Media Contact

Team Organizer contact information

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(DATE)

(Event Name) Local Event Aims to Cure Brain Tumors

Event organizers working to raise funds at (Location) on (Date) for research and public policy funding for better brain tumor treatments

(CITY, STATE) – Local residents will host the annual (Name of Event) on (Date). This event, which takes place at (Location), unites the brain tumor community in the area – including patients, donors, families, businesses and friends – to support and honor those affected by the more than 120 types of brain tumors, and to rally for better treatments and ultimately a cure. Event organizers expect more than (Number of People) to attend with a goal of raising more than ($ amount) for the cause. To register or join a team, visit the (Events Website).

This family-friendly event will help raise vital funds to drive new research and discoveries, as well as influence critical public policy and patient education, in order to rapidly progress toward improved treatment methods for brain tumor patients. (More details about event – registration time, programs, course details, etc)

(Quote here from event organizers about the event, reason for creating the event, and fundraising progress)

Thousands of families in (State) are affected each year by brain tumors. Currently, nearly 700,000 people are living with brain tumors across the United States. Another 78,000 will be diagnosed this year and nearly 14,000 people will die. Brain tumors do not discriminate – men, women, adults, and kids are affected. Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death for children 19 years old and younger, surpassing leukemia. People diagnosed with glioblastoma have a 5% chance of living more than 5 years. In the last 40 years, there have been only 3 approved drug therapies for brain tumors, and only one device approved by the FDA.

But increased funding and new research initiatives are beginning to create new momentum toward an array of treatments that could extend lifespans and make brain tumors a more manageable disease.

To learn more about this event, please visit us at (Event website here)

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MEDIA ALERT

Major Local Event (Event Name) Aims to Cure Brain Tumors

Event organizers working to raise funds at (Location) on (Date) for research and public policy funding for better brain tumor treatments

WHO: The brain tumor community, including patients, survivors, families and friends, and anyone concerned about curing brain cancer, coming together and having fun, while honoring those affected by this deadly disease and raising money to find a cure.

WHAT: The (Name of Event) connects brain tumor survivors, patients, family members, caregivers, and friends for an inspiring, family-friendly fundraising event. All proceeds raised go toward funding critical brain tumor research and raising vital awareness of the disease. To learn more visit: (URL)

WHERE: (Location)

WHEN: (Date)

(Registration)

(Program and Activities)

Thousands of families in (State) are affected each year by brain tumors. Currently, nearly 700,000 people are living with brain tumors across the United States. Another 78,000 will be diagnosed this year and nearly 14,000 people will die. Brain tumors do not discriminate – men, women, adults, and kids are affected. Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death for children 19 years old and younger, surpassing leukemia. People diagnosed with glioblastoma have a 5% chance of living more than 5 years. In the last 40 years, there have been only 3 approved drug therapies for brain tumors, and only one device approved by the FDA.

Despite these facts, brain tumor research remains underfunded with few medical treatments, but new, recent advancements have created momentum and progress toward a cure.

LOCAL ANGLES : Thousands of families in (region) have been affected by brain tumors. As patients, survivors or caregivers, these local residents comprise a community with compelling stories and photographs of survival and hope.

CONTACT: Event Organizer contact information

(Phone Number)

(Email)

Sample Radio Spot script

Thirty Second Spot:

There are 700,000 people living with brain tumors in the United States, and brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death for children under 19, surpassing leukemia. But there has been new progress and momentum in brain tumor research. And with your help, we can get to a cure faster than ever before.

So, we invite you to take action and join us at (Location) on (Date) for the (Event Name). This family-friendly (type of event) offers the chance to honor and remember loved ones and connect with brain tumor fighters and patients. All proceeds raised will go to the National Brain Tumor Society to help discover new and better treatments for brain tumor patients.

Join us at (Event Website) or contact us at (Organizer Phone). That's (Event Website) or by phone at (Organizer Phone). It's your fight. It's our fight. Start today.

One Minute Spot:

There are 700,000 people living with brain tumors in the United States, and brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death for children under 19, surpassing leukemia. The disease effects not only the diagnosed, but their families and loved ones. Brain tumors are devastating, but there has been new progress and momentum in brain tumor research. And with your help, we can get to a cure faster than ever before.

So, we invite you to take action and join us at (Location) on (Date) for the (Event Name). This family-friendly (type of event) offers the chance to honor and remember loved ones and connect with brain tumor fighters and patients. All proceeds raised will go to the National Brain Tumor Society to help discover new and better treatments for brain tumor patients.

How important is your contribution?

It means that researchers get the funding they need to map out how brain tumors grow and how to combat them. It means supporting the development of new treatments in the realm of precision medicine and immunotherapy. It means spearheading the quest for a cure that gives people their lives back.

Come together with your neighbors in the (Region or City) area and take action with us.

Join us at (Event Website) or contact us at (Organizer Phone). That's (Event Website) or by phone at (Organizer Phone). It's your fight. It's our fight. Start today.

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Sample Q&A

Frequently asked questions

What is the National Brain Tumor Society?

§  National Brain Tumor Society is the largest and one of the most influential nonprofit organizations solely dedicated to the global brain tumor community.

§  We are fiercely committed to funding and driving research and public policy to help find better treatments, and ultimately a cure, for brain tumor patients.

§  We’ve contributed more than $34 million to high-impact brain tumor research – including some of the most important discoveries to-date - and we work with the most influential neurologists, brain tumor clinicians, and doctors in the country.

How is the National Brain Tumor Society different from other non-profit organizations?

§  We believe we can move the needle faster and drive more new discoveries by influencing and funding research, and working directly with policy makers and researchers/clinicians to find a cure.

§  We are the only brain tumor organization that has an active public policy agenda, and we directly advocate to policymakers to give brain tumor patients a voice in Washington, DC.

§  We are intimately connected with top brain tumor researchers, academics and clinicians. Some of the top brain tumor experts are scientific advisors on our programs, and we hire PHDs to help create informative content and translate new research developments into language that brain tumor patients and their families can understand and act on.

§  We don’t just write blank checks. We drive a thoughtful research agenda and hold our researchers’ feet to the fire by monitoring their progress and having them report on findings to the community to justify funding.

§  We support more than 23 signature regional walks and rides and many other community and scientific events, so our mission is strong.

Where does money donated to NBTS go?

Money raised by the generous donations of our supporters has specifically funded groundbreaking discoveries and programs including:

§  Funding and leading research initiatives with the foremost brain tumor experts in the world,

§  Treatment discovery and development,

§  Clinical trials with leading biopharmaceuticals companies to increase drug development options for medications,

§  Critical platforms and processes for sharing cutting-edge medical and research information,

§  Advocacy and public policy initiatives to influence government legislation and research budgets and help write medical laws and policies,

§  And finally, investing in our talented, unique and influential staff in order to drive these research and public policy advancements.

Why should people invest or donate to the National Brain Tumor Society instead of a hospital or medical institution?

§  It takes the combined knowledge, expertise and dedication of many people and organizations to fight brain tumors and come up with new treatments. This includes doctors, neuro-surgeons, drug companies, patients, insurance companies and public policy makers.

§  When you give to one medical institution, you are helping just that one organization’s efforts. But, when you give to the National Brain Tumor Society, you are investing in the combined power of the entire brain tumor community. Funding will go to many organizations and research efforts, giving brain tumor patients the best chance for better treatments.

§  This multi-pronged, community-based approach will help find treatments faster while promoting better information sharing and collaboration between experts around the world to find a cure for brain tumors.

§  Only the National Brain Tumor Society can convene these various forces through our programs and mission agenda in order to create rapid progress toward a cure.

Why should people give a gift or get involved now?

§  More than ever before, we’re seeing a shift – an inflection point – in the fight against brain tumors. We see unprecedented momentum, and with new genome analysis being done, researchers feel they are at a new level of understanding of brain tumors.

§  With understanding comes a more focused, precision medicine-driven approach at treating tumors to help build specific treatment programs for brain tumor patients. This means that we could find combinations of treatments that work best for each patient specifically, helping them fight tumors and potentially many types of cancers.

§  Scientific discoveries made last year alone are telling us more about what is driving brain tumors and offering targets for new, more personalized treatments for patients.

§  And with new trials such as the GBM AGILE trial and the newly announced Biden moonshot, more money and attention is being paid to finding brain cancer treatments. So the future is looking brighter.

§  This is an amazing and exciting time in the brain tumor community, and donations and investment in the work of these incredible researchers could get us to a cure much faster than before.

§  You may not know someone who has a brain tumor, but in the future you might, or it may be someone that you love. So, time is of the essence, and we hope people and businesses will give as they can.

Tell me about brain tumors and their impact?

§  Currently, more than 700,000 people are living with brain tumors in the country.

§  Another 78,000 will be diagnosed this year – and brain tumors do not discriminate – men, women, adults and kids have brain tumors, and high-grade phase 4 tumors are deadly and devastating.

§  Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death for kids under 19 years of age, surpassing leukemia.

§  In the last 40 years, there have been only 3 approved treatments for brain tumors, and only one device approved by the FDA.

§  But, frankly, coming off the past year, we’ve never seen such an exciting inflection point in brain tumor research and a white hot spotlight on brain tumors and cancers.

§  Scientific discoveries made last year alone are telling us more about what is driving brain tumors and offering targets for new, more personalized treatments for patients.

§  And with new trials such as the GBM AGILE trial and the newly announced Biden moonshot, more money and attention is being paid to finding brain cancer treatments. So the future is looking brighter.

How can people diagnose brain tumors in advance of key symptoms?

§  Key symptoms include recurring headaches, nausea, seizures, trouble speaking or concentrating, balance issues – but these don’t necessarily indicate the presence of a brain tumor. An MRI is an accurate way of diagnosing the presence of a brain tumor, but unfortunately, we don’t get MRIs as part of a regular check up for a variety of reasons.

§  There is no real way of diagnosing a brain tumor in advance of significant tumor growth, because we can’t open our heads up and look inside.

§  Brain tumors are not passed down through generations, though many advancements in genome science allow us to more quickly identify gene mutations that can lead to tumors. Early diagnosis is still an inexact science.

§  If you experience key symptoms, you should more proactively collaborate with your doctor to rule out brain tumors. Get second opinions and an MRI.

What do these new discoveries mean for patients with brain tumors?

§  It means that researchers are actually figuring out how tumors are structured and how we could treat them. Scientific discoveries made in the last few years alone are telling us more about the what is driving brain tumors and offering targets for new, more personalized precision treatments for patients.

§  It means we can hopefully bring in more patients into clinical trials to find new ways of fighting their specific types of brain tumors and what combinations of drugs can work well.

§  It means that brain tumor patients could eventually see their overall survival improve over time, and programs like our Defeat GBM initiative could hopefully double the overall survival rates of some of our most impacted patients. We are trying to make brain tumors a manageable, chronic disease instead of a death sentence.