World NET Cancer Day 2025: Honoring Legacy, Inspiring Hope, and Empowering Community

Every year on November 10th, people around the world unite to raise awareness, advance scientific progress, and amplify the voices of those affected by neuroendocrine cancer.

This year, approximately 75 neuroendocrine cancer patients, loved ones, clinicians, and industry partners gathered in Miami, Florida for the Neuroendocrine Cancer Foundation World NET Cancer Day Symposium on November 9th. Together, we shared information, connection, and hope—reminding one another that we are not alone and that empowerment begins with community.

November 9th also marks the birthday of our founder and Executive Director Emeritus, Giovanna Joyce Imbesi. Giovanna often said she felt a special connection to World NET Cancer Day because her birthday came just before it. Nearly six years after her passing, we continue to honor her vision and legacy—the community she built, filled with compassion, courage, and heart.

Educational Highlights

Q&A Session with NET experts at the 2025 NET Cancer Day Symposium

This year’s Symposium featured nine exceptional speakers, covering topics across the spectrum of NET care—from clinical trials and surgery to advocacy and survivorship:

• Demystifying Clinical Trials – Taymeyah Al-Toubah, MPH, CCRP FlaNET, Medical student

• Role of Surgery in NETs – Jashodeep Datta, MD, Surgical Oncologist, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Liver-Directed Therapy – Lindsay Thorton, MD, Interventional Radiologist; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Targeted Therapies & Chemotherapy – Udhayvir Grewal, MD, Medical Oncologist Emory University

• PRRT for NETs – Boris Naraev, MD, PhD, FACP, Medical Oncologist, Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute

• Managing Side Effects of Systemic Therapy – Jason Starr, DO, Hematologist/Oncologist, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville

• The Latest in Managing Carcinoid Syndrome – Jason Starr, DO, Hematologist/Oncologist, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville

• Role of Advocacy in Advancing Care for Neuroendocrine Cancer – Estelamari Rodriguez, MD, MPH, Thoracic Oncologist, Sylvester Cancer Center

• The Future of NETs: Emerging Therapies and Clinical Trials – Aman Chauhan, MD, Medical Oncologist, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Nutrition & Fitness in Cancer – Tracy Crane, PhD, RDN, Sylvester Cancer Center

Access the Full Playlist Here

Celebrating Community & Inspiration

The NCF Team with Dusty Hurley, a NET patient & advocate and the recipient of the 2025 Above and Beyond Award.

This year’s Above and Beyond Award recognized Dusty Hurley, a pancreatic NET patient, devoted wife, and mother who has gone above and beyond to support and empower others in the NET community—sharing her story, advocating for awareness, and inspiring hope through her compassion and courage.

Attendees were also treated to a 15-minute sneak peek of “Zeal for Life,” an upcoming documentary by storyteller Rain Bennett that beautifully captures the power, resilience, and heart of the NET community. His work highlights how connection, advocacy, and shared purpose can transform lives and inspire change.

We also continued to honor Giovanna Joyce Imbesi’s enduring legacy through music, which she believed had the power to connect and heal. Each year, we incorporate music into the Symposium as a tribute to her spirit and the harmony she brought to our community. This year, musician and composer Aramís Lorié shared both his patient journey and his artistry during the program, and attendees enjoyed live music and mocktails at the reception—a joyful close to a meaningful day.

Words of Hope from Our Speakers

“The hope is there is a cure… and cure means different things to different people—it may mean living well with manageable symptoms or having no evidence of disease. Our hope is that someday we will achieve that.” — Dr. Udhayvir Grewal

“Hope is definitely alive. Hope is there because science is moving faster than it has in 20 years. To move the field forward, we have to participate in and invest in clinical trials.” — Dr. Estelamari Rodriguez

Keep the Momentum Going

World NET Cancer Day reminds us that our voices matter—individually and together. Let’s keep raising awareness, supporting one another, and making a difference—not just today, but every day.

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