Research - Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada

ResearchFunding leading Canadian brain tumour research, and workingcollaboratively across North America and the globe, is a priorityfor Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. When you give, yousupport researchers looking into the causes of and cure for thedisease, as well as quality of life challenges for those affectedby a brain tumour.In 2012, over half a million dollars was awardedin research funding. This includes eight grants, fundingfor the brain tumour registry, a $100,000 research fellowship,and critical funds for the London, Ontario-based Brain TumourTissue Bank that provides tissue samples to researchers allaround the world.Bev and Arbelle are neuroscience nursesat one of the country’s leading healthcare facilities. Their project on speakingto adolescents about their braintumour diagnosis won a Brain TumourFoundation of Canada & CanadianAssociation of Neuroscience Nursingaward for excellence in their field.Now their research findings have influenced howneuroscience nurses at their hospital work withpatients on a daily basis. Bev and Arbelle’s researchincreased awareness on the importance of identifyingand addressing any potential ethical conflictthat may arise at patient admission. This helpspatients because the nurses are now more effectiveadvocates, better anticipate needs and accessappropriate resources on patients’ behalf.“Medulloblastoma brain tumours are the leadingcause of pediatric cancer deaths in Canada. Thosechildren who do manage to survive usually have aseverely impaired quality of life due to theaggressive treatment for the disease. Strategiesare needed to improve the quality of life forfamilies of children with brain tumours, to increasesurvival rates, and to minimize the impact onhealth care systems. We try to improve treatmentsuccess by performing molecular analysis to defineprognostic and biological subgroups. Large sizesof high quality tumour samples are needed toevaluate molecular mechanisms that lead totumour formation, and this is where the BrainTumour Tissue Bank fits in. We have obtained16 tumour samples from the bank, which werean important contribution to ourbrain tumour research.”Dr. Michael Taylor, Toronto, ONYou give to changebrain tumour patient care.6