About

Parenting with NETs is a resource for parents and caregivers facing the challenges of raising children while living with Neuroendocrine Tumours.

Neuroendocrine Tumours or NETs are a class of cancer characterized by their occurrence in endocrine tissues. These cancers are usually slower growing than more common cancers, making them harder to find and treat. Many of us are diagnosed when the disease is advanced and incurable. Despite this, many of us are not terminal – death is not imminent and we live with this cancer as a chronic illness. This means we parent with it the same way: as a chronic illness.

Raising children is wonderful, rewarding, and hard. Facing cancer, especially incurable cancer is terrifying, painful and hard. Both are journeys, full of ups, downs and surprises. Our hope is that you will find support and resources here that encourage and inspire you as you face these two challenges simultaneously.

NETs are often misdiagnosed. Medical students are taught to look for the most common explanation: “If you hear hoofbeats, assume it’s a horse. It’s probably not a zebra.” NETs are zebras, easily mistaken for other, more common illnesses and conditions. The zebra is our awareness mascot, and our ribbon colour is zebra stripes.

If you are a parent with NETs, or the partner or caregiver of a parent with NETs, consider joining our Facebook group, where you will find community and connection with other parents in similar situations.

About the author:

I’m your hostess, Anne Grace Glenn. I’m a wife, mother, and cancer-fighter; former professional dancer, current graduate student, budding writer. I was diagnosed with stage IV (grade 1) NETs in April of 2016 after years of illness and a sudden sharp decline in health. My primary was in my appendix, with metastasis in my peritoneum and pelvic wall. You can find more details of my diagnosis and treatment on our family’s blog Two Sleepy People.