About Brain Tumour Action
Brain Tumour Action aims to provide information, support and counselling to brain tumour patients and patients’ friends and families. Often people call in need of someone to talk to, and we provide a trained and knowledgeable counsellor to help.
BTA also funds research into brain tumours and treatments, often in conjunction with other Brain Tumour Charities in association with the United Brain Tumour Campaign.
We attend conferences and meetings within the public health sector to ensure the voice of brain tumour patients and families are heard, and their needs taken into consideration.
BTA also provides a set of information leaflets available for individuals and groups on various aspects of living with brain tumours.
Finally we coordinate various support groups up and down the country which is often of the greatest comfort to those most in need of someone to talk to.
BTA have no employees, all our work is carried out by committed volunteers.
Aims
BTA is a voluntary organisation with five major aims:-
* Support for relatives and sufferers of brain tumours
* Counselling for those who wish it
* Information on brain tumours and their treatment
* Education of the public about tumours
* Research into brain tumours and their treatment
Support Groups
Support groups meet regularly in Scotland, in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. Various associated groups operate in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In addition to the above, we provide aromatherapy for patients, run a “pager contact service†– allowing the carer and patient to have some time apart from each other, host a discussion forum facilitated by Yahoo and publish a newsletter. For more on these services see the projects page.
Counselling
The counselling side of the program is run on a telephone “befriender†basis.  The telephone is covered by a trained counsellor. Specialist neuro-oncology nurses also give advice.
Information
Information is provided through a series of eight leaflets – low and high grade tumours, radiation, chemotherapy, epilepsy, Meningioma, pituitary and ‘living with a brain tumour’; these leaflets and further information on brain tumour facts and figures can be downloaded free.
Education
Education about various aspects of brain tumours is provided by the BTA website, by BTA volunteers attending study days organised by neuro-oncology nurses around the country and by holding our own annual lecture and information day.
Research
Research – We have participated in the “Scottish Audit of the Royal College of Physicians Guidelines for Good Practice in the Management of Malignant Gliomaâ€.  We are currently providing financial aid to assist a medical student to undertake a research project on “Post-resection prognostic outcomes of primary malignant paediatric brain tumours of different histopathological subtypes â€.
Brain Tumours and Children
Brain tumours are the most common solid tumour in children and have variable outcomes. Â BTA supports research into this form of the disease.
BTA have produced an information leaflet for parents of children with brain tumours. Â This is available on 0131-466-3116. It is also available on our website – click here.
Charity Number: SC 021490
July 23, 2009
Posted in: About Us 
The BTA Committee
Julie, our Acting Chair, has been a Committee Member since January 2008. Her husband is a brain tumour sufferer who has had a low grade glioma for 8 years. She is interested in developing psychological support for brain tumour patients and their carers. She is particularly interested in the effects of brain tumours on memory and cognition. Julie is a part time GP in Edinburgh and has two children, aged 15 and 13.
Robert, our Treasurer, lives in Edinburgh with his wife Patricia. They have 3 grown up children all living away from home. He is a Chartered Accountant and a partner in French Duncan LLP which is a Scottish based practice operating out of 7 offices across central Scotland. He has worked with charities over a long number of years in various capacities including Auditor, secretary, treasurer, honorary treasurer and board member. Robert believes the work done by Brain Tumour Action is invaluable to patients and their families and the contributions it makes towards research projects he hopes will make a difference. His hobbies are golf, gardening and being out in the fresh air. He also enjoys music and going to the cinema when he gets the chance.
Lynne is our Secretary. Her son was diagnosed with a low grade astrocytoma in 1993 and she has been involved in brain tumour advocacy since that time. She runs the telephone support line for Brain Tumour Action and also liases with other brain tumour organisations throughout the UK.She is interested in supporting clinical trials nationally, particularly those embracing nutricutical, and less toxic modalities.Lynne is a part-time teacher and trained cousellor.
We also have on the committee Alice who is our representative for Support and Befriending, and David and Janice who are Patient Representatives.
July 23, 2009
Posted in: The BTA Committee
