Gilberta (Gil) and Fred Schaenzle

CAREGIVER Award

Gary Murfin, PhD

PATIENT AWARD

Chas Schultz

INDUSTRY AWARD

Bonnie Bennett

NURSE AWARD

Sue and Tom O'Dorisio and the University of Iowa Team

PHYSICIAN AWARD

Gil and Fred are honored as "Ambassadors of Hope" to the NET community. From Nov 10, 2017 until Aug 4, 2018, Gil ran a 5K in all 51 National Parks in the contintental U. S. plus 18 U. S. Monuments to raise awareness for NET cancer and support for Healing NET Foundation. Fred provided support, often literally as her "chase driver", as they honored the memory of their daughter Anna Rose, who bravely battled high grade NET cancer. Gil traveled thousands of miles, pushed through all weather conditions and past dangerous wildlife and drivers for 268 days, while speaking about Anna and NET cancer education to newspaper, radio, and television reporters, bloggers and podcasters across the country. THANK YOU GIL and FRED for lending your voice and support to NET cancer awareness! Read more about their story here.

Gary is well known by many NET cancer survivors as he is not shy about sharing his journey and well-honed talents from a military and marketing career. Gary partnered with Josh Mailman, a patient and President of the NorCal CarciNET support group in the San Francisco Bay Area, to create a website that shared their personal experiences with the new PRRT treatments for NET cancer administered in Bad Berka, Germany before Luthathera (PRRT agent) was approved in the U. S. In addition to his service to his country and to his fellow support group members in the Seattle area and around the world, Gary serves as a Board member for Healing NET and is currently on the National Cancer Institute's Neuroendocrine Task Force under the Patient Advocacy Steering Committee. Gary say he uses his voice and talents to "Pay It Forward" Read more about Gary here.

Chas Schultz is a leader in the NET patient advocacy world as the Executive Director, Corporate Communications and Patient Advocacy, at Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Chas is foremost a super-Dad and loving husband and caregiver to his wife, who is a breast cancer survivor. His dedication to the patient experience is personal as well as where he has spent the majority of his career. Quality of life and supportive services are important to Chas, and he is the first to embrace new and creative ideas that will help the NET patient navigate an often confusing and difficult medical landscape. Chas championed a NET survivor who is also a stand-up comedian, Steve Mazan, at patient conferences and at the Healing NET Summit, showing that there can be humor in life's struggles, and also openly shared his own journey as a caregiver. View Chas' LinkedIn profile here.

Bonnie Bennett has been a nurse in the University of Pennsylvania Health System for over 20 years and almost half of that career as the nurse coordinator for the Neuroendocrine program there. Bonnie is a quiet but strong presence, with a deep compassion for NET patients and their families. She serves on the Advisory Board for NANETS (North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society) and speaks at the NANETS annual syposium about the role of allied health providers in NET care. She was the recipient of Travel Grants for NET education from the Healing NET Foundation as well as a trusted voice on Healing NET's ad hoc task force on NET nurse support and education. More about Bonnie here on the NANETS website.

Drs. Sue and Tom O'Dorisio are a powerful force, not only as husband and wife, but as physicians who have led the University of Iowa Neuroendocrine team to be recognized as the first NET center in the U. S. to meet the criteria for Centers of Excellence designated in Europe by the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (ENETS). The University of Iowa is well known in the NET community for patient care and research as well. They were the recipents of the first and only SPORE grant (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for carcinoid and neuroendocrine tumors in order to increase the length and quality of life for adults and children with NET cancer. Sue O'Dorisio specializes in pediatric NETs, and Tom O'Dorisio is an endocrinologist. Both give of their time and lend their voice to education and awareness for many NET organizations including Healing NET where Tom is a Board member and head of the Scientific Advisory Board. More about the O'Dorisios and University of Iowa Team here.