A national surveillance initiative is strengthening Canada’s understanding of brain tumours. 

Shortly before Yan Yuan earned her PhD in statistics, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. The experience inspired her to apply her expertise to cancer research, believing that while she couldn’t change her mother’s outcome, her work might one day improve the future for others facing the disease. 

Today, Yan is helping build a clearer picture of brain tumours in Canada. Through the Brain Tumour Surveillance Research Collaborative of Canada, she and her colleagues are bringing together data from across the country to better understand brain tumours and how they affect Canadians. The Collaborative builds on work pioneered by epidemiologist Faith Davis, PhD, Chair of Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada’s Board of Directors in 2025, who started this work in 2019. 

“If we don’t have data, we don’t have the ability to talk about our health needs.” — Yuan says. 

Supported by a Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada Research Grant, the Collaborative is helping fill critical gaps in Canada’s understanding of brain tumours. By bringing together information from provinces across the country, the team is helping researchers, clinicians and health-care leaders better understand brain tumour incidence, outcomes and long-term trends. That knowledge can guide future research, improve health-care planning and identify where people affected by brain tumours need additional support. 

The grant is already advancing that work. In 2026, the Collaborative released its second national surveillance report—the first to include data from every province, including Quebec—and developed an artificial intelligence tool designed to identify secondary brain tumours, helping create an even more complete picture of brain tumour diagnoses across Canada. 

Thanks to donor support, the Brain Tumour Surveillance Research Collaborative of Canada is building the knowledge needed to advance research, improve care and better understand the needs of people affected by brain tumours. For Yuan, every new insight brings Canada one step closer to that goal. 

2025 Research Grant Recipients

	Dr. Deepak Dinakaran and Dr. Ana Nikolic Brain Tumour Elevation Research Grants (now known as the Allison Dunn Elevation Grants in GBM Research) Generously funded by DUNN with Cancer Read more
	Ian Lorimer, PhD Brain Tumour Feature Research Grant Generously funded by DUNN with Cancer Read more
	Dr. Liana Nobre and Andrew Beharry, PhD Brain Tumour Research Grant Read more
Previous research grant recipients receiving continued support in 2025:
	Dr. Adrienne Weeks Brain Tumour Elevation Research Grant (now known as the Allison Dunn Elevation Grants in GBM Research) Generously funded by DUNN with Cancer Read more
	Dr. Julie Bennett Brain Tumour Research Grant Read more
	Yan Yuan, PhD Brain Tumour Surveillance Research Collaborative of Canada Read more

The Foundation also proudly funded $50,000 in support of the Brain Tumor Funders’ Collaborative and $12,500 for the DECRYPT Research Grant.