Don’t miss BTRC’s ninth annual Amber Ball 2012 on Friday, March 16^th at The Landmark, London in their new Grand Ballroom!

Book your places now to guarantee an evening of fun, drinks reception, three course dinner with half a bottle of wine, prizes, entertainment and dancing and our biggest annual fundraising event for BTRC.

View and print booking form to order your Amber Ball 2012 tickets (send by Post or Fax)

Alternatively, you can book and pay online here now!

After 30 years playing Jack Duckworth the 70-year-old decided he wanted to care for his son Carl who has battled with a brain tumour.

Full Story:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2096445/When-Bill-Tarmey-quit-Coronation-Street-thought-health-reveals-care-son.html

05 February 2012
www.dailymail.co.uk

Happy New Year to you all.

There could not be a better way to work off the festive excesses than by joining us in this year’s cycle ride around East Anglia and raising much needed money for the Brain Tumour Research Campaign. We are planning a five day, fundraising ride starting on Saturday 28th April and finishing on Wednesday 2nd May.

We will be cycling in the region of 50 miles per day, starting in Peterbourgh and bed and breakfasting in Hunstanton, Cromer, Beccles & Ipswich finishing in Cambridge.  There are good train links to many of the places on route. (Peterbourgh, Kings Lynn, Ipswich & Cambridge).  As per the previous years it is an amateur cycle ride with plenty of stops and refreshments on route. Our much appreciated support crew will carry luggage from the morning to the evening location. Whilst it will be testing it should be fun.

We ask each cyclists to raise or donate a minimum of £50 to BTRC either by setting up their own Just Giving account, by taking sponsorship from any contacts they may have or any other innovative way of raising money (JB 2010!).  If you are interested I can provide you with a sponsor form.  In 2010 we raised in excess of £60,000 and in 2011 just over £20,000. Details on how this and other money has been spent and the reasons for raising these funds can be found on the BTRC website www.wayahead-btrc.org or my rather outdated and soon to be re-freshed web site www.mindovermiles.org

At the beginning of March my parents and I will drive the route to gather B&B information and look for suitable stopping points.

If you are interested in joining the ride and would like to cycle with us for either one or two days or for the whole event please let me know by either e mail dan.wiggins@btinternet.com  or by phone. 01932 244 337 or 07901 971 974.  This ride is open to everyone, people who have cycled with us in the past two years and newcomers.  Please spread the word to anyone who you think maybe interested.

Looking forward to hearing who will be joining us this year.

Best wishes,

Dan

Amber Ball 2011

(remember the total amount to pay to enter on next Paypal page)

Thank you to everyone who joined us for a Festival of Christmas Carols and Readings.  The evening was dedicated to raising awareness of the plight of brain tumour sufferers. It was a great success raising more than £2000!  A most enjoyable festive evening followed by champagne and seasonal refreshments.  We hope to make this an annual event at All Saints, Fulham.

>>> See photos here with many thanks to our photographer Tony Gamble

Fashion Show and Luncheon with Marie Helvin and Maria Grachvogel at Mosimann’s Private Members Club on Thursday October 20^th

A very special opportunity, we have a very limited number of tickets available for this event

One of the original supermodels, Marie Helvin is one of Maria’s best-known clients and will host the luncheon in aid of the Brain Tumour Research Campaign, a charity to Marie’s heart (she is one of our celebrity champions)

Maria Grachvogel is one of Britain’s top fashion designers. The foundations of the brand lie in innovative cutting, using unconventional methods of fitting, to create contemporary clothes that truly work in harmony with a woman’s body. Modern and sensual, the collection focuses on draping and cut. Maria believes great design is an essential and delicate combination of art and functionality and sees her role as an architect for the female form. Most of all, she wants her clothes to be worn and continue to be loved for years to come.

Maria will be hosting a trunk show in the Parmigiani Room after lunch and she would be delighted to meet you there.

Cost £75 per person

12.30 for 1.00pm

If you are interested in joining the waitlist for tickets, please contact Wendy Fulcher on wendy@wayahead-btrc.org

September, 2012

Big Wight Matter is THE family walking and cycling festival on the Isle of Wight.

The weekend festival is a time for you and your family to enjoy the breathtaking coastal views and beaches of West Wight. Take part in organised walks and an off road cycle challenge, relax in the swimming pool, compete in the quiz and games, and dance the night away to live music in the beer tent as the sun sets over the cliff tops.

There will be special discounts on travel and accommodation, and full ticket information on the Big Wight Matter’s website nearer the time

We are delighted to announce that we raised £50,000 at the Amber Ball on Friday evening, 18th March, 2011.

Our heartfelt thanks to those of you who came along, who donated prizes, who bought them or won them!

Thanks, too, to all our sponsors and everyone who helped us to make it such a successful evening.

Your photos taken on the night from Pellier Noir are available from http://www.pelliernoir.com.  The images are on their online gallery page.  Just click on their website link, create your own account with name, email address and a password of your choice, and you will be able to see and order your photos.

Book BTRC Carol Concert tickets (Weds 7th Dec 2011) and pay via Paypal

(remember the total amount to pay to enter on next Paypal page)

The Fairy Princess“CHRISTMAS MAGIC”

One of our supporters who has a passion for music (like so many of us, has been touched by brain tumours, having a young grand-daughter who had surgery to remove a brain tumour at the age of 2) is composing a children’s opera, which he hopes will ultimately be performed as a Gala Presentation by celebrity singers and musicians, but will also serve as an educational tool for children in schools. He has generously pledged to donate a portion of any commercial proceeds from the sale of the finished work to BTRC.

Here is a short excerpt from one of the songs, “The Fairy Princess.”

“Wherever children sing and play,
She’s never very far away,
If a problem you will share,
Just think of her and she’ll be there.

When she’s spread her wings and flown away,
remember well the happy day,
She promised you, she’ll always care
For little children everywhere.
Yes she promised you that she will care
For little children everywhere”.

You can listen to the music by The Fairy Princess

The Brain Tumour Research umbrella charity, of which Brain Tumour Research Campaign is a founding member,  has joined forces with other brain tumour charities,  Brain Tumour UK and the Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust, as well as the International Brain Tumour Alliance, to launch a manifesto for everyone  affected by a brain tumour.  We hope to persuade the new Government to work in partnership with us to improve outcomes in diagnosis, patient care and research.

The manifesto was presented by all the charities at a reception on October 14^th, held to celebrate the re-launch of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Brain Tumours, under the chairmanship of James Arbuthnot MP.

National Press Release – 12.10.10

Manifesto

George was 41 when he collapsed, on what seemed to be a normal day at the office. Scans revealed he had a malignant brain tumour and it quickly became apparent that he was suffering from a very aggressive form of the disease.  The Consultants all agreed that the tumour was inoperable, and the prognosis was poor.  George’s gruelling round of treatments started in September 2008; six weeks of radiotherapy, followed by ten months of chemotherapy, six of those months were combined with a brand new drug Avastin which really helped his quality of life.  The average life expectancy of a brain tumour patient is 14 months;  But George was able to live for nearly 18 months.  His strong constitution and the need to be with his three young children, wife, family and friends kept George fighting.  But sadly, despite his incredible courage and bravery, he died on 28th March 2010.

Throughout this time it became clear to us how little was known about George’s condition.  The consultants were often as baffled as we were about some of his symptoms. Some internet research led us to the startling realisation that there is little awareness of the disease and a serious lack of funding for research.  Currently Brain Tumour research receives only 0.7% of cancer research spending in the UK despite the fact that:

- Brain tumours are the most common cause of cancer death in children under the age of 15.
- More men under 45 and women under 35 die from brain tumour than any other cancer.

To that end we would like to create and fund a research fellowship in George’s name – The George Pickard Fellowship. This will allow research into brain tumours to take place at Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre at Charing Cross Hospital in London. It costs around £20,000 to undertake one year of research. The aim of the fellowship will be to fund this research for a minimum of three years, which we will do through the Brain Tumour Research Campaign and BrainsTrust.

Maybe, one day, someone diagnosed with George’s condition will be able to survive.  We are therefore asking you to contribute to a fund to be created in George’s name.

Royal Parks Half Marathon – 10 October 2010 – George’s Birthday Run
www.royalparkshalf.com

To kick start the fund raising a large group of George’s friends and family will be running the Royal Parks Half Marathon which coincidentally would have been his birthday! As you can see from the list attached this includes his wife, a brother, nephews, a niece and a number of Godparents of their children. We are all running in aid of George’s Fellowship. George Pickard Fellowship – Runners

How to give: http://www.justgiving.com/The-George-Pickard-Fellowship
Or send cheque made payable to “Brainstrust – George Pickard”
to: Paul Harwood, Centro Commercial Limited, Mid-Day Court, 30 Brighton Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5BN

Big  Wight Matter: for the second year, the Brain Tumour Research charities combined forces to meet on the Isle of Wight for a weekend of fun, fundraising and walking around the island on the Big Wight Matter – see http://bigwightmatter.brainstrust.org.uk/  for further information.

Although we weren’t able to attend the event ourselves this year, fellow brain tumour charity colleague Sue Farrington Smith from Brain Tumour Research wrote about the weekend:

Well done Helen and team at brainstrust for organising the event again this year, which was attended by 65 supporters.  

I know it is quite a long journey but it really feels like a great break and the children love it.

 We got there about 8pm on the Friday had BBQ sausage and burgers, drinks in the beer tent, great company and great music to accompany us.

 People stayed in family rooms, tents and caravans as well as some chalets – although there aren’t many of those

 On the Saturday we all had a great cooked breakfast and those that were doing the 15 mile walk set off at 10am, those of us doing the 6 mile set off at 10.45

 The views along the cliff top walks are just stunning and it is fantastic to be by the sea

 We stopped for 90 minutes at a great pub half way for lunch and then walked back to be met by ice cream and then tea and cakes

 The children couldn’t wait to get in to the heated swimming pool – don’t know where they get their energy from and swam from 4 until 5.30

 Then a freshen up and back to the beer tent for more drinkies and a fantastic hog roast with apple sauce, coleslaw and salad

 Helen’s team organised a raffle, an auction and a quiz night as well as some ceilidh dancing which everyone really enjoyed (whether joining in or watching)

 We all went to bed tired and happy and slept very well

 This morning we had another great cooked breakfast and then people either left for their journey home or continued for a shorter walk in the morning

Well done again to everyone!

Here are some links so you can see what you missed!

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/jamesjoshuahill/BigWightMatter2010?feat=email#

http://brainstrust.org.uk/news-detail.php?id=180

Sara and Mike Porley ran the Great North Run on September 19^th in memory of Sara’s father who died from a brain tumour in his early forties.

“We had a great day, 2hrs 18 mins for Mike and 2hrs 42 for me.  I was just really happy to get round this year as I didn’t get the training in I was hoping” said Sara

http://www.justgiving.com/saraporley

Lynsey and Philip Stephenson decided to run in 2 separate half-marathons, 1 week apart – Lynsey ran in the Robin Hood half-marathon on September 12^th and husband Philip ran the Great North Run on September 19^th.

Phil had surgery to remove part of a Grade 4 GBM in 2007 but is still a keen runner and participates in as many runs as possible: “ I enjoyed the run and the cool/wet weather made it better.  I finished in 1hr 28mins 28seconds” says Phil.

As always, we are grateful to many people for the success of this year’s Amber Ball – especially to our team of regular helpers, the organising committee and a host of sponsors:

 Amber Ball Committee:

Alexandra Dixon Drummond, Charlotte Heath, Sophie Malerba , Helen Mellor, June Poster, Rebecca Price

 Helpers on the night:

Susan Pacey, Sarah Reynolds, Marc Belben, Nan Kay Walton, Gillian Randell, Margaret Shearing

 Clairvoyants:

Ingela Hedland Claxton, Aislinn Lester, Rosella Longinotti

 Sponsors:

 Prizes :

I was working under the supervision of Dr Federico Roncaroli at the Neuropathology Unit located in the Charing Cross Hospital, Imperial College London. Subsequently, while the John Fulcher Molecular Neuro-oncology Laboratory gained its current shape and pace,  I also had the opportunity to work with Dr Nelofer Syed who joined the group, having previously had extensive experience in cancer epigenetics. I was consequently in a unique position as I could benefit from the clinical knowledge of Dr Roncaroli and scientific expertise of Dr Syed, while trying to decipher the role and regulation of translocator protein (TSPO) in human gliomas. Currently, we believe TSPO levels might help to pre-operatively distinguish glioma subtypes of different prognosis. Further, my research shed some light on the significance of other proteins associated with mitochondria and linked to cellular metabolism in glioma, The results of this work funded by BTRC were presented during scientific neuro-oncology meetings in the UK and USA.

In April 2010 I submitted my thesis on “The Mitochondrial Translocator Protein in Human Gliomas” which was then examined by Professor Geoffrey Pilkington (University of Portsmouth) and Dr Paolo Muraro (Imperial College London). I successfully defended my thesis during the viva and was awarded a PhD title.

Steve Palmer ran in his first ever marathon on May 16^th in memory of his father-in-law Cliff Tinworth: the 26.2 mile Brathay Windermere Marathon around the beautiful shores of Lake Windermere in the Lake District

http://www.justgiving.com/StevePalmer2010

Michael O’Connor, Graham Platts, Paul Randall, Keith Young cycled from Monaco to Lyon: “One dark wintery day in 2009, Paul had the idea that we should cycle from Monaco to Lyon “over the mountains”.   

Ever so slightly competitive by nature, Graham and I rose to the bait, swiftly overcoming the first hurdle by buying our bikes!  Paul’s bluff was called, he then had to buy a bike, and the challenge was on. .  

We are preparing a 5 day trip, cycling around 100km a day.  ‘Easy’ we hear you say.  But the slight hitch is that we start at sea level and seem to go up and down to 2,000m a few times. 

Yes, there are some serious mountain climbs.  Take a look at the picture of our first two days on the Route des Grandes Alpes.  Starting at sealevel, Day 1 is a steady 700m climb before dropping back to 300m at Sospel, then 1300m up the Col de Turini before we glide back to 600m only to climb the Col Saint Martin back up to 1500m.  Day 2 is slightly harder with the Col de la Cayolle at 2326m on our way to Barcelonette!  In comparison, the highest peak in the UK is Ben Nevis at 1344m and we are effectively climbing mt Kilimanjaro (5895m) over two days, give or take 200m…

Cancer has touched all our lives in some way.  Brain tumours are an especially harsh cancer.  Often appearing without any warning, they are very hard to treat, not least because of their location.  My mother lost her long battle with a brain tumour over a year ago now.  She received remarkable palliative care from the Marie Curie hospice in London and we have raised funds to support their extraordinary efforts.  Just a few months after losing my mother, a brain tumour suddenly took the life of our great friend and colleague Chris Lyttle.  Chris received wonderful palliative care from Macmillan Cancer Support and funds have been raised by various groups to support their work

See the diary of their trip on their justgiving site: http://www.justgiving.com/Mike-Paul-Graham-Keith