Brain Tumors Basics

The National Brain Tumor Society has this nicely visual graphic on brain tumor stats on their website: http://www.braintumor.org/brain-tumor-information/

This is a good starting point if, for all the wrong reasons you or your friend or a loved one know needs to know something about brain tumors.

I like the three sections entitled “Understanding Brain Tumors”, “Treatment Options”, and “Managing Side Effects.”

I’ll talk more about the “Frankly Speaking About Cancer: Brain Tumors” in another post (but don't wait for me to read it).

ABTA Brain Tumor Webinars on Demand

The American Brain Tumor Association (i.e. “ABTA”) calls them “Anytime Learning” and you can find this nifty* webinar series posted on the ABTA website: http://www.abta.org/understanding-brain-tumors/anytime-learning/ 

My only complaint about this is the name - "Anytime Learning." Somehow the name seems to imply that these as common-found-around-the-house webinars. 

They aren't. 

For example, can’t sleep because your steroids are kicking in at 3:00 am? Cruise over to Anytime Learning and watch a really good webinar entitled “"The Role of Rehabilitation in the Recovery of Brain Tumor Patients.”

Worried about that series of radiation treatments you have coming up?  Watch their webinar entitled “What Patients Need to Know About Radiation and Nuclear Medicine.”

Other webinars include:

• "How Neuropathologists Generate Rapid Diagnosis During Surgery"
• "Endocrine Issues Facing the Pediatric Brain Tumor Patient"
• "Neuro-Cognitive Issues Related to Children's Brain Tumors"
• and my favorite, "Understanding Non-Malignant Brain Tumors"

I’m giving the ABTA an “A” for getting these presentations online (and a “D-“ for the name).

*Spiffy? Informative? Helpful? Somehow saying that they're "educational" reminds me of an eighth grade science class and makes me want to run from my room screaming.


Image credit: <a href='http://www.123rf.com/photo_10967570_tutorial-4000-5-jpg.html'>intriga / 123RF Stock Photo</a>

ABTA Webinar: Understanding Non-Malignant Brain Tumors

Now here’s an idea that I like, a free American Brain Tumor Association webinar on non-malignant brain tumors. If you haven’t been to an ABTA webinar, please know that a) it doesn’t cost anything, b) you get a chance to hear about non-malignant brain tumors from an expert, c) you can do it from your own computer/laptop/tablet/etc. and d) you can wear your pajamas and nobody will see you.

In this case the expert is Joon Uhm, MD.  Dr. Uhm is an Assistant Professor of Neurology and a member of the Departments of Neurology and Oncology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.  

According to the website, the program includes an online Q&A session with Dr. Uhm.  Want to know more about Dr. Uhm? Here’s a link to his bio: http://www.mayoclinic.org/bio/13468731.html

Busy that day rearranging your sock drawer? No worries! The webinar will be recorded and posted to www.abta.org where you can fire it up and watch it after the Jay Leno show (or basically whenever you want).

Here’s a link to the website registration: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/215695734