Joining the Global Fight - A Clinical Perspective
Ted Kennedy
August 31, 2009 1:48 PM
All of us in the cancer community were saddened to learn of the death of Senator Edward Kennedy who died after a 15 month battle with glioblastoma. Sen. Kennedy was a passionate advocate for cancer research and patient issues and his illness brought increased awareness and focus to this terrible disease. In Dublin at the LiveStrong summit meeting, the Virtual Brain Tumor Board team heard Lance Armstrong speak emphatically about the significant behind the scenes role that Sen. Kennedy played in supporting cancer causes. We hope that the spirit of his advocacy will be continued by others on behalf of neuro-oncology patients everywhere, as we battle against this formidable opponent.
A Closing Message
September 1, 2009 8:07 AM
LIVESTRONG Summit: Wrap-Up
August 26, 2009 6:10 AM
Final day at the LiveStrong Global Cancer Summit. Today's sessions focused on the power of new information technologies for the fight against cancer. We had experts in the fields of media and mass communication who demonstrated successful projects and engaged us in exercises to better develop and market our organization's messages. Obviously the Virtual Brain Tumor Board concept is right in line with these ideas and we again heard a great deal of interest expressed about our project. It has been a very informative and inspiring few days in Dublin and we look forward to returning and implementing new ideas and energy!
Day 2 - LIVESTRONG
August 25, 2009 9:45 AM
Another amazing and informative day at the LiveStrong Summit in Dublin. This morning saw the unveiling of a new report done by the Foundation in collaboration with the American Cancer Society and The Economist. This report highlighted the enormous world economic burden of new cancer cases each year and the projections for the costs over the next 10 years. The numbers are just staggering, and by 2020 over 60% of cancer cases will occur in the developing world. So in addition to efforts in the US, the cancer community has enormous opportunities and even obligations to partner with providers in other areas to facilitate and improve care for their served populations. We also heard about the the projected increased rates of cancers by 2020, estimates are that 1 out of 2 people on earth will experience cancer at some point in their lifetime -a staggering statistic.
The remainder of the day has consisted of working sessions with leaders from around the world about how we can better implement resources to reach target populations. Our group included the president of the American Cancer Society and the CEO of the European Cancer Organization. All were interested in our VBTB program and our use of the Internet to assist clinicians. Lots of great ideas and useful contacts from throughout the world at this all-star gathering.
Livestrong - First Afternoon
August 24, 2009 11:08 AM
Continued great content at the Live Strong summit this afternoon in Dublin. Great sessions about medical and philanthropic partnerships and about how to intercede with government policymakers. Lance Armstrong proves himself to be an articulate and informed moderator who is incredibly passionate about the key issues. We also heard from business giants such as the Nike CEO about creative programs to continue funding streams. Our VBTB team met with an oncologist from Ethiopia. He is one of two cancer specialists in the entire country and serves 75 million people. He has very limited resources - no MRI, no temozolomide, and no gamma knife. Yet he wad very interested in our program. We also met a man from the UK who focuses on men's health issues and was already planning a trip to Memphis to attend the barbecue festival at Memphis in May as a fundraiser and to raise awareness in theUK!
Livestrong - Opening Morning Highlights
August 24, 2009 7:51 AM
Day 1 of the LiveStrong Global Cancer Summit in Dublin, Ireland: The morning session was hosted by Lance Armstrong and featured an outstanding group of government ministers, cancer organization leaders, and cancer survivors. A major focus was on the idea of the global "epidemic" of cancer because by 2010 cancer is expected to become the leading cause of death worldwide. This will have a disproportionate effect on developing countries who lack resources to deal with this growing problem.
We heard from leaders of countries from the Middle East, to Africa, to Europe who spoke of the continuing stigma that a cancer diagnosis entails, and how this contributes to part of the care access problem. There was also a fascinating discussion on the coming economic impacts of this epidemic and the correlation with healthcare delivery systems. Dr. John Seffrin, CEO of the American Cancer Society spoke about the impact of healthcare reform proposals in the US on the availability of care. The overall message is that many cancers are preventable with lifestyle modification and early detection, and many other cases can be successfully treated with adequate distribution of resources. Of course, the biggest contributor worldwide on the prevention side is tobacco, not only for lung-related malignancies but many others as well.
Our crew was just interviewed by the LiveStrong folks who seem quite intrigued by our use of the internet as a platform to share expertise in brain tumors since they are relatively more rare. We have already had interest in our program from other attendees from Jordan, to India, to the UK.
Taking Cancer Head-On
August 17, 2009 1:37 PM
As an avid biker and someone fighting the daily fight against brain cancer, I rank Lance Armstrong highly on the list of people I most admire.That's why I'm thrilled on both a personal and professional level that Virtual Brain Tumor Board will be among the 250 select organizations from more than 51 countries attending the 2009 LiveSTRONG Global Cancer Summit in Ireland August 24-26th.
I'm truly looking forward to joining in the global conversations on cancer that can only happen in an atmosphere such as this. Panel discussions and intense working sessions will make up the bulk of the Summit, which should provide the perfect forum for the open exchange of ideas and solutions.
Our goal at the Summit will be to share how we’re flattening the world of medicine by offering physicians around the globe the opportunity to collaborate with an extensive multi-disciplinary panel of experts on the best and latest treatment options for their neuro-oncology patients. We hope to be able to show other cancer disciplines how patients from India to Indiana can benefit from an equal level of consideration during diagnosis and treatment.
I'm excited about this adventure and the opportunity to make a difference in cancer care around the world. I’ll be posting a clinical commentary during this experience to share as much of this global conversation on cancer as possible. To read the entire VBTB Commitment to Fight Cancer, click here.
About Dr. Sills
July 7, 2009 10:45 AM
Allen K. Sills, Jr., M.D.,
Neuroscience Institute Medical Director
A nationally recognized neurosurgeon with the Semmes-Murphey Neurologic & Spine Institute, Dr. Sills is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Dr. Sills has authored more than 60 publications regarding his research and has participated in numerous clinical trials. He obtained his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University, where he completed a fellowship in brain tumors. Dr. Sills is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, specializing in brain tumors, cerebrovascular disease, Gamma Knife radiosurgery and sports neurosurgery.
