Jacqueline's Story
“To take control of the things I could control, and let go of the things I can’t control. . . I think I am more
balanced in my life now, which is better for my overall health.”
- Jacqueline Gillespie
Jacqueline's Story
In partnership with Ipsen, NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia (NECA) presents the ‘Community Compass Campaign’, a disease awareness initiative empowering patients with neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) to navigate how they live with their condition through the shared experience of other people living with NETs.
Jacqueline, 62 years old and diagnosed with a NET.
For Jacqueline and her partner Meg, her diagnosis came as a surprise and led to some life-changing decisions about her work-life balance.
“I was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer, which was a big shock to our world… and I did keep working for some time. But, I came to the conclusion that the stress of the job… wasn’t good for my overall well-being… And so the challenge is to find other things to keep you stimulated.”
Like others living with NETs, her symptoms of heart palpitations, breathlessness, and tiredness could easily have been dismissed for other causes such as a heart condition, asthma, or menopause.
“There was never any kind of thing found, there was no conclusion to those episodes. . . so when I think about symptoms to diagnosis, it was probably about 7 years.”
A doctor ordered a scan to examine her bloated abdomen, discovering the tumour. An important thing for Jacqueline and Meg was educating themselves about it and trying to understand what it was all about.
Meg reflects on the stress around the time of diagnosis.
“It had been highlighted that something wasn’t quite right… It was quite overwhelming. What Jacq did really well was to educate herself, and get a sense of the prognosis and what the treatments could be. Through that process, we could have open conversations.”
Finding NECA provided Jacqueline and Meg with the support they needed.
“My oncologist put me onto NECA, which is an amazing support organisation that helps patients understand the cancer… and navigate the medical system. It’s really getting yourself educated so you can manage yourself and others.”
Neuroendocrine Cancer Symptoms
Do you, or does someone you know have these symptoms?
Flushing
The skin on your face and upper chest feels hot and changes colour
Wheezing
Asthma-like signs and symptoms, such as wheezing and shortness of breath
Palpitations
A racing heartbeat (palpitations), sometimes combined with dizziness
Diarrhoea
Your bowel motions are regularly urgent, watery, and frequent with no known cause
Fatigue
Overwhelming exhaustion that cannot be overcome with a good night's rest
Rashes
A red rash with swelling and blisters that often travels from place to place on the skin
Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) can develop in many parts of the body. Depending on where the tumour is located will determine the symptoms a patient experiences. Not all neuroendocrine cancer patients experience symptoms prior to diagnosis and not all people experiencing the symptoms listed above will have neuroendocrine cancer. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms we strongly recommend you speak to your healthcare professional.
All charity donations to NeuroEndocrine Cancer Australia may be tax-deductible in Australia.