Can You Help Antisense Pharma’s Sapphire Study?
If you, or someone you know, has been diagnosed with recurrent or refractory anaplastic astrocytoma, and would like to take part in a Phase III trial to compare trabedersen (AP 12009) with standard chemotherapies, then Antisense Pharma would like to hear from you.
Phase III trials are large, multi-centre trials which aim at achieving a definitive assessment of a drug’s performance compared with the “gold standard” existing treatments. They are the last trials to take place before a drug is submitted to regulatory bodies for approval.
You can read Antisense Pharma’s full-length account of the trial by clicking here.
Details on how to apply for enrollment into the study can be read by clicking here. This page also includes the relevant email address at Antisense Pharma for applications.
You can download Antisense Pharma’s official press release about the trial by clicking on the following link:Â antisense_pm_sapphire_fach_en (you will need either Adobe Reader or Foxit Reader on your computer to open the file. Most computers will already have one or the other installed, but follow the links if yours does not).
September 14, 2009
Posted in: News from BTA 
Medicine and Me Patients Conference – “Living With Pituitary Disease
The Royal Society of Medicine is holding another of its series of “Medicine and Me” conferences designed specifically for patients on Monday 12th October 2009. It’s called “Living With Pituitary Disease” and it’s a real opportunity for patients, families and carers to meet leading experts, catch up with the latest developments, ask important questions, discover services they may not have known about, access support and share their experiences.
Most of the audience will be made up of patients and their friends, families, carers and advocates, and a third of the audience will consist of doctors, specialist nurses and others involved in treatment and care of Pituitary disease.
If you book before 14 September, there are discounted “early bird” fees available of £25 for the whole day.
You can find all the details about the conference, including a list of all speakers and full programme, by clicking here.
August 25, 2009
Posted in: News from BTA
Congratulations to Nicole Witts and Her Fundraising Team
Nicole's Team In Freezing Fog on Snowdon
Nicole Witts, who was diagnosed with a life-threatening “benign” grade 1 meningioma, and her team have completed an extraordinary fundraising effort for Brain Tumour Action. Nicole had visited her GP eight times before her tumour was identified – she’d had to rebut a host of often insulting alternative diagnoses – and her eventual operation, which threatened her powers of speech, lasted eight hours.
Like so many brain tumour patients, even her successful operation has left Nicole with permanent after-effects to deal with, including memory problems, epilepsy and the loss of her driving licence, and with her recovery ongoing, she was unable to take part in her team’s successful crack at the Three Peaks Challenge.
The Three Peaks Challenge is an intensely gruelling 24-hour attempt to scale Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales, with the driving in between the peaks estimated at a minimum of eleven hours. Nicole’s husband Gary was joined by brother-in-law Steve Rock and friends Matthew Pearcy, Keren Millia and driver Creighton Varney.
Nicole embarked on a remarkable round of consciousness-raising, publicising and campaigning to support the bid. Her media achievements included full-length articles in both the Leighton Buzzard Observer and the national News of the World.
Nicole Witts in the News of the World
Nicole also attracted interest from the television magazine programme This Morning and from the Daily Mail. She gave talks to schools and other organisations, and mobilised her network to attract an extraordinary range of sponsors and donors.
Fundraisers like Nicole provide the funds, the publicity and the momentum that will surely mean one day that people no longer have to undergo experiences like hers. With any luck, her media work will have taught lots of people about a cancer that is still very little understood or known about, and enabled some to make potentially life-changing visits to GP or hospital to get checked out. And the work and commitment of Nicole, Gary, Steve, Matthew, Keren and Creighton inspire us all to work and fight on until the job is done.
Deepest thanks and gratitude to Nicole and the team from everyone at Brain Tumour Action. Congratulations on an extraordinary job done.
August 21, 2009
Posted in: News from BTA
Long-Term After-Effects Of Radiotherapy
A team led by Dr Linda Douw, from the Department of Neurology at VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam has published a long-term follow-up study of low-grade glioma patients which set out to track the cognitive and radiological effects of radiotherapy.
You can read a BBC News article on the study here.
The Lancet Neurology summary can be read here.
The Dutch team concludes that the higher ten-year survival rates of patients with low-grade glioma meant that radiotherapy held out considerable risk of lowering brain function further down the road. In most circumstances, radiotherapy should be deferred if at all possible.
Commenting in the same issue of Lancet Neurology, the Mayo Clinic’s Paul Brown and Jane Cerhan argued that improvements in the delivery of radiotherapy over the timescale of the study made its results hard to interpret.
The BBC quotes Dr Jeremy Rees, of Cancer Research UK, who says,
Surgery is generally a preferred option with chemotherapy or radiotherapy coming into play at a later stage, if the glioma progresses.
Continued research and increased knowledge about the disease is enabling us to treat it increasingly effectively while reducing side effects.
August 10, 2009
Posted in: News from BTA
Please Help theThird Annual Norfolk Family Walk
If you can make it to Norfolk in October and would like to help the International Brain Tumour Alliance’s “Walk Around the World” in aid of brain tumour awareness, then this is your chance!
Last year’s walk raised over £10,000 for Brain Tumour Action’s partner Astro Fund and they’d like to exceed that figure in 2009.
Download your copy of the poster here (it’s a .pdf file, so you’ll need either Acrobat Reader or Foxit Reader on your computer to open and print it) and put it in your window, on your workplace noticeboard and in shop windows etc.
For further details about this great event, call Christine Forecast on 01485 872767 or email forecast@sedgeford.eclipse.co.uk
July 29, 2009
Posted in: News from BTA
Brain Tumour Research News
Brain Tumour Research’s latest newsletter has just been published. Download your copy here.
Brain Tumour Action has been a partner of Brain Tumour Research right from the launch at the House of Commons in April at which we were represented. By bringing the brain tumour charitable community together, we can work in strength to fund the research into brain tumours that is so badly needed. BTR deserves all of your support – see the newsletter for ideas on how to help.
July 29, 2009
Posted in: News from BTA
The Big Wight Matter – September 2009
Brain Tumour Action is a partner of Brain Tumour Research and is throwing its support behind The Big Wight Matter – BTR’s big fundraising event on the Isle of Wight later this summer.
It’s taking place at the Brighstone Holiday Centre on the Isle of Wight and you, your friends and your dogs are invited to join in with the brain tumour community to raise money towards the vital research we need so badly.
You can read all about it here and download your own copy of the Big Wight Matter poster here to display in your window, your office noticeboard and anywhere else you can think of. (N.B. the poster is a .pdf file, and you will need either Acrobat Reader or Foxit Reader on your computer in order to open and print it).
Two fifteen-mile walks, taking in the breathtaking scenery and big skies of West Wight, can be done on two consecutive days. Much shorter walks will also be organised for little legs! Basecamp will be at Brighstone Holiday Centre, where additional entertainment and events will be provided such as music, a hog roast, BBQ facilities, swimming and the all important beer tent. You will be able to walk from basecamp straight onto the cliff paths and wherever possible walks will be off roads. A quiz/treasure hunt will be included and there will be a prize giving ceremony.
This event is being organised by brainstrust on behalf of Brain Tumour Research and its affiliated charities. For more information contact helen@brainstrust.org.uk or tel 01983 292405. Sign up at the Brainstrust website!
July 29, 2009
Posted in: News from BTA
Charity Evening in Kirkcaldy, Scotland
Friends and family of the late Michael Rennie held a Charity Evening with the proceeds coing to BTA. The evening was very well attended and £1272 was presented to BTA. Lynne Barty, on behalf of the Committee, accepted the donation.
July 23, 2009
Posted in: News from BTA
It's Worth It To Walk!
Maria Munro organised a 33 mile walk along the Nottingham to Grantham Canal. Nine walkers did the first 31 miles and for the last two they were joined by friends and family. A massive £3532.30 was raised – a brilliant total. It’s worth it to walk!
A 500 mile sponsored walk was organised by Avril Ferrier as a memorial walk for her late husband, Jim. The walk started around the Thurso area, with longer walks taking in the West Highland Way and the Great Glen Way. Avril’s last section of walking raised over £1800 for our charity!
July 23, 2009
Posted in: News from BTA
The Great Scottish Walk 2008
Brain Tumour Action would like to thank everyone that took part in the 2008 walks in Edinburgh and Glasgow. It was a tremendous effort by all, and we really look forward to seeing everyone again in 2009.
July 23, 2009
Posted in: News from BTA
