2009 CAPO Award
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2009 Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology award: Dr. Robert Olson, Hannah Carolan, Ann-Lousie Ellwood, Maureen Parkinson, Kyle Ferguson, Dr. Grant Iverson and Michael McKenzie. Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada proudly presents this award annually to honour excellence , and it is presented this year to these professionals for their research, Comparison of Two Cognitive Screening Measures, the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) in Patients with Brain Tumours. 

Identifying cognitive impairment is important in patients with brain tumours. Because neuropsychological evaluations are usually not available, brief screening measures are often used. The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) is most commonly employed, despite no validation in this setting. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is an alternative. In this study, the research team compared the sensitivity and specificity of these screening measures for identifying cognitive impairment.

The recent Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology Conference was held in Vancouver, British Columbia during the week of April 1st, 2009. Congratulations and thank you so much to all of the psychosocial oncology professionals who do so much in the fight against brain tumours.

2009 CANN Award
Linda Clarke of Halifax, Nova Scotia, is the recipient of the 2009 Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada Award for her paper, Neurofibromatosis 2 – A Family Journey. The award is presented annually to a member of the Canadian Association of Neurosciences Nurses (CANN) who has demonstrated excellence in the area of neuro-oncology nursing. The winning paper is published in the association’s medical journal, Axon.

Linda Clark, 2009 CANN Award Winner, and Janic Gorayeb, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada's Health Information Specialist.

Linda’s involvement with Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada over the years has been remarkable to say the least. Linda has co-chaired the Spring Sprint program and has been continuously involved in supporting our Information Day program. With Linda’s recommendations for our programs and services to patients, families and the health care community, Linda has truly been an ambassador for Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. There is one role, however, that she values most and that is as Co-Facilitator for our Halifax Support Group. For eight years, patients and families in the Halifax area have benefited from her expertise, her passion, and especially her kindness as they travel their own journey with a brain tumour.

The CANN award was established in honour of Pamela Del Maestro, RN, BSc., CANN member, and co-founder of Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. It is awarded annually and presented at the CANN Annual Meeting and Scientific Sessions to be used toward professional development.

Congratulations to Linda and thank you to all of the dedicated nurses who do so much every day in the fight against this devastating disease. For further details regarding the application process for this award, please visit: www.cann.ca.

2009 Research Grants Announced
Through gifts from our gracious donors, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada is assisting research nationally in the mission to find a cause of and cure for brain tumours with the announcement of its annual grants-in-aid program recipients. In 2009, there were 34 applicants to the annual program and the six Canadian researchers were awarded more than $145,000 for projects focused on causation, diagnosis and treatment. One grant was awarded specifically to look into pediatric brain tumour issues.

"We are very excited by the hope that these new research projects represent," says Susan Marshall, Executive Director of Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. "Our vision is to find a cure for brain tumours and to improve the quality of life for those affected. We know that providing funding for these talented researchers is another positive step on this journey."

Project Summaries:

1. Dr. J. Gregory Cairncross, of University of Calgary and the Clark H. Smith Brain Tumour Centre in Calgary will explore new therapies for a specific type of brain tumour called a glioma. The research will focus on targeting the precise cells that appear to drive tumour growth.

2. Dr. Nina Jones, of the University of Guelph will examine the implications for brain tumours when signal pathways, the way cells communicate with one another, are not properly controlled. Doctor Jones aims to determine whether a specific protein relates a particular diagnosis and if there are potential treatment options as a result.

3. Dr. Claire Infante-Rivard, of McGill University in Montréal, will investigate the role of genetic and environmental factors in the development of childhood brain tumours.

4. Dr. James Rutka from the University of Toronto will examine how to effectively cross the blood-brain-barrier for the imaging and treatment of brain tumours with nanotechnology. The research will help determine nanotechnology’s promise for enhancing the diagnosis, imaging and treatment of brain tumours.

5. Dr. Luis Souhami, of McGill University Health Centre will conduct research into the effects of modifying the standard treatment of brain metastases tumours of whole-brain radiation.

6. Dr. Sean Symons, from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto aims to improve patient safety and outcomes with his research into an innovative method of locating the facial nerve prior to surgery. By understanding the location of the facial nerve before surgery, it is believed that post-operative complications will be reduced.

To learn more about Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada's research programs and other initiatives for health care professionals, please contact Janic Gorayeb at 1-800-265-5106, ext. 233 or CLICK HERE.