What to Know about Brain Tumor Awareness Month 2026

• April 28, 2026
• 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 urgent. The only path to curing brain cancer is through clinical research and clinical trials. The Ivy Center is leading the way with state-of-the-art trials, including the Gliofocus Phase 3 study of Niraparib for glioblastoma and BDTX-1535 for recurrent high-grade gliomas.

“Everyone’s arms and ears have been open. They’ve heard us, they’ve understood where we’re coming from, and they’ve cared for us and nurtured us through every step of the way.”
– Marializa Holden, Ivy Center Patient

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: 

Make a financial contribution 

Double Your Impact

This May, for Brain Tumor Awareness Month, double your impact! The Rick Oehme Foundation will match all donations to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center, up to $100,000. Your support fuels critical research and offers hope to those battling brain cancer.

Founded in memory of Rick Oehme, who lost his battle with glioblastoma, The Rick Oehme Foundation is dedicated to a future free from brain cancer. By supporting this match, you directly contribute to Rick’s mission and bring us closer to breakthroughs.

Join us in discovering tomorrow’s treatments, today:

Glioblastoma (GBM) Facts

• GBM is the most common and most lethal brain cancer in adults.
• The five-year survival rate for GBM patients is less than 5%.
• The median life expectancy for GBM patients is estimated less than 16 months.
• GBM 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.

Support Our Dine & Donate Program

In support of Brain Tumor Awareness Month, Hensley Beverage Company and Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers are teaming up for a special “Dine & Donate” promotion at all 18 Arizona locations. Throughout May, $1 from every specialty burger or 22oz Michelob Ultra draft sold will support the Ivy Brain Tumor Center and our mission to cure brain cancer.

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 2026 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 9, at 10:00 a.m. Taking place at the Hilton Phoenix Resort at the Peak, 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 on Sunday, October 11. 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 3-5, 2026, 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

Social Media Fundraisers

Another easy way to raise awareness is by creating Facebook and Instagram fundraisers to enlist the support of your friends and family. Here’s how to do it:

National Wear Gray Day on Wednesday, May 27

Encourage your friends, family, and co-workers to dress in gray for National Wear Gray Day on Wednesday, 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.  

Take part on social media 

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

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.