Upcoming Events on Long Island to Support Rare Cancers

The Carcinoid Cancer Awareness Network (CCAN), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, is hosting two upcoming events on Long Island: the 2014 ‘Strides for Stripes’ Zebra Walk, November 1 at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, and their 11th annual ‘Celebration of Life Gala,’ November 8 at The Sterling in Bethpage.

The sixth annual ‘Strides for Stripes’ Zebra Walk is a 5K, which helps raise money for programs that assist neuroendocrine tumor (NET) patients and brings awareness to carcinoid /NET cancer. Proceeds from the walk assist with ongoing programs like CCAN’s NET Cancer Hotline and patient conferences.

The annual gala is an important event for patients and supporters of those with NETs and carcinoid cancer. The aim is to raise funds to benefit patients and research. Doug Davis, son of five time grammy winner Clive Davis and a carcinoid cancer survivor, will be honorary chair this year.

Additional key information on NETs:

· Neuroendocrine tumors and carcinoid cancer are very serious and rare diseases that can go undiagnosed for many years. Over 90% of all Carcinoid/ NET patients are incorrectly diagnosed and treated for the wrong disease.

· NET cancer is considered rare and due to a lack of public awareness the disease has had a low priority for medical research. However, current studies suggest that Carcinoid and Neuroendocrine tumors are not as rare once thought.

· Over 11,000 new patients are diagnosed each year and as many as 125,000 patients are living in the US today- AND the number of diagnoses is increasing by more than 5% annually.