“When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras.”

In medicine, this saying is often used to explain the tendency to consider the most common diagnoses first and overlook rarer ones.

The Attenti alla zebra! campaign turns this perspective on its head, transforming the international symbol of rare diseases into a gateway to a story designed to bring clinicians and the wider public closer to the world of neuroendocrine tumours.

Through a physical installation presented at the 27th AIOM National Congress, a social media campaign and illustrated stories by Angela Piacentini, the project creates a clear language that speaks to the scientific community while offering the public an immediate, accessible understanding of the disease.

In this way, the zebra is no longer merely a symbol but becomes a true narrative guide to discovering neuroendocrine tumours.