Dr. Bruce Crooks is a man who is passionate about helping children. He understands that brain tumours in children are different from those in adults and need to be treated differently. Although as many as 60% of children with brain tumours will survive, they are often left with long-term side effects. Children simply have different medical needs than do adults. Dr. Crooks from the Pediatric Haematology/Oncology department at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax is dedicated to ensuring that at a time when families are undergoing the incredible stress and emotional strain of diagnosis and care, each child receives the most specific and specialized care possible.

Like Dr. Crooks, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada has always believed that the more precise information a family can receive, the better they will be able to cope with the emotional and physical effects of care and treatment. In order to do so, doctors, nurses, researches and other specialists within the fields of oncology and neurology are asked to volunteer their valuable time to help develop and update our Brain Tumour Patient Resource Handbooks.

“The pediatric handbook is an incredible resource, not only for parents but also for many health care professionals who need to help care for kids with brain tumours,” Dr. Crooks discusses. Theses handbooks are vital as a source of information for parents and families. The ability to have in writing what the doctors have told is very important. Often what families hear in the doctor’s office is easily forgotten. The handbook allows them to revisit this information as often as needed, and provides extra information that they may not have thought to ask about.

Of the two patient resource handbooks available for free from Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, the pediatric version has just been re-published as the most inclusive and up-to-date source of information available to parents in Canada. Now in its 5^th edition, considerable work has gone into making the Pediatric Patient Resource Handbook the most relevant and up-to-date reference guide available today. The book includes details on symptoms and diagnosis, research and treatment, hospital and home care, getting back to school, and a wide range of other information. Much of the handbook’s ability to help is due to efforts of incredible volunteers like Dr. Bruce Crooks.

Dr. Crooks recently presented a workshop on Clinical Research and Trials at the Halifax Brain Tumour Information Day Conference and wrote a new chapter in the book that expands on chemotherapy treatments. Asked about the importance of the handbook, he stated: “The treatments for brain tumours are changing all the time. The need to keep the handbooks updated is very important. Chemotherapy is becoming more important as one part of the management of brain tumours. The chance to be a part of such a vital source of information is very important to me to help provide the best care I can for our families.”

Along with support groups, BrainWAVE children and teen programs, and telephone or web-based support, the patient resource handbook provides a rich source of help and assistance to those children in Canada who are affected by a brain tumour. With so many new developments happening in research, treatment and care, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, along with its great network of volunteers and medical specialists like Dr. Crooks, are available to provide answers that are needed during such a difficult time.