Italian earthquake: The IBTA was extremely saddened to hear about the catastrophic earthquake which struck the beautiful Italian city of L'Aquila in the early hours of Monday, 6 April, 2009. 

The IBTA has a link to this city as its Co-Director, Kathy Oliver, was invited to speak at a brain tumour conference there in 2006 in memory of Fabrizio Scotti after whose death from a brain tumour Il Fondi di Fabrizio was established by the Scotti family. 

Kathy recalls: "We had the most delightful and warmest of welcomes from the students and staff of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the University of L'Aquila who had come together in the historic surroundings of the Collemaggio, Sala Celestiniana for the purpose of advancing knowledge of the treatment of brain tumours. It is tragic that this medieval gem of a city and its kind and generous people are now suffering so terribly from the recent earthquake." 

Italo Scotti - who is the brother of the late Fabrizio Scotti and whose organisation has been a wonderful supporter of the IBTA - wrote to us that he and his family were safe and unhurt, but in shock at the devastation.  "The beautiful city of L'Aquila is sort of a ghost town," he said, "and almost all its churches, monuments etc collapsed or are heavily damaged.  Many people we know died or lost everything."  Our thoughts are with the Scotti family, their friends and colleagues at the University of L'Aquila during this devastating time.

Here are some photos from the conference held in happier times in 2006.

Sala Celestiniana, Collemaggio	Francesca Scropetta (Left) and Kathy Oliver
A group of conference participants	Italo Scotti and Kathy Oliver