Clinical nurse specialists were out in force on Friday 6 March 2015 to mark Brain Tumour Awareness Day organised by The Brain Tumour Charity (BTC).

Over 200 members of the public visited the awareness stand within the Atrium at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (QEHB).

Manned by Claire Goddard and Frederick Berki, Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists in Neuro-oncology, the nurses handed out information from BTC on the tumours that effect around 4,000 adults in Britain each year.

Brain cancers cause around 3,000 deaths a year which accounts for 2% of all cancers, however contributes to almost 8% of the lives lost from cancer before the age of 70 (ONS).

On average, the life expectancy of brain tumour survivors is 20 years earlier than a person who lives to the current life expectancy, which is 82.6 years for women and 78.7 years for men.

2,000 cases are discussed each year at QEHB in multi-disciplinary team meetings, attended by a dedicated team of professionals who have expert knowledge and skills in the care and management of patients with suspected brain tumours.

It is thought the cause for 5% of brain tumours are inherited however more research is needed as it is not known what the cause for the majority is.

Claire said: “Many patients with a brain tumour diagnosis face an uncertain and frightening future. Research and early diagnosis can have a significant effect on management and outcomes.

“New treatments for patients with brain tumours are becoming available all the time to compliment the specialised surgery and radiotherapy available at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB).

“Awareness days like today’s are really to let people know what a brain tumour is and that they effect so many people, it is also to let them know about the resources available to support patients and their loved ones.” She added.

Specialist nurses also raised awareness of the dedicated Brain Surgery Appeal set up by QEHB Charity to bring more state of the art neurosurgical equipment to the Trust which will benefit brain tumour patients and support research.

For more information about the BTC, visit their website or to donate to the Brain Surgery Appeal, visit the QEHB Charity site.