We’re urgently calling on the help of our NET community to reach out to their local and federal MP’s to help improve the lives of neuroendocrine cancer patients around Australia.
Why Should NET Patients Meet with Local MPs?
Meeting with your local Member of Parliament (MP) can be a powerful way to advocate for better diagnosis, treatment, and funding. These face-to-face meetings can be powerful tools for driving legislative change, ensuring equitable access to healthcare, and raising public awareness of Neuroendocrine Cancer and its subsets, Von Hippel Lindau, MEN, SDHB, Paragangliomas and Pheochromocytomas.
How Your Story Can Make an Impact.
Sharing your personal experience with NETs can humanise the issue for your MP. MPs represent their constituents’ concerns, and hearing your story can help them understand the daily challenges NET patients face—from delayed diagnoses to financial strain. Personal stories make the need for change real and immediate.
Want to take the first step? Head to our advocacy page for tips on how to connect with your MP.
Why Raise Awareness with Your MP?
Did you know that Neuroendocrine Cancer is the 7th most common cancer in Australia? Yet, many people—including healthcare professionals—are unaware of it. Symptoms like IBS, heart palpitations, and abdominal cramps are often misdiagnosed, leading to delays of up to 7 years for some patients. By meeting with your MP, you can raise awareness of the importance of early detection and push for better public education.
We’ve developed some resources that can help you start the conversation, visit our advocacy page to learn more.
Can MPs Really Influence Policy?
Yes, MPs have the power to drive change. By discussing key issues with your MP, you can encourage them to support recommendations from the 2024 Senate Inquiry into ‘equitable access to diagnosis and treatment for individuals with rare and less common cancers, including neuroendocrine cancer’. This could include improving access to life-saving treatments and increasing research funding. Every conversation counts, and your voice can help ensure these recommendations are acted upon.
What Happens When More Patients Get Involved?
When more NET patients meet with their MPs, it creates a collective voice that’s hard to ignore. MPs who hear from multiple constituents are more likely to push for action in Parliament, helping to bring NETs into the national spotlight. Together, we can build momentum for policy changes that improve the lives of all NET patients.
Ready to help? Head to our advocacy page for a step-by-step guide.
Each meeting can make a significant difference in ensuring all Australians with NETs receive the care they need. Some of the changes that may result from advocacy efforts include:
- Increased Research and Treatment Funding: By advocating for more research funding, you can help drive breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment. Every meeting with an MP can help push for more government support.
- Better Access to Treatments: Many NET patients struggle to afford essential treatments. Meeting with MPs gives you the chance to advocate for making these treatments more accessible, through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
- Equitable Healthcare: If you live in a rural or remote area, you know how hard it can be to access care. MPs can help push for better healthcare infrastructure in underserved areas.
Why Does Government Accountability Matter?
The 2024 Senate Inquiry recommended improvements to diagnosis and care for rare and less common cancers including neuroendocrine cancer, but many of these changes are yet to be actioned. By meeting with your MP, you can hold the government accountable and push for action on these recommendations, including funding for specialist NET Nurses across Australia.
How Can Collective Action Create National Change?
The more NET patients who meet with their MPs, the greater the chance of these issues being raised in Parliament. This can lead to real policy reforms that improve care for NET patients nationwide. Every conversation adds to a collective movement, making it more likely that MPs will advocate for NETs on a national level.
Not Sure Where to Start?
If you’re ready to meet with your MP but don’t know where to begin, we’ve got you covered. Visit our advocacy guide for a simple, step-by-step process to book a meeting and start making a difference.
By meeting with your MP, you’re taking an important step in advocating for the NET community, ensuring better care and raising awareness about this often-overlooked disease.
Help us take action today.
