Femke, our Patient Advocate, telling about her drive in the fight against pancreatic cancer

September 16, 2014, Inspire2Live organized a congress on Pancreatic cancer at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. The main goal was setting steps to concentrate the research taking place in the Netherlands and to collect as much data as possible and necessary for better research and treatments. The results of the congress are promising. How will we realize this?

Inspire2Live is going to set up The Dutch Pancreatic Patient Panel. The DPPP. This panel will work with clinicians and researchers (and, of course, stays independent) and has the following important activities:

1. Patients will find the necessary information for the best treatments and trials through this panel. We deliver the infrastructure, the University Hospitals deliver the answers to the question. In order to improve the treatments we need better research.
2. Make GP’s aware where to find the best treatments.
3. Make citizens aware of pancreatic cancer, the emergency and the urgency.
4. Getting the information from clinicians that tell us where to find the 5 best centers for treatments for pancreatic cancer in the Netherlands.
5. Connect with the health insurance companies to discuss the reimbursement of this dream situation.

Inspire2Live takes the initiative to bring together the patient organizations (with a crucial role for the Lisa Waller Hayes Foundation) for the biggest support we need. With this DPPP we establish a situation in which patients, clinicians and researchers accomplish the best situation thinkable for patients. Finally; we are all aware that it’s a team effort. Treat and cure pancreatic cancer can’t be done on your own. We need you. Contact Peter Kapitein, peter.kapitein@gmail.com, if you want to contribute to better research and treatments for pancreatic cancer.