My Husband, Owen McGivern, is Raising Funds for Neuroendocrine Cancer Research

On Sunday, September 21, my husband Owen will be raising funds to support the neuroendocrine tumor program (NET) at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. As one of more than 8,500 anticipated participants, he’s pledged to raise funds that will be used to support critical cancer research and innovative care for this rare cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. I'm writing to you today to ask for your support.

Owen will be on the Caring for Carcinoid/Walking with Jane and Anne Team, http://www.jimmyfundwalk.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=1086390&team=5839056, participating as a virtual walker.  Harry Proudfoot is the team leader.  He can be reached at walkingwithjane@gmail.com

Please feel free to join the team if you would like to walk at this event or join as a virtual walker to raise funds for research and cures.  If you join the team, you will get a team t-shirt.  The design is shown below. 

Front of Team T-Shirt

Back of Team T-Shirt

Please join Owen in the fight against cancer by considering a contribution of $26.20 or more toward his fundraising efforts.

It's easy to have an impact on this important and universal cause. You can:
- Make a gift online: Visit the Walk website at www.JimmyFundWalk.org and click "Give." Search for Owen's name and follow the instructions on his fundraising page to make a gift online, or go to Owen's fundraising page at http://www.jimmyfundwalk.org/2014/owen_mcgivern.

- Send in a check: Write a check payable to "Jimmy Fund Walk" and send it to Walking with Jane, PO Box 9721, Fall River, MA 02723.  Please put Owen McGivern, in the memo section of the check. 

Thank you in advance for your generosity!

Beth and Owen McGivern

Lynn M. Guidici

My friend and fellow carcinoid patient, Lynn Guidici, died last Friday.  She was 59.  I met Lynn in 2012 through the ACOR message board. We both lived in the New York area and had seen some of the same doctors.  Lynn was the first carcinoid patient that I met in person.  She was diagnosed in 2006 and I was a relative “newbie” in 2012.  Nonetheless, we were in similar situations in thinking about debulking surgery, what our next step should be and if we really trusted our doctors.  We met over coffee and hit it off immediately, talking and laughing about life, cancer, doctors and poop.  We talked and met up regularly to catch up on things.  She had a debulking surgery in early 2013 and I went next in September.  She never fully recovered from the surgery and continued to struggle with eating and weight loss issues.  She went on to have a liver embolization and remained in declining health.  I continued to see her, going to Westchester where she lived so she would not have to travel into the city. I last saw her a few weeks ago at her home and knew that this would be my last visit. 

Lynn was a warm and caring person who was so proud of her daughter Anabel, who just graduated from high school and will be attending college in the fall. Perhaps going away to college will help her deal with the death of her mother. Lynn's husband Bill survives her as well.

I feel quite upset, even though it was clear that Lynn was doing poorly.  Knowing someone who has the same disease is an amazing experience because they have the same hopes, fears and symptoms, making them closer to you than most other people.  Seeing Lynn die brings my own mortality up front and personal which is very scary as well. 

Rest in peace Lynn, you were a great friend and confidante.