Hi

I have posted a copy of the IBTA awareness raising book and the following letter to NZ media health reporters today. They should receive it next week.

Various events being held around the world during the Awareness Week have been listed on the IBTA website here: http://www.theibta.org/proposedevents.html


Cheers


Denis Strangman
Chair IBTA
www.theibta.org
================
 
Dear XXXXXXXXX
 
Will you please help to raise awareness about brain tumours – one of the most lethal of all cancers which is desperately in need of more research and support?
 
The International Brain Tumour Awareness Week will take place between Sunday 26 October and Saturday 1 November and involves more than 150 brain tumour-specific and cancer organisations worldwide. Could you please publicise brain tumours during that Week?
 
Enclosed is a book commemorating brain tumour awareness-raising activities held last year, including events that were part of the Walk Around the World for Brain Tumours when our supporters set out to symbolically circle the earth at the Equator (40,000 kms) and ended up circling it almost three times. We are undertaking that Walk again in 2008.
 
Many readers already have a vague knowledge about the existence of brain tumours through the diagnosis of prominent people such as Senator Ted Kennedy in the USA but they might not be aware that it is a neglected cancer which requires a major research focus and greater support for patients and caregivers.
 
The message we need to get across is that brain tumours can attack anyone, young or old, male or female; their causes are generally unknown; you cannot realistically screen for them; and no change of lifestyle will prevent them. In this situation what is needed is more research funding and immediate support for patients, their family and caregivers, while the scientists desperately search for a cure.
 
Despite these formidable odds brain tumour advocates are optimistic, because 2008 has seen a significant breakthrough in the identification of important genetic biomarkers for brain tumours and the hope is that this will lead to more and better targeted therapies.
 
By way of interest to NZ readers, several contacts in NZ have supported a letter (copy attached) that I wrote last July to Mr Dalton Kelly of the Cancer Society of  NZ drawing his attention to the apparent absence of any NZ involvement in pharma-initiated brain tumour clinical trials. I know that Australia will be participating in several of the proposed trials.
 
I met Mr Kelly recently at the World Cancer Congress where he told me that one of his officers was looking into the subject.
 
Thank you for your assistance.