worked out the details of our November 10 Crawl for the Cure event, there will be a link here of more information.

We are also in the planning stages for setting up teams at a variety of running and walking events. Stay tuned.