Ivy Blog

Ryan Masales, a Canadian police officer, was diagnosed with an aggressive stage 4 brain tumor, known as glioblastoma. After exhausting all conventional treatments in Canada, Ryan and his wife, Estelize began seeking other options. It was through their research that they found the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and began their 1,500 mile journey from Canada to Arizona to enroll in a unique Ivy Phase 0 clinical trial.

Dr. Nader Sanai is an internationally recognized neurosurgical oncologist, but his experience with brain cancer doesn't date back to the start of his career. It began at a young age when his Aunt Zhilla was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Years later, Dr. Sanai found himself inspired to follow a similar path of the neurosurgeon who cared for his aunt.

In honor of Brain Tumor Awareness Month, Cindy Westphal, wife of basketball Hall of Famer, Paul Westphal, recalls her husband's journey with glioblastoma and asks for your support of the Ivy Brain Tumor Center's mission to contribute to a cure for brain cancer within this decade.

Five doctors told Melissa her brain tumor was inoperable. After thinking she had exhausted all of her options, she visited the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and her life changed forever.

As a research technician in our Preclinical Lab, Connor White plays an important role in ensuring that only new promising targets with excellent brain penetration properties move into our Phase 0 trials.

“GBM is a disease that is very, very aggressive and very difficult for patients and their families to deal with,...

As an active young mom and business owner, Andy was surprised to learn she had a heart arrhythmia called AFib. After having a cardiac ablation to treat the AFib, she started to experience a migraine for the first time and was quickly taken in for a brain scan to rule out a stroke. That’s when doctors made a shocking discovery that would turn her world upside down.

As a research technician, Jennifer Molloy plays a fundamental role in the Ivy Center's pharmacodynamic lab. With her background in biological sciences and experience as a research intern at the University of Arizona, Jen assists in the facilitation of collection and analysis of tissue for our Phase 0 clinical trials. Jen's passion for science and research makes her a invaluable asset for the Ivy Center team.

World-renowned neurosurgeon, Dr. Robert F. Spetzler, recalls his sister-in-law's diagnosis with glioblastoma and the personal connections that guided him through his career.

The day after his graduation from San Diego State University, Nick was diagnosed with a recurrence of his malignant meningioma. Nick knew he wasn’t going to have a lot of options, but the Ivy Center had just opened a Phase 0 clinical trial for this exact indication.