Elizabeth Cairo advises that Fitzy's 5k run/walk in honor and memory of Lauren Fitzgerald, forever 20, will take place on 31 December and they hope to raise $10,000.

SSBTR walkers 2009

Students Supporting Brain Tumor Research (SSBTR) was founded in 2002, shortly after three students from the Paradise Valley Unified School District in the United States died from brain tumours.  Students, teachers, families and others were galvanised into action and established annual Walk-A-Thons which raise awareness of brain tumours and crucially raise desperately-needed funds for more research.  This year, two massive walks are taking place - one in Tucson, Arizona (US) on 20th February and the other in Phoenix, Arizona on 27th February. To date, the SSBTR Walk-A-Thons have raised over US $1 million through the efforts of thousands of determined walkers. The IBTA is proud to receive the walking mileage from SSBTR for its Walk Around the World for Brain Tumours, and is very grateful for their support.  For further information about the SSBTR 2010 Walk-A-Thons, please click here.

Friends of the late Alistair Rainback, who died from a brain tumour in 2008, have planned a journey from the east coast to the west coast on the island of Greenland in his memory. Funds raised will go to the Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamsted, Herts, UK, where Alistair spent his last days. On line donations can be made here. The team has already raised over 100,000 GBP and have kindly agreed to donate the walking distance covered to the IBTA's World Walk target. We wish them well.

In the beautiful setting of Holkham Hall near Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk, the Astro Fund (UK) will host walks of 1, 3, 6 and 10 miles on 10/10/10 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The walks will be well signposted and cars tour the routes to pick up any tired walkers. Dogs on leads are welcome and there will be games for the children along the 1 mile route, which is on the estate roads so pushchairs and wheel chairs are welcome too. All brain tumour charities are welcome to raise money for themselves and an entry fee of 5.00 will be charged for adults, children free. Last year, 1210 miles were walked for the IBTA's Walk Around the World for Brain Tumours initiative and Astro Fund raised well over 8,000with other brain tumour charities also benefitting from sponsorship.

Professor Ali Choucair from Utah advises that they are in the process of organising their First Brain Tumor Walk, which is tentatively scheduled for 9 October.

Dr Prakash Chitalkar of Batra Hospital New Delhi, India, advises that they will organise a walk during the Awareness Week.

Kim Lachut advises that they will again be holding the Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk Sharing Hope walk at UConn Alumni Center on the campus at Storrs on 26 June. The miles covered will go towards the World Walk target.

The United Brain Tumour Support Group (Gold Coast, Australia) advises they will hold the Dianne Moore Memorial Walk from the Burleigh Heads Surd Club, commencing at 8.30 a.m. on Sunday 18 July.

The UK-based Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust has got into the spirit of things with an enthusiastic promotion on its website of the fund raising and awareness raising potential of the walk concept. They have a webpage devoted to walk ideas and planning tips.

Annette Mckeon of Aimee's Army has advised that the Aimee Dickey Childhood Cancer Walk/Fun Day will take place on Saturday, September 18th at Nay Aug Park, Scranton, Pennsylvania (USA) between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm.  The walk mileage achieved during the "Aimee Dickey Walk" will be donated to the Walk Around the World for Brain Tumours.  Aimee was diagnosed with a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) brain tumour when she was 11 years old and sadly passed away from this dreadful disease at aged 12.  It was Aimee's dream to help raise awareness and funding for DIPG and other childhood cancers.  For further information about this event, please contact annette@aimeesarmy.com

Natalya Jagger from BT Buddies (UK) has some very exciting events happening over the coming months in the hope that their supporters will help them walk 5,581 miles – the distance around the coast of England – by the end of the 2010 Walk Around the World for Brain Tumours (a project of the International Brain Tumour Alliance). Treadmill-a-thons have been held already earlier in the year with another is planned in October 2010. On 1 August 2010 people around the world will join together in a pedometer-a-thon. Participants will put on their pedometers on 1 August and wear them all their waking (or should that be walking?!) hours until 31 August. BT Buddies have also gained the support of various clubs in the nPower Championship,  and the Football Supporters Association, who will all come together at 6 different matches. Events at these matches include a players pitch walk and club supporters being asked to walk to and from the match and donate the distance walked to BT Buddies walk total and the IBTA’s Walk Around the World for Brain Tumours total!  Here is a photo of former UK MP Charles Clarke on the treadmill.

The annual Scottish Adult Neuro-Oncology Network (SANON) meeting always co-incides with the International Brain Tumour Awareness Week and 2010 is no exception.  This year SANON's meeting is on 5th November.  The afternoon session is specifically aimed at patients and their families and interested professionals. This will be a two-hour session and the topics covered will include steroid management, epilepsy, speech and language problems and financial advice.  For further information please contact: m.ritchie1@nhs.net

Dr Rakesh Jalali, Secretary of the Indian Society of Neuro-Oncology, advises that:  "The Brain Tumour Foundation of India (BTF) of course is fully committed (to the Awareness Week), as well and is planning to hold its Annual Art Festival and Patient Cultural Programme for the Awareness Week."