A Thanksgiving Message of Gratitude & Pride From the National Brain Tumor Society

Dear Friend of the Brain Tumor Community,

Thanksgiving is a great time to think about what’s really important. 

For me and the rest of the National Brain Tumor Society family, what’s most important are:

1. Our Mission and our Vision to conquer and cure brain tumors once and for all.
2. Our Values — Including putting patients first; commitment to best-in-class science and service to our community; and being relentlessly results-driven, collaborative, and inclusive. 
3. Our supporters, partners, and collaborators — Including all the volunteers, advocates, event participants, team captains, community event organizers, donors, sponsors, advisors, and grantees who provide the inspiration, leadership and fuel our three-prong mission delivery strategy to Defeat brain tumors through treatment-focused research, Connect patients and families to essential resources and each other, and drive positive Change through advocacy and innovation.  

Thinking about this third category, I’m overwhelmed with not only gratitude, but also pride. While, we can never say “thank you” enough to all those that support us through various means, we try our best throughout the year to make sure you all know just how grateful we are. However, what we don’t get to say often enough is how proud and honored we are to work with, for, and through every single one of you who has made your mission OUR mission. 

I also find myself thinking about all the important victories and incredible moments so far this year that you’ve helped create. To name just a few, together, we’ve:

• Funded the discovery of a new and hoped for clinical research strategy for immunotherapy in brain tumors.
• Funded the discovery of a new approach to “supercharge” radiation treatment to help glioma patients. 
• Funded research that may have found a “missing link” between mutated genes in glioblastoma and nutrients tumor cells need to keep growing that could be an important new drug target to treat glioblastoma and other tumors.
• Funded significant advancements in drug development for the most deadly pediatric and adult brain tumors.
• Invested a total of $1.25 million, together with other nonprofit advocacy groups and major gift support, to operationalize and launch GBM AGILE, the world’s first global “adaptive” clinical trial for brain cancer. Multiple GBM AGILE clinical trial sites have opened in 2019.
• Established the Meningioma Research Fund, in partnership with the Brain Science Foundation (BSF), to raise and grant funds to advance meningioma research with the potential to translate into treatments that could improve survival and quality of life.
• Held the biggest “Head to the Hill” advocacy event ever, with more than 300 participants representing 37 states descending on Capitol Hill.
• Seen one of our legislative priorities (a bill we asked for support of during Head to the Hill) — the Palliative Care & Hospice Education and Training Act — pick-up momentum and pass the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Successfully advocated for improved insurance coverage for a standard of care treatment in glioblastoma.
• Championed a bipartisan Senate Resolution officially designating July 17, 2019, as the first-ever “Glioblastoma Awareness Day.”
• Launched Brain Tumor Support Conversations led by two amazing volunteers to give a safe comforting home for connection and sharing between patients and families.

This type of progress, fueled by your extraordinary support, inspires and energizes us every day at the National Brain Tumor Society. It provides us with the resolve and opportunity we need to think bigger; to think about how we can move faster, how we can connect deeper and more meaningfully with our community, and how we can make the lives of brain tumor patients and their families better.

While there are still many obstacles to overcome before we achieve our mission, you continue to prove that you’re ready and willing to rise to any challenge. That you show the same faith in us is humbling. We don’t take that trust lightly and will always strive to make you proud to support this organization, as well.

Thanks for joining us every day, thanks for your commitment and support, but most of all, thank you for the inspiration and fuel to steadfastly pursue our mission. 

On behalf of all of the NBTS staff and board of directors, sending you and your family our sincere gratitude this Thanksgiving,

David Arons

Chief Executive Officer

National Brain Tumor Society

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