National Brain Tumor Society Calls for Increased Support and Teamwork During Brain Tumor Awareness Month 2017

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - April 26, 2017) - National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS), the largest nonprofit dedicated to the brain tumor community in the United States, today announced its theme and plans for Brain Tumor Awareness Month (BTAM) 2017 to catalyze public interest and support for the brain tumor cause.

The organization is asking individuals and organizations from inside and outside the brain tumor community to join our 'Brain Tumor Team (BTeAM)' as we seek to work together to overcome a devastating disease that inflicts nearly 700,000 Americans and millions worldwide. National Brain Tumor Society's theme for this year's Brain Tumor Awareness Month is, BTAM = BTeAM -- focusing on the importance of teamwork and collaboration as a way to defeat brain tumors.

"Like any effective, winning team, everyone has a role that they can play, or contribution they can make, toward a shared goal," said David F. Arons, JD, Chief Executive Officer, National Brain Tumor Society. "At the National Brain Tumor Society, we're grateful and fortunate to have the dedicated support of many volunteers, partners, advocates, and donors who contribute to our mission every day. But this year, we're seeking to rally even more to our cause and jumpstart the impact we can make through the second half of 2017 by providing opportunities for engagement and for the rest of the country to experience the strength, courage, inspiration and determination of the all-too-many men, women, and children who bravely represent the brain tumor community every day of the year. We encourage everyone to consider a way they could join our Brain Tumor Team in May, and help support those for whom participation wasn't an option."

Awareness, engagement, and action opportunities for BTeAM 2017, include:

• Brain Tumor Engagement Webinar - Thursday, May 4^th

Hear from NBTS leaders, including Chief Advancement Officer, Samantha Masterson, about all the ways you can join our BTeAM this month.

• Race for Hope -- DC in Washington, DC - Sunday, May 7^th

The largest annual fundraiser in the country benefiting the brain tumor community, organized in collaboration with Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure; raises approximately $2 million yearly for brain tumor research.

• Head to the Hill 2017 in Washington, DC - Tuesday, May 9^th

The largest brain tumor-specific advocacy event in the country -- nearly 300 volunteer advocates from 38 states will hold more than 200 meetings on Capitol Hill to speak with Congress about policies that will impact the brain tumor community. NBTS is also partnering with the Collaborative Ependymoma Research Network to hold the annual Ependymoma Awareness Day and butterfly release in conjunction with Head to the Hill.

• Congressional Call-In Day - Tuesday, May 9^th

Brain tumor advocates unable to attend Head to the Hill in person will receive "action alerts" for a simultaneous 'Congressional Call-In Day' to echo our voices on the Hill.

• State Proclamations - All Month

An advocacy campaign to encourage volunteers from the brain tumor community across the country to ask their respective governors to declare May Brain Tumor Awareness month in their state, in conjunction with the federal designation.

• #BTeAM Tweetchat - Thursday, May 18^th

An online, Twitter conversation that will discuss the resources, support, information and tools brain tumor patients can take advantage of to help along their journey.

• Expert Video Session - Thursday, May 25^th

Hear from leading brain tumor researcher, Dr. Paul Mischel, about some of the latest developments in the fight against brain tumors.

• "It IS Brain Surgery" Expert Blog Series - Throughout the Month

We'll be playing off the common colloquialism of "It's not brain surgery" with a theme of "It IS brain surgery," as a way to bring awareness to those outside the brain tumor community about what actually goes into the process and what patients experience.

• Patient & Caregiver Survey - Through the Month

We'll be sharing results from a Patient & Caregiver Survey taken during the second half of 2016 on patient participation in the research process.

• Share Your Story - All Month

New video segments and content to illustrate how our brain tumor community fights every day.

• Infosnaps - All Month

Shareable digital "infosnaps" to provide key information about brain tumors.

• Charlestown Brain Tumor Walk - Saturday, May 6^th
• Bay Area Brain Tumor Walk - Saturday, May 13^th
• Dallas Brain Tumor Walk - Saturday, May 13^th
• Boston Brain Tumor Ride - Sunday, May 21^st

Finally, a host of community-based fundraising and awareness events will take place across the country, and NBTS will regularly be sharing blogs and social media posts.

These activities are all in addition to the numerous ongoing ways individuals and organizations compelled to support brain tumor research and treatment development can get involved, including:

• Volunteering at an NBTS fundraising event to help deliver an exceptional experience for participants.
• Registering a team at a NBTS Brain Tumor Walk, Ride, Race, or Polar Plunge fundraising event. Check out the entire list of events HERE.
• Creating your own community event in your town, city, state -- and raising money for brain tumor research.
• Reading and sharing our informative blog content with your networks, friends, and family -- "get up to speed" on the latest content from the brain tumor experts.
• Learning about our aggressive, unique Defeat GBM and Defeat Pediatric Brain Tumors Research Collaboratives and directly impacting groundbreaking discoveries.
• Becoming a public policy advocate, and aligning with more than 38,000 NBTS volunteer advocates across the country giving brain tumor patients a voice in Congress.
• Considering clinical trials as a way for you or a loved-one to participate directly in the research process, while having access to potentially breakthrough treatments, by using our new Clinical Trial Finder to find studies that might be right for you or your loved-one.
• Supporting critical research and policy initiatives by DONATING to NBTS.

To follow along with NBTS throughout the month individuals can use the hashtags #BTAM, #BTeAM, and #BTSM and visit http://braintumor.org/btam2017.

About National Brain Tumor Society

National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS) is the largest nonprofit organization in the U.S. dedicated to the brain tumor community. We are fiercely committed to finding better treatments and driving rapid progress toward a cure for brain tumors. We drive a multi-faceted and thoughtful approach to aggressively influence and fund strategic research, as well as advocate for public policy changes, in order to achieve the greatest impact, results, and progress for brain tumor patients. Money raised by the generous donations of our supporters has directly funded groundbreaking discoveries, programs, clinical trials and policy initiatives. To learn more visit www.braintumor.org