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 Glioma”.  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 ”.

Brain Tumours and Children

Brain tumours are the most common solid tumour in children and have variable outcomes.  BTA supports research into this form of the disease.

BTA have produced an information leaflet for parents of children with brain tumours.  This is available on 0131-466-3116. It is also available on our website – click here.

Charity Number: SC 021490

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.

Jennifer qualified in 2006 and is a member of ICAS. She joined French Duncan in February 2011. She has had ten years experience of working with charities in Scotland and has audited accounts for the British Pharmacological Society, Scottish Love in Action and Music at the Brewhouse. She is Head Coach at the 1930 Swimming Club for young people between the age of  three and fifteen and has been coaching at the Club for sixteen years. In her (occasional!) spare time she also enjoys going to concerts, the theatre and cinema.

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 liaises 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.

Alice McGregor has been on the Committee for many years and is Coordinator of the Edinburgh Support Group. She has been involved with Brain Tumour Action since 1993. Her daughter was successfully treated for a brain tumour thirty-one years ago.

Janice McClure is a Patient Representative on the Committee. Having been treated several years ago for a brain tumour she now divides her time between work, bringing up her family and contributing to various charities including Brain Tumour Action.