GIST is a
rare condition, but you are not alone!
Who we are
This site is primarily for GIST
patients and their carers. Most of the content is provided by patients, not by doctors or nurses. Please email us with your comments, corrections and additions.
Gist Support UK is there to be with you as you come to
terms with living with GIST. We are a network of patients and their
carers, all of whom are affected by GIST. We share experience and offer
each other mutual support by telephone and by email. Currently we
also hold two meetings a year, where members have the opportunity to meet
together, and also to meet professionals working in the field. You will find reports of the most recent meetings on this website.
We have information about GIST and treatment options, chances and risks, and
new clinical trials and we offer you the opportunity to share with other
patients. All this can help you to find your bearings and to make more
informed choices about your treatment. Being an informed patient will
lessen the feeling of being at the mercy of this illness and will help you
to be more in control of your life again.
If you have GIST, and
if you can accept and come to terms with the illness, you can continue to
lead a ‘normal’ life. Every day, research into GIST is giving us new
knowledge, and new treatment options are being explored and
trialed.
What we do
We run meetings where GIST patients and their carers can support each other, share experiences, and hear about the latest developments in the treatment of GIST from leading professionals.
We try to keep abreast of developments in the treatment of GIST by maintaining contact with:
- pharmaceutical companies
- specialist doctors and research groups
- and patient support groups all over the World.
We have a Mailtalk system where members can email the group to ask questions, exchange information and generally discuss their problems. (See Contact us page.)
How to meet other GIST patients
Why not wear one of these little ribbons when you visit Out-patients, to show that you are a GIST patient? Maybe you will find another GIST patient to talk to. Just email us and we will send you a ribbon. A £1 donation will cover the cost and also help GIST Support UK.
How you can help us
We want as many GIST patients as possible to know about us. If you are being treated in a local district hospital, why not ask them to put up a poster? Click here to download an A4-size poster that you can print out.
Alternatively why not ask your hospital to display some of our publicity leaflets? Just let us know which hospital, and who the appropriate contact person is. We can then add them to our distribution list and keep them supplied. Click here to see a PDF of our publicity leaflet.
Finally why not help us by taking part in a sponsored swim or some similar event? (Or getting someone else to!) Click here to download a sponsorship form that you can use.
The work of GIST Support UK is supported by donations from its members together with unrestricted educational grants from Novartis and Pfizer
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