What to Know about Brain Tumor Awareness Month 2024

• March 18, 2024
• Ivy Center
• Posted in Glioblastoma
• Comments: 5

What is Brain Tumor Awareness Month? 

In May, we come together for Brain Tumor Awareness Month – a month dedicated to education, raising awareness and shining a light on a patient population that is often overlooked. 

The need for new and innovative ways to treat brain tumor patients has never been more critical. Research suggests 1.4 million patients worldwide are struggling with malignant brain tumors and by the end of the year, another 256,000 will be diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. 

When is Brain Tumor Awareness Month?

Brain Tumor Awareness Month is nationally recognized in the United States during the month of May.

Why is Brain Tumor Awareness Month so important? 

The current standard of care for brain tumor patients simply isn’t working. New, effective drugs with significant survival benefits to treat malignant brain tumors haven’t been seen in decades. There is much more groundwork to be done in discovering new,  effective treatments for brain tumor patients. 

Brain Tumor Awareness Month is a movement that is wholly dedicated to these efforts.

How can you get involved with Brain Tumor Awareness Month? 

It’s common and reasonable to feel powerless against a disease like brain cancer. Still, there are plenty of ways to make a positive impact, especially during Brain Tumor Awareness Month. 

Naturally, the focus is on raising as much awareness as possible, understanding that many don’t know about this cancer until they or someone they love is diagnosed.

Here are a few ways you can make an impact this month:  

Spread the word 

Share information about primary brain tumors and secondary brain tumors with your peers. Tell them the stories of those affected, the harsh reality that brain cancer can impact anyone at any time, and highlight how strong and resilient those who have been burdened with this disease are because of their journey. 

Brain Tumor Facts

• The five-year survival rate for glioblastoma patients is only 6.9 percent, and the average length of survival for glioblastoma patients is estimated to be only 8 months.
• Glioblastoma accounts for 50.1 percent of all primary malignant brain tumors.
• It is estimated that more than 10,000 individuals in the United States will succumb to glioblastoma every year.
• Glioblastoma is also one of the more expensive cancers to treat, often leaving patients and families with major financial hardship on top of the burdens of the disease.

Source: National Brain Tumor Association

Make a financial contribution 

Donate to non-profit organizations that conduct clinical research studies like the Ivy Center’s Phase 0 clinical trials. Support families affected by a brain tumor diagnosis through organizations like Gray Matters Foundation, Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research, StacheStrong and more.  

Double your impact in May! The Rick Oehme Foundation has partnered with Barrow Neurological Foundation to raise money for brain tumor research at the Ivy Brain Tumor Center. The Rick Oehme Foundation will match any gifts made during Brain Tumor Awareness Month, up to $100,000. Brain tumor research is a cause close to The Oehme Family’s heart. Rick and his mother, Lois, both passed away from brain tumors. 

Support Participating Businesses

Many businesses get involved in Brain Tumor Awareness Month by donating a portion of their proceeds during the month of May to brain cancer research.

In support of Brain Tumor Awareness Month and the fight against brain cancer, restaurants have the opportunity to join our Dine & Donate program. Throughout May, restaurant participants can select a special menu item to support the cause, promote Wear Gray Day, or donate some of their proceeds to benefit the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and our mission to cure brain cancer.

If you represent a restaurant interested in participating in the 2024 Dine & Donate program, please contact Matt Wright at [email protected].

Register for an Event

Community events bring people together and provide a supportive setting for individuals facing similar challenges. Many of these events are designed to help raise awareness, promote unity and drive action toward discovering new and alternative therapeutic options for brain cancer.

Below are a few of the 2024 Brain Tumor Awareness Month events that you can get involved in:

• Gray Matters Foundation’s Annual Basket Raffle:
  • The Gray Matters Foundation is the Ivy Brain Tumor Center’s official patient support partner. Gray Matters is dedicated to love, kindness, and the celebration of life. This foundation supports each patient as an individual.
  • Gray Matters will have their annual Basket Raffle on Saturday, May 11, at 10:00 a.m. Taking place at the Hilton Phoenix Resort, this event is the foundation’s biggest fundraiser and proceeds go toward supporting individuals who a brain tumor has impacted. There are three easy ways to get involved prior to the event. Click here to learn more. 
• Head for the Cure’s 5K Walk/Run:
  • The mission of Head for the Cure is to inspire hope in the brain tumor community while celebrating their courage, spirit and energy. Through various fundraising efforts, including 5K events hosted nationwide, Head for the Cure can support clinical research and patient programs at local brain cancer institutions. 
  • The Ivy Brain Tumor Center is the local beneficiary of the Head for the Cure 5K Phoenix. Learn how you can register for your local 5K.

• National Brain Tumor Society’s Head to the Hill:
  • Head to the Hill is an opportunity for brain tumor advocates to come together and share their stories on the Hill and advocate for the federal government to make strategic investments in brain tumor research. 
  • On May 6-7, 2024, Head to the Hill is designed to improve health care delivery, reduce health disparities, and raise the priority for the brain tumor community’s urgent needs. Click here to learn more about this event and how to register.

Crowdfunding

Facebook Fundraiser

Another easy way to raise funds is by creating a Facebook Fundraiser to enlist the support of your social circle. Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to https://www.facebook.com/fundraisers
2. Click “Select Nonprofit”
3. Search for Barrow Neurological Institute and hit “Enter”
4. Fill in the details about your fundraiser and upload a custom image if you would like. Please include “Ivy Center” in the title so the funds raised are directed to the Ivy Center’s clinical trials program.
5. Set a goal amount and hit “Create.”
6. Share with your friends and family during the month of May.

Instagram Fundraiser

Instagram serves as a powerful platform to aid brain cancer research and rally your social network for support. Here’s how you can begin:

1. Open the Instagram app and navigate to your profile.
2. Tap the “+” icon and select “Fundraiser.”
3. Choose “Nonprofit” as the type of fundraiser.
4. Type “Barrow Neurological Institute” in the search bar and select it from the list.
5. Enter the details of your fundraiser. Be sure to include “Ivy Center” in the title to ensure the donations are allocated to the Ivy Center’s clinical trials program.
6. Set your fundraising goal and choose an end date for your fundraiser.
7. Personalize your fundraiser with a story or reason why you’re raising funds, and you can also upload a custom image to make your fundraiser stand out.
8. Tap “Done” to launch your fundraiser.

Share your fundraiser on your Instagram stories and feed to encourage your friends and family to contribute, especially throughout May for brain cancer awareness.

Wear gray 

Encourage your friends, family and co-workers to dress in gray for National Wear Gray Day on May 27 or take it a step further by going gray during the entire month of May to bring awareness to brain cancer and the need for more research.  

You can also show your support by wearing a gray awareness ribbon. When you make a donation of $25 or more to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center for Brain Tumor Awareness Month we will send you a complimentary gray ribbon (as seen below) to pin to your shirt, in addition to a Barrow Brain Pen.

Take part on social media 

Engage with the brain tumor community online. Repost stories, share the hashtag #BTAM and tag us in content.  

Share Your Story

Even amidst the toughest battles with brain tumors, individuals within the community demonstrate remarkable strength and resilience, facing life’s challenges head-on. Throughout May, our focus is shining a light on those who bravely share their stories, raising awareness about this disease. Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, doctor, or nurse, your narrative is a beacon of hope, reminding others they’re not alone in their journey. By opening up about how this disease has touched your life, community, and loved ones, we stand united, showing solidarity and support for one another. Together, through the power of storytelling, we illuminate the path forward, fostering connection and understanding.

By raising awareness, we hope to bring attention to the critical need to find and provide effective treatment options for those impacted by a brain tumor diagnosis. To the brain tumor community, your unwavering strength and courage inspire us to keep fighting for new treatments and a cure.

Be sure to follow us on social media and stay updated on the latest news at the Ivy Center.