The International Brain Tumour Alliance (IBTA) is an advocacy and awareness-raising not-for-profit organisation with offices in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is an alliance of the support, advocacy and information groups for brain tumour patients and caregivers around the world and also includes researchers, scientists, clinicians and allied healthcare professionals who work in the area of brain tumours.
The IBTA was established during the conference of the World Federation of Neuro Oncology (WFNO) held at Edinburgh (UK) in May 2005. The IBTA maintains strong links with many of the world’s leading clinicians and researchers in the brain tumour arena, and exhibits at many of the major international, brain-tumour relevant conferences around the globe.
As part of its work to promote knowledge, collaboration and hope amongst the international brain tumour community, the IBTA has established the following initiatives:
International Brain Tumour Awareness Week (Sunday, 1 November to Saturday, 7 November 2009)
During this commemorative period, people are encouraged to organise an activity which will contribute to increased awareness about brain tumours. It could be a walk, a picnic, an information seminar, a scientific conference, a concert or even the distribution of a media statement to local media which draws attention to the particular challenges of a brain tumour and the need for a special response and an increased research effort.
Walk Around the World for Brain Tumours (Thursday, 1 January to Saturday, 7 November 2009)
People are encouraged to undertake sponsored or unsponsored walks during this time to raise awareness about brain tumours, and to donate the mileage covered to the World Walk target of circling the earth five times at the Equator (125,000 miles or 200,000 kms). The World Walk symbolically unites all those around the globe whose lives have been touched by a brain tumour. The IBTA does not receive any funds raised by these walks or by other brain tumour awareness-raising activities. Funds raised are donated to a local or national brain tumour support or research activity.
For further information, contact chair@theibta.org or kathy@theibta.org