Today SDBTT turns 15 years old, causing much celebration for all the team, supporters, fundraisers, researchers and anyone and everyone who has done their bit to get us where we are today. We couldn’t be where we are today without your help, so make sure you indulge in a bit of self gloating and perhaps a slice of cake (or two!) because you really do deserve it.

So whilst most 15 years olds learn the joys of spot fighting creams and testing their parents’ patience, during our 15 years  SDBTT has been busily making a difference to the lives of many. After 15 years we have made significant progress in supporting those affected by a brain tumour and have been able to fund world class research projects throughout the UK, including our dedicated brain tumour research centre at University College London.  Read all about our achievements to date here.

As part of our 15th anniversary, we are inviting you to come and join in the celebrations with us. So today, we are asking you to take just 15 minutes out of your day to plan the activities that you can get involved in this March as part of Brain Tumour Awareness Month. Whether you fancy hurtling out of a plan for your skydive, jumping on your bike and joining our cycle challenge or putting the kettle on to hold your own tea party, there is an idea and a way to get involved for everyone. Take a peak at all the activities we have available and be inspired by how you get get involved today.

If you can find just a  quarter of an hour to think about what you can do to help raise vital funds and awareness, you will be  helping to changes the lives of thousands living with a brain tumour. So whether you find those precious minutes during a well earned lunch break, or grab them before the school run, your planning will mean we can make this Brain Tumour Awareness Month a huge success! If you need some nifty hints and tips from our very lovely fundraising team, then get in touch by calling 01252 749990 or emailing them at fundraising@sdbtt.co.uk.

Once you have decided on your plan of action, then we want to hear all about it! How are you going to fundraise, what imaginative and daring ideas have you devised? Get in touch and join in our 15th anniversary celebration today!

We were very pleased to see our HeadSmart campaign being talked about on BBC South Today’s morning, lunchtime and evening news programmes. Founder Neil Dickson discusses the need for GPs to recognise more quickly the symptoms of a brain tumour, following the sad passing of 17 year old Sam Cashen whose brain tumour went undiagnosed for a year.

Fear not if you have missed the programme, as you can catch up online and find out why earlier diagnois in children is so vitally important to us all.

Watch the full programme here

Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust was proud to be part of a successful meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Brain Tumour meeting yesterday (30 January 2012), attended by the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley MP.

Fifteen of our supporters and staff attended, along with representatives of other Brain Tumour Consortium charities, to quiz the Secretary of State over his plans for the NHS and to seek reassurances that the proposed new Health Bill will not set back brain tumour care.

The packed meeting was chaired by James Arbuthnot MP and started with short presentations from Professor Garth Cruickshank, Consultant Neurosurgeon and brain tumour patient Daryl Gittins.

Prof. Cruickshank appealed to the Secretary of State to ensure that the NICE’s Improving Outcomes Guidance remains an integral part of the care pathway and stressed the need for earlier diagnosis, citing evidence from Birmingham which shows that 85% of brain tumours initially present, not through Primary Care, but through casualty.

Daryl outlined his differing experiences in Swansea and London explaining that his initial NHS Oncologist in Swansea made crucial decisions without any input from him. Ultimately these proved to be inappropriate whereas the treatment he received in London turned out to be less complicated and more suitable.  He questioned why patients so often have to rely on the charity sector to navigate the post code lottery which exists in the NHS.

Mr Lansley responded by setting out his vision for the future of the NHS in relation to Brain Tumour care.  He outlined the three pillars of his proposed reforms starting with ‘no decision about me, without me’ to address Daryl’s concerns and he explained how shared decision making processes, such as new patient decision making aids, were already starting to help, for example on prostate cancer.

Pillar two focuses on decisions being made by health professionals, not politicians and Mr Lansley explained how he sees new quality guidelines and stronger Cancer Networks will achieve this in a post Primary Care Trust NHS.

Pillar three, he explained, focuses on how best to deliver improved outcomes. He stressed that it is unacceptable that the UK lags behind comparable European nations when it comes to Brain Tumour outcomes and stressed that ultimately he wants survival rates for Brain Tumour Patients to be better in the UK than in Europe.

You can read our live twitter feed from the event at http://twitter.com/SDBTT.

Download our full press release: APPG event full press release.

Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust is very grateful to everyone who attended the event, and we are looking forward to the next of our policy events on 29th February. If you might be interested in attending or finding out more about this, please contact: chawkins@sdbtt.co.uk.

The discussion will be open to all participants but joining Mr Lansley at the meeting will be a Consultant Neurosurgeon Garth Cruikshank and brain tumour patient Daryl Gittings.

Follow us on Twitter (@SDBTT) for live updates on the questions posed and the answers given.

If you would like to find out more about getting your voice heard in Parliament, email us at enquiries@sdbtt.co.uk

See the full interview here

Sarah Lindsell, Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted that the Secretary of State has confirmed that he will be attending the All Party Brain Tumour Group. This is an opportunity for members of the Brain Tumour Consortium, our member charities and clinicians at the sharp-end to get involved in a discussion around the issues raised in our manifesto such as the importance of early diagnosis, the importance of sharing best practice and the need for more research into brain tumours. When it comes to the fight against brain and CNS tumours there is always more to be done because the issue has such an impact on so many lives but it is encouraging the Secretary of State is committed to listening to the people who know most about it.”

Read the full press release here

SDBTT staff and supporters will be attending.  We still have a few places available – if you’d like to attend please find out more here and email Clare Hawkins (chawkins@sdbtt.co.uk)

Applications, assessment and awards will be managed and run through our AMRC-approved grant round process.

Applications are invited for £40,000 – £215,000 for fundamental science, translational, population-study, health services and psycho-social / quality of life research across all types of primary brain tumour.

In this grant round, we are asking the research institutes to seek additional contributions to projects as matched funding, so that together we can increase the total levels of funding for brain tumour research in the UK.

The deadline for submission of outline applications is mid-night on Wednesday 7 March 2012. Click here for more information.

PS We’re currently recruiting new lay members  to our grant panel – if you think you might like to get involved in this way and would like to receive more information please email research@sdbtt.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you!

We have five extra places for the world famous  London Marathon  2012 available. You can sign up today and join Team SDBTT to take part in this fantastic challenge!

The fundraising for these places will be split 50/50 between SDBTT and Rhino Trust.

If you are interested in taking one of these places, please complete the online form with your details and your fundraising plans for raising the £2,500 minimum pledge.

Once we have received the completed form, and if selected to join the team, you will need to pay the £50 non refundable registration fee to confirm you place which you can do over the phone by credit card.

Don’t delay, complete the online form today for your chance to join Team SDBTT!

Following SDBTT’s very successful Dorchester ball in November 2010, Philip and Amy Matthews were the lucky prize winners of afternoon tea with SDBTT patron, Dawn French. Philip and Amy kindly donated the prize to Amy’s parents, Ming and Mark Carlisle and the pair met with Dawn, along with Neil and Angela Dickson at the beautiful Lanesborough Hotel. Thank you to Philip and Amy Matthews for bidding on the prize and we do hope Ming and Mark had a lovely time!

SDBTT are delighted to tell you that Sharon Sambrook, whose son Ben was diagnosed with a brain tumour aged just seven, has received the prestigious Tesco Mum of the Year Award.

After Ben was diagnosed with a brain tumour, he underwent gruelling treatment including a six hour operation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy which was administered by Sharon at home.

Ben, now 12, has had clear scans for the past four years and in recognition of the support his mum gave him,  decided to nominate her for the Tesco Mum of the Year Award.

With a tough judging panel including Arlene Phillips, Denise Lewis, Emma Forbes and Tara Cain, Sharon beat thousands of other nominees to receive one of seven Mum of the Year Awards.

Sharon will be presented with the award in March, and we can’t wait to hear all about it!