What Is PMP Pals and Who Does It Serve?

PMP Pals (pmppals.net) is a volunteer-run, peer-to-peer support community for patients and caregivers living with appendix cancer, Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP), and related peritoneal surface malignancies. The site describes itself as the world's oldest global support community for this rare disease. It is built for people who want direct, personal contact with others facing the same diagnosis—not a general cancer information portal.

Who the site is for

The community explicitly names its audience: patients, caregivers, and others affected by appendix cancer and peritoneal surface conditions. The site also addresses physicians, researchers, and advocates, particularly around its awareness and research programming. If you are newly diagnosed, a long-time survivor, or supporting someone with PMP or appendix cancer, the resources are organized around that experience.

What PMP Pals actually offers

The site's services fall into three practical areas.

HOPE ZOOM support calls

HOPE ZOOM is described as free, live video support group calls held twice a week. The format is peer-to-peer roundtable discussion, facilitated by PMP Pals volunteers, and accessible online. The stated purpose is building emotional resilience by listening, sharing, and connecting. Registration is required through the site.

This is the most direct service: a recurring, scheduled way to talk with people who understand the diagnosis. It suits people who want conversation and community rather than written information.

Find a Surgeon directory

PMP Pals curates a global map of appendix cancer specialists, oncology surgeons, and hospitals that treat PMP, appendiceal cancer, and its subtypes (the site lists signet ring, goblet cell, and HAMN among them). This is a referral-style resource—useful when the question is "who treats this near me or somewhere I can travel," not a substitute for a clinical recommendation.

Blog and event programming

The site maintains a PALS Blog and posts recordings from major events. One example is a recorded Appendix Cancer Awareness Month program featuring physicians from UC San Diego Health and NYU Langone Health, along with the presidents of PMP Pals and the ACPMP Research Foundation. The session covered new programs, research initiatives, patient resources, and advocacy, and was made available on YouTube. For patients who want to follow research developments without attending in person, these recordings are a low-effort entry point.

How the pieces fit together

What to expect and what not to

PMP Pals presents itself as a support and information community, not a medical provider. The surgeon map helps you identify specialists, but treatment decisions belong with your care team. The HOPE ZOOM calls are peer-facilitated, so treat them as shared experience rather than clinical advice.

The site lists Stripe among its payment platforms, which suggests it accepts donations or payments somewhere on the site; the available material does not specify costs for any service, and HOPE ZOOM is the only offering explicitly labeled free. Check the relevant page before assuming anything else is free or requires payment.

A reasonable first step

If you are newly diagnosed with appendix cancer or PMP, start with the "We Have Hope for You" page to understand the community's scope, then register for a HOPE ZOOM call to hear how others navigate the disease. Use Find a Surgeon when you are ready to discuss treatment options, and check the blog or event recordings if you want to track research and advocacy.