The Countdown is ON!

The countdown is on as today we are just over ONE WEEK OUT from the 2016 National NET Patient Conference weekend in New Orleans, LA!!

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Unable to attend? Subscribe to NETCancerAwarenessBlog for exclusive sneak peaks and updates about the 2016 National NET Patient Conference! Something tells me there will be some vlogging going on that will have some important information that you WON’T want to miss! =]

NCAN is so excited as we get our last minute details ironed out for you!

Look closely here for some addional details and events that have not yet been published:

Thursday- In addition to the opening session, which includes a patient panel whose panelists are medical professionals AS WELL AS patients you will enjoy a really exciting cooking demo featuring neuroendocrine cancer patient friendly recipes.

Friday- 5 PM – Grab a smoothie and a cookie made with neuroendocrine cancer patients in mind, courtesy of one of the conference sponsors, Novartis.

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6 PM – join us for a light snack and networking while you wait for a private comedy show….

7 PM – ENJOY THE COMEDY OF NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED COMEDIAN AND EMMY AWARD WINNING WRITER STEVE MAZAN. STEVE WILL BE PERFORMING A PRIVATE SHOW JUST FOR ATTENDEES OF THE CONFERENCE. DON’T MISS THIS ONE!

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This event is sponsored by: NCAN Bandaid

Sunday- 8 AM to noon – Group Leaders Meeting. If you are a group leader and have not signed up yet, please call us ASAP at 866-850-9555 or email info@netcancerawareness.org if you would like to attend. You MUST sign up today if you would like to attend.

Here’s a more detailed look:

Thursday

Noon- Registration table open

1 pm – 4 pm- Thursday talks and patient panel

4 pm to 6 pm- Novartis Cooking Demo

6 pm to 9 pm- Welcome reception

 

Friday

7 am- Registration and breakfast

7:45 to noon- Morning general session

9:30 – 9:45 break

noon to 1 pm- lunch

1 pm to 5:15 pm- Afternoon general session

2:45 – 3:00 break

4:30 pm – 6:15 pm- NET-friendly smoothies and cookies provided by Novartis

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm- Pre-show snacks

7:00 pm – 7:45 pm- Comedy show- Laughter is the Best Medicine starring Steve Mazan

 

Saturday

7 am- Breakfast

8 am – noon- Morning general session

9:30 – 9:45 break

noon – 1 pm- lunch

1 pm – 5:30 pm- Afternoon general session

2:45 – 3:00 break

 

Sunday

8 am – noon   Group leaders’ meeting

 

Also, here is the agenda for our General Sessions:

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A few more reminders:

  • Please bring extra layers of clothing! The conference rooms DO get cold, please be prepared!
  • For patients: please bring extra medication, in case of emergency! And take pictures of your medication bottles on your cell phone in case you were to lose them!
  • As always, the conference is a safe space for patients. It is a place for learning about a better quality and quantity of life. Please refrain from self-advertisement and solicitation at our conference. If you are caught soliciting, you will be asked to leave for the remainder of the conference without refund. NCAN and our sponsors thank you for understanding and helping us keep this space focused on what is important.

Keep your out for a post on Friday about some of my MUST SEEs and MUST HAVEs while in NOLA! Be sure to subscribe now to be the first to get it right to your inbox!

At the 2016 National NET Patient Conference, Laughter is the BEST Medicine!

Looking for a few laughs on Friday night at the National NET Patient Conference?

NCAN is so excited to finally announce the Friday night social event sponsored by NCAN for the 2016 National NET Patient Conference taking place in just a few weeks! This is a great time to network and relax, taking a break from all the heavy information that will be introduced over this amazing, jam packed weekend!

Introducing Emmy Award winning writer, speaker, comedian and fellow cancer survior Steve Mazan:

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Come enjoy a hysterically funny show- ‘Laughter is the Best Medicine’- just for attendees of the 2016 National Neuroendocrine Cancer Patient Conference, starring Emmy Award winning writer, speaker, comedian and fellow neuroendocrine cancer survivor Steve Mazan. Steve is known for his Emmy Award winning writing for The Ellen DeGeneres Show and for performing his comedy on The Late Show with David Letterman, BUT he is most well known for his award winning film, ‘Dying to Do Letterman.’ 

Steve will be hanging out with the crowd, signing autographs, and he will have some merchandise to give away! There will also be a raffle where you can win an autographed DVD of one of Steve’s best shows!

On your way to the show, from 5 pm to 6:15 pm, stop for some healthy and delicious smoothies and cookies provided by one of the conferences sponsors. These tasty treats were designed specifically with neuroendocrine cancer patients in mind. Doors to the show will open at 6 pm and light refreshments will be served. At 7, it’s time for the show, sponsored by the Neuroendocrine Cancer Awareness Network! 

It’s all happening right in the same hall as Friday’s General Session so it’s easy to get to. This is a great time to network and relax, taking a break from all the heavy information that will be introduced over this amazing, jam packed weekend!

Want to learn more about Steve? Visit SteveMazan.com or check out DyingtoDoLetterman.com for more information on Steve Mazan, his cancer journey, and to check out Dying to Do Letterman. Also, check out this Ted Talks that Steve Mazan did back in 2011: It’s Never too Late to Live your Dreams.

For more information on the 2016 National NET Patient Conference in New Orleans, LA September 22nd, 2016 to September 24th, 2016, please click here!

NCAN Bandaid

2016 LungNET Conference Video Recordings

Happy Monday, fellow Zebras!

Some of you may have seen that NCAN and The Healing NET Foundation have been slowly releasing the videos from the LungNET Conference in Denver, CO on June 11th. Here is a place where you can get all the links in one spot!

Introduction to the 2016 LungNET Conference:

Visit NCAN’s website here. HNF’s website here, and for more information on Dr. Liu, you can get that here.

Basics of Lung Neuroendocrine:

For more information on Dr. Ramirez, you can see my post introducing him, here.

Pathology for Lung Neuroendocrine

You can find more information on Dr. Ryan here.

Surgery of Lung Neuroendocrine:

You can find more information on Dr. Parker here.

Pulonary Medicine for Lung Neuroendocrine:

To find more information on Dr. Kobitary click here.

Medical Therapy for Lung Neuroendocrine:

For more information on Dr. Öberg click here.

Clinical Trials in All Neuroendocrine:

For more information on Dr. Liu, see above links to Dr. Liu’s introduction as well as The Healing NET Foundation website.

Non-Medical Management of Metastatic Disease:

For more information on Dr. Nutting, click here.

Questions and Answers Part 1

Questions and Answers Part 2

NCAN would like to thank all of their speakers, sponsors, and attendees for another successful event!

Want to experience an NCAN NET Patient Conference yourself? Please keep up with NCAN by adding yourself to their mailing list by going to their website and be sure to “like” NCAN on Facebook! Also, keep your eyes out here, on NET Cancer Awareness Blog for some awesome announcements for 2017 coming soon!!

Upcoming: The 2016 National NET Patient Conference in New Orleans, LA!! If you haven’t already, check out that information here because time to register is running out!!

The Speaker Spotlight – 2016 National Conference Edition Part 6

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Eric Liu, MD, FACS Surgeon

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Bio:

DEGREES & EDUCATION:

Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, AB, 1992-1996, Biochemistry

Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY, MD, 1996-2000

Columbia University, Research Fellowship, Mark Hardy, M.D., Islet Transplantation, 2000-2001

New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, Residency in General Surgery, 2001-2004, 2007-2009

National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health, Senior Clinical Research Fellow, Islet/Autoimmunity Branch, David Harlan, 2004-2007.

Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden, Fellowship in Neuroendocrine Oncology, Kjell Oberg, 2009.

Vanderbilt University, Master of Science Clinical Investigation, 2013.

Dr. Liu serves as the Chief Medical Advisor for Healing NET Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing education about neuroendocrine cancers to the medical community, and supporting the best possible care for neuroendocrine patients.

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BOARD CERTIFICATIONS:

General Surgery

PATIENT CARE PHILOSOPHY:

“My focus is to always treat the patient – not just the disease.  I’ve told people many times that I value quality of life as highly as the quantity of life.  Therefore, I use every resource at my disposal to address the problems.  When treating neuroendocrine cancer, it is absolutely imperative to approach it with a multi-disciplinary approach because it crosses into so many different medical subspecialties.  When we are successful, these people can live good, healthy lives.  I find that giving the patient time and respect are critical to developing a sense of trust, because it is a team effort with the patient in the center.  Our goal at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center is to build a home for neuroendocrine patients, where they can feel comfortable that everyone has experience in this rare disease and all their questions can be answered.  By having the most advanced expertise, imaging techniques, clinical trials, and treatments available all in one center, we can provide patients with the best hope for a healthy life.”

You can read Dr. Liu’s story on the Healing NET Foundation’s blog, here!

To make an appointment, please call:

Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers: Denver – Midtown                                                    1800 Williams Street                                                                                                               Suite 200                                                                                                                              Denver, CO 80218                                                                                                                     (303) 388-4876

For more information on Dr. Eric Liu and the Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, please visit their website here.

Dr. Liu at the 2016 National NET Patient Conference:

Topic: Somatostatin Analogs: Which SSA to Choose

When: Saturday, September 24th, 2016 at 2PM*

SIGN UP NOW FOR THE 2016 NATIONAL NET PATIENT CONFERENCE in New Orleans, LA from September 22-24th to see Dr. Liu and 19 other experts speak on Neuroendocrine Cancer! 

Registration is $125 per person including

  • Thursday’s Welcome Reception 
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and snacks for both Friday and Saturday
  • And keep your eyes out for some special prizes!

Registration does not include your hotel stay or travel expenses.

For more information and to buy your ticket, click here!!

*Time and Date are subject to change.

You can also see Dr. Liu speak at the 2016 LungNET Conference on Saturday, June 11th, 2016 in Denver, CO!!

Registration for the 2016 LungNET Conference is $25 per person and includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks!

Registration does not include your hotel stay or travel expenses.

For more information and to buy your ticket to the 2016 LungNET Conference, click here!

Dr. Liu will have extended clinic hours for Wednesday, June 8th through Friday, June 10th. Please book these ASAP as they are also extremely limited and WILL fill up! If you would like to make an appointment, please call (303) 388-4876.

Want the chance to see BOTH amazing conferences? Sign up NOW to get FREE registration for the 2016 LungNET Conference when you register for the 2016 National NET Patient Conference. SEE HOW TO GET FREE REGISTRATION TO THE 2016 LUNGNET CONFERENCE!

The Speaker Spotlight – LungNET Conference 2016

NCAN Bandaid

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As many of you know, NCAN in partnership with The Healing NET Foundation have a LungNET specific conference coming up on Saturday, June 11th, 2016 in Denver, CO. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you guys to the great speakers that are lined up, including Dr. Kjell Öberg from Uppsala, Sweden!

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So far, I have introduced you to Dr. Robert Ramirez, if you missed my post on him, be sure to check that out here.

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Craig Kornbluth, M.D.

Bio:

Dr. Craig Kornbluth is a Board Certified Radiologist specializing in Body Imaging.  He completed his undergraduate degree at Yeshiva University in New York, NY and obtained his doctorate from FUHS/The Chicago School of Medicine, in N. Chicago, IL. Dr. Kornbluth completed his Diagnostic Radiology residency at St. Luke/Roosevelt Hospital New York, NY  followed by a Body imaging fellowship at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, MD.

Dr. Kornbluth is a leader in the Denver Medical Community and has been named multiple times on the Top Doctor list in 5280 Magazine.  He has been involved in multiple research projects and lectures across the country on imaging specifically of the Abdomen and pelvis.

Dr. Kornbluth resides with his family in Denver, Colorado.  When Dr. Kornbluth is not working, he spends his time hiking, fly-fishing, biking, golfing and snowboarding in the beautiful Rocky Mountains.

You can find Dr. Kornbluth at Diversified Radiology in Lakewood, CO.

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Margaret Ryan, M.D.

Bio:

Dr. Margaret Ryan has a medical practice in Denver CO. Dr. Ryan specializes in pathology, and has over 8 years of experience in the field of medicine. She graduated from Ohio State University College Of Medicine with her medical degree in 2008. She is affiliated with numerous hospitals in the Denver area including Hca Healthone Llc and more. Dr. Ryan is accepting new patients at her medical office and practice location in Denver, Colorado. She is available for appointments, preventative care, medical care as well as ongoing patient care.

drparker

Richard Parker, M.D.

Bio:

Dr. Richard Parker is board-certified in general, thoracic and cardiovascular surgery. He serves patients at Presbyterian/St. Luke Medical Center and Rose Medical Center. He completed his fellowship in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at the University of Colorado and his postgraduate fellowship in cardiovascular surgery from Mayo Graduate School of Medicine.

Prior to joining HealthONE, he served as a physician at Colorado Cardiovascular Surgical Associates. Currently, he serves as Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery at Rose Medical Center and Chairman of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at Presbyterian/St. Luke Medical Center. He has co-authored several papers and presented research at well-known seminars and conferences.

Dr. Richard Parker is experienced in all aspects of thoracic (heart, lung, esophageal and chest wall) surgery, coronary artery surgery and has been a pioneer in minimal access VATS surgery of the chest. He also has extensive experience in aortic and mitral valve surgery, including the minimal access approach.

For the past 20 years, he has been named one of 5280 magazine’s “Best Doctors”.

For more information on Dr. Parker, you can click here.

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Majd Kobitary, M.D., F.C.C.P.

Bio:

Dr. Kobitary is board-certified in Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Medicine. He earned his medical degree from Damascus University Medical School. He completed Internal Medicine Residency at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston in Illinois and Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin. He completed an additional fellowship in Interventional Pulmonology from the University of Iowa. He has experience in advanced bronchoscopic procedures such as stenting and laser therapy for tumor removal.

For more information on Dr. Kobitary, click here.

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Kjell Öberg, M.D.

Bio:

Dr. Kjell Öberg is Professor of Endocrine Oncology at the Medical Faculty of Uppsala University. He was the former head of the Department of Endocrine Oncology, University Hospital, and he is a specialist in endocrinology and internal medicine. He founded the Dept. of Endocrine Oncology at Uppsala University Hospital and has 30 years experience in the field of neuroendocrine tumors. Between 1986 and 1992 he was clinical associate director of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. From 1998 to 2002 he was chairman of the Department of Medical Sciences at the Medical Faculty of Uppsala University. Since July 2002 until June 2008 he has been the Dean of the Medical Faculty. He is the chairman of Centre of Excellence of Endocrine Tumors and Vice chairman of the Department of Endocrine Oncology, University Hospital, Uppsala. Currently Adjunct Professor of Surgery at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, US.

Dr. Öberg was one of the founders and coordinator of the European Neuroendocrine Tumor Network (ENET) 1995-2000 and was past chairman of the Nordic Neuroendocrine Tumour Group. He has pioneered the treatment of carcinoid tumor patients with interferon and somatostatin analogues and developed assays for tumor markers such as Chromogranin A and radiological procedures including specialized PET scans.

In 1988 he was the first to describe a genetic deletion in multiple endocrine neoplasia Type 1 (MEN1). Dr Öberg has given many hundreds of presentations at international meetings and published more than 500 papers within his research field, H-factor 64 and more than 12,000 citations. In addition he is the author of numerous chapters on Carcinoid tumors in several international textbooks including William’s Textbook of Endocrinology, Leslie de Groot’s Textbook of Endocrinology, Clinical Endocrinology and Fordtran’s Textbook of Gastroenterology. Dr. Öberg is Editor-in Chief of World Journal of Gastroenterolgy (WJG).

In 1991 Dr. Öberg received the European Interferon Research reward. In 2003 he received the award “Eminent Scientist Year 2003” by the International Research Promotion Council (IRPC) and World Scientist Forum and in 2004 he was awarded the European Gold Medal in Endocrinology from the English Endocrine Society. In November 2006 he received the Harry Boström Award Lecture at Swedish Medical Society. The University Hospital Clinical Research Award in 2011.

Dr. Öberg is a member of the Royal Society of Sciences, member of Swedish Society of Medical Research, Honorary member of Finnish Oncology Society, Finnish Endocrine Society and Honorary member of Spanish Neuroendocrine NET-work. Dr. Öberg is Chairman Elect of ENETS and also a member of NANETS Advisory Board as well as several other national and international research and scientific boards and many scientific journal review boards.

For more on Dr. Öberg, click here.

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Allen Cohn, M.D.

Bio:

Dr. Allen Cohn is a medical oncologist in Denver, Colorado. He received his medical degree from University of Maryland School of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Cohn’s specialties include Gastrointestinal Cancer, Carcinoid/Neuroendocrine Tumors (NET) and Neurological Oncology.

For more information on Dr. Cohn, click here.

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Charles Nutting, D.O., F.S.I.R.

Bio:

Dr. Nutting completed his undergraduate education at Loyola University of Chicago and graduated from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1992. He did his residency and internship in Diagnostic Radiology at Olympia Fields Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, IL.  Charles Nutting completed his fellowship in Interventional Radiology at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago.  Charles Nutting then practiced at Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago. In addition, Dr. Nutting practiced in Phoenix where he held positions at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, and served as the Chief of Interventional Radiology at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Dr. Nutting joined Radiology Imaging Associates (RIA) in November of 2004. 

Dr. Nutting is a board-certified, fellowship-trained interventional radiologist specializing in performing minimally invasive image-guided procedures to treat liver cancer and vein disorders.  He has the distinction of being a Fellow of the Society of Interventional Radiology (FSIR). Charles Nutting practices at RIA Endovascular where he does consultations for innovative liver cancer therapies.

Charles Nutting offers leading-edge procedures including chemoembolization, radiofrequency ablation and selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT). When not in the office, he treats endovascular disease, vein disorders and cancer in local and regional hospitals throughout the Rocky Mountain region. He is Chief of Interventional Radiology at Sky Ridge Medical Center.

Dr. Nutting was the first physician in the United States to do liver radioembolization with Sir-Sphere®. He has since performed more than 900 radioembolization procedures, and teaches this SIRT procedure using Y90 internal radiation beads nationwide.

To read more about Dr. Nutting, click here.

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Be on the lookout for our last profile on Dr. Eric Liu this Saturday!!

Registration for the 2016 LungNET Conference is $25 per person and includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks!

Registration does not include your hotel stay or travel expenses.

If you missed out on all the basic information about the 2016 LungNET Conference in Denver, CO on Saturday, June 11th, you can find that information here.

Click here to register for the 2016 LungNET Conference!

The Speaker Spotlight – 2016 National Conference Edition Part 2

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Robert Ramirez, DO, FACP

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Bio:

Dr. Ramirez earned his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine.  He completed an internal medicine residency at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey.  He then completed a combined hematology and medical oncology fellowship at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center in Memphis, Tennessee where he served as chief fellow.   He is board certified in medical oncology and internal medicine.  He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP) and a member of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), and the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS). 

He has clinical and research interests in lung cancer, specifically non-small cell and small cell cancers as well as neuroendocrine tumors of the lung including DIPNECH, typical and atypical carcinoids.  He has given multiple presentations at National and International meetings on the topics of lung cancer and neuroendocrine tumors and has multiple peer reviewed publications.  He is a recognized thought leader in these fields. He splits his clinical and research duties between the Ochsner Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Program and the Ochsner Kenner/LSU Multidisciplinary Neuroendocrine Clinic.  He is active in clinical trial design as well as teaching to fellows, residents and medical students.  

Dr. Ramirez’s clinical interests include: Non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, neuroendocrine tumors of the lung, DIPNECH and neuroendocrine tumors of the GI tract.

To make an appointment, please contact Pam Ryan, RN:

NOLANETS-New Orleans Louisiana Neuroendocrine Tumor Specialists                  200 West Esplanade, Ste. 200                                                                                        Kenner, LA 70065                                                                                                                    (504) 464-8500                                                                                                                               or toll free: (866) 91-ZEBRA

For more information on the NOLANETS Group and Dr. Robert Ramirez, please visit their website here.

Dr. Ramirez at the 2016 National NET Patient Conference:

Topic: LungNETs and DIPNECH: Diagnosis and Therapy

When: Friday, September 23rd, 2016 at 3PM*

Note on topic from Dr. Ramirez:

“I am slated to give an overview of neuroendocrine tumors of the lung.  I have a particular interest in lung cancer and specifically all forms of neuroendocrine lung tumors ranging from DIPNECH to small cell.  This is an under represented portion of neuroendocrine tumors not only in research but in general awareness.”

SIGN UP NOW FOR THE 2016 NATIONAL NET PATIENT CONFERENCE in New Orleans, LA from September 22-24th to see Dr. Ramirez and 19 other experts speak on Neuroendocrine Cancer! 

Registration is $125 per person including

  • Thursday’s Welcome Reception 
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and snacks for both Friday and Saturday
  • And keep your eyes out for some special prizes!

Registration does not include your hotel stay or travel expenses.

For more information and to buy your ticket, click here!!

*Time and Date are subject to change.

You can also see Dr. Ramirez speak about the Basics of Lung Neuroendocrine at the 2016 LungNET Conference on Saturday, June 11th, 2016 in Denver, CO!!

Registration for the 2016 LungNET Conference is $25 per person and includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks!

Registration does not include your hotel stay or travel expenses.

For more information and to buy your ticket to the 2016 LungNET Conference, click here!

Want the chance to see BOTH amazing conferences? Sign up NOW to get FREE registration for the 2016 LungNET Conference when you register for the 2016 National NET Patient Conference. SEE HOW TO GET FREE REGISTRATION TO THE 2016 LUNGNET CONFERENCE!

Be sure to check out our Speaker Spotlight on Dr. Ed Wolin!