Happy New Yeareveryone! It is my

sincere hope that thecoming year brings goodfortune, health andhappiness to all our readers.This issue of BrainScan is a special one for severalPencer Centre staff,including myself. We’ve

had our very own “baby boom” right here atthe Centre. As a result, we’re thrilled tointroduce you to three new additions… TylerRoss Dawson, Joshua Dylan Kanter, and myown daughter, Charlie Shaye Bellman! Readon for more details.

This past October, which was BrainTumor Awareness Month, was very busy atThe Pencer Centre. First of all, I would like to extend a huge congratulations to ourincredible Patient & Family AdvisoryCommittee! Harnessing their considerableenergy and enthusiasm, they organized thefirst ever “Head for a Cure” 5K walk inconjunction with the Toronto Marathon. Over one hundred participants raised over$47,000!!! What a fantastic effort – especiallyfor a first time event! Myheartfelt thanks goes out toeveryone who walked orran, raised pledges andvolunteered to help outwith this event. Specialmention has to go to the“Head for a Cure”organizing committee ofHenriette Breunis, KathrineBryce, Susanne Capone andSteven Ferrari. It is always achallenge to organize anevent for the first time andthey did a magnificent job!

On October 31st, the5th annual Open House atThe Pencer Centre washeld. The day started offwith our own special RandyYee accepting the inaugural“Guy Morrison Volunteer

of the Year Award”. Guy’s wife Joanne did awonderful job of presenting the award toRandy. Happily, many of Randy’s family –including his wife Nancy, their children andextended family – were present to see himreceive his award. It was an emotionally-charged moment for everyone present.

The award ceremony was followed by awonderfully moving presentation by CFL Hallof Fame recipient Terry Evanshen. Terry spokevery eloquently about his own challenges inrecovering from a near fatal car crash, and howhe manages to “Seize Each Day” with thecontinued support of his family, and his own indomitable spirit. It was a wonderfulpresentation, and we have already had anumber of people suggest we have Terry backfor a “repeat performance”.

Following our Guest Speaker, the staff ofThe Pencer Centre were pleased to welcomeover 200 patients, families, and staff to ourOpen House. As usual, the Centre was filledwith interactive displays developed by thededicated healthcare professionals who care forpatients and families living with a brain tumor.It was a great opportunity for people to learnmore about their illness, as well as thetreatments, programs and services available atThe Pencer Centre. Many thanks go out toMadelon Cooper and friends for ensuring that

NEWS & INFORMATION FOR

PATIENTS AND FAMILIES LIVING WITH BRAIN TUMORSV O L U M E 5 • N U M B E R 2 • W I N T E R 2 0 0 4

Holly Pencer Bellman

“Making a Difference

in the Quality of Life

of People Living

with Brain Tumors”

B R A I N S C A N

A Message from the Director c

Providing informationabout our progress at The Brain Trust and

activities at The Gerry &Nancy Pencer Brain

Tumor Centre, BrainScan is a great resource for

brain tumor patients andtheir families, donors,

the medical community,like-organizations, and

volunteers across Canadaand the United States.

continued on page 7

State-Of-The-Art Care

Physical RehabilitationConsultation

Participation in Clinical Trials

Social Worker andPsychiatrist

Resource Library

Live and Learn Program

Patient and FamilyAdvisory Committee

ComplementaryTherapies

Links to Hospital andCommunity Support

Services

Patient InformationBinder

Art Therapy

Support Group Meetings

Internet Access

Translational Research

A Calm and PositiveEnvironment for Patients

and FamiliesOUR MISSION:

To be a “Centre of Excellence”

which provides multidisciplinary care,treatment, and supportfor brain tumor patients

and their families.

To promote clinical andtranslational braintumor research.

THE GERRY & NANCY PENCERBRAIN TUMOR CENTRE

PATIENT & FAMILYS E R V I C E S

2

P F A CHeads for

a CureClutching pledges carefully collected

over the preceding few months,more than 100 excited Pencer Centrepatients, their families, and friends,gathered at Queen’s Park early on acool Sunday morning in October to“Head for a Cure.”

This five-kilometre walk was theculmination of months of work thatfocused on raising money for a fund to be managed by The Gerry & NancyPencer Brain Tumor Centre’s Patientand Family Advisory Committee(PFAC). Enthusiastic participants arethrilled to announce that they haveraised the incredible sum of $47,000!And pledges are still coming in.

Our walkers were first in line, actingas heralds for the runners of theToronto Marathon. They cheerfullystrolled down University Avenue, wheretraffic was banned for the duration ofthe marathon, rounded the loop atFront Street, then headed north tocomplete the walk. PFAC membersSteve Ferrari and Susan Capone carrieda banner emblazoned with the slogan“Head for a Cure”, and were cheeredon by many spectators at the Queen’sPark finish line.

All funds raised by Head for a Curewill go into an endowed fund set up byThe Princess Margaret HospitalFoundation. The annual accruedinterest will be used to fund specialprojects at The Pencer Centre. If youhave any ideas or suggestions for specialprojects, PFAC would like to hear fromyou. Please email your thoughts toMaureen.Daniels@uhn.on.ca.

We hope this inaugural event,which was held to coincide with BrainTumor Awareness Month, will becomean annual fundraiser for PFAC and The Gerry & Nancy Pencer BrainTumor Centre.

by Henriette Breunis and Lois Abraham

As many of our readers may know, thePrincess Margaret Hospital Foundation

is currently involved in a large andambitious fundraising campaign togenerate funds to support a wide array ofactivities at the hospital. Included amongstthe goals are a number of priorities forbrain tumor research and patient care. Wehope that this campaign will providefunding to enhance and guarantee the

ongoing research activities at the Centre. This past autumn,members of The Pencer Centre’s Patient & Family AdvisoryCommittee (PFAC) participated in Head For A Cure as partof the Toronto Marathon, and raised almost fifty thousanddollars for The Pencer Centre. At this writing, members ofthe Advisory Committee are in the process of deciding howbest to use this money. But the important message here isthat with effort and enthusiasm, it is possible for concernedindividuals and groups to make a difference, and have animpact. People in the community understand thegreat needs of patients living

with brain cancer, and want to help fight this disease. Theremarkable performance of The Pencer Centre’s PFACprovides all of us with the inspiration to go out and continueto raise funds for brain tumor research and patient care.

As this year draws to a close, I would like to update youon some recent personnel changes at the Centre. CherylKantor, our social worker, is currently on maternity leave,having given birth to her first child and son, Joshua, just afew weeks ago. Substituting for Cheryl is Nadia Feerasta, who has settled in quickly to her position here for the nextyear until Cheryl is expected back. Similarly, Neetu Malikrecently returned from her one-year maternity leave, and hasresumed her role as our clinical trials nurse. Dolores Dholah,whom many of you know well from her work here as a clinicnurse, has served over the past year as an excellent trialsnurse. She now will be leaving Princess Margaret Hospital but will continue to work as a research nurse at BayviewCancer Centre in north Toronto. We would like to thank her for all the fine work she has done for us over the past

several years, and wish her luck and success in her new position.

Dr. Warren MasonMedical Director

Medical News e

The Bellman household has another beautiful little girl, Charlie Shaye Bellman,

who arrived safe and sound at 11:53 pm on Saturday,November 29th. Charlie, who weighed in at 7 lbs 9 oz,is a baby sister to Georgia, who just turned three. Proudparents are Holly Pencer Bellman and Michael Bellman.Charlie is grandchild number five for “Nana” Nancy Pencer.

All of this activity began back inSeptember, when Dr. Laura Dawson, her

husband Matt, and their 3 year old sonCameron, welcomed Tyler Ross Dawson.Weighing in at 7 lbs 11 oz, and 21 incheslong, Tyler was born at 5:30 pm onSeptember 13th. He has beautiful blue eyesand light brown hair. Big brother Cameron islooking forward to showing Tyler the ropes.

Wow! It has been a productive autumn at The Pencer Centre! Weare happy to announce and pleased to welcome three important

new members of our Pencer Centre “family”: Congratulations to Dr.Laura Dawson and her husband Matt, Cheryl Kanter and her husbandBrian, and Holly Pencer Bellman and her husband Michael on thehappy, healthy arrival of their new babies. Read on to learn moreabout this good news!

October 17th saw the arrival of JoshuaDylan Kanter. Proud mom, Cheryl Kanter

– The Pencer Centre’s social worker – andecstatic dad Brian, are thrilled to report thateveryone is doing beautifully. Joshua tippedthe scales at a whopping 5 lbs. 12 oz.,and his mom reports that he’s getting bigger everyday!

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4

As you readthrough the

pages of this issue ofBrainScan, we aresure your spirits willbe lifted by theabundance of goodnews we have toshare. New babies,successful fund

raising initiatives, and new educationalmaterials! The good news even carriesover into our Staff Profile column! We are please to welcome Dr. IsabelleVallières to The Pencer Centre as ournew Radiation Oncology Fellow.Regular readers of BrainScan will bynow be familiar with the term “Fellow”.For our new readers, a Fellow is aphysician who has already completedextensive medical training, is qualifiedto work as a physician, and iscommitted to completing additionaltraining in a very specialized area ofpractice, such as radiation oncology orneuro-oncology.

Dr. Vallières joined our staff in July this year. She obtained her medicaldegree from Laval University inQuebec, and has recently completedher specialty certification in radiationoncology. Dr. Vallières is the recipientof an impressive list of awards includingthe Excellence Scholarship in Medicinefrom The Edward-Ash Foundation,Laval University (Québec), and anumber of additional honours forvarious scientific presentations.

During her time at PrincessMargaret Hospital, Dr. Vallières willwork closely with Dr. Laperriere,treating patients who have CNS tumorswith radiation therapy. Now that shehas been here several months, she says she is “enjoying her experiencetremendously”. Because French is herfirst language, she initially found it a bitof an adjustment to speak English mostof the time. However, she has quicklybecome comfortable in her English-speaking environment, and finds itquite easy to converse with her patientsand colleagues. Dr. Vallières says thatamong the many benefits of working atPrincess Margaret is the opportunity towork with Dr. Laperriere and the restof the staff at The Pencer Centre. “It isa wonderful opportunity for me towork here. It is allowing me to get toknow our patients personally, and thechallenges they face daily in living witha brain tumor.”

In addition to her clinicalresponsibilities, Dr. Vallières will be

Staff Profile

Isabelle VallièresRadiation Oncology Fellow

As many of our readers know, the diagnosis of a braintumor brings with it many changes. Often, meeting the

new needs and requirements associated with a brain tumorfalls to family or loved ones, and in many cases there willbe one primary caregiver who carries the major burden ofthese increased responsibilities. While it is important to attend tothe needs of the patient, it is equally importance to consider theneeds of the caregiver. If the caregiver burns out, the patient will be atrisk for increased difficulties. To help with this issue, we have compiled a list often important tips for caregivers…tips suggested by caregivers themselves.

1. Take care of yourself: Find time toget out of the house and do somethingjust for you. Take a yoga class, go to amovie with a friend or simply have awalk around the block every day.

2. Ask for help before you feel you areat the end of your tether: Beproactive in your approach. Waitinguntil you are totally exhausted,emotionally, physically andpsychologically may mean that youneed more assistance than if you hadasked for help sooner.

3. Accept help: If someone offers theirhelp to you, find something for them todo. Don't be a martyr. It's great to getsome casseroles to put in the freezer,get the lawn cut or the snow cleared.

4. Feelings of resentment about howyour life has changed are normal: Talking about these feelingsto a professional, such as a socialworker, or in a support groupexclusively for caregivers can behelpful. As a caregiver, there are timeswhen you cannot or may not want toshare all your thoughts with family orfriends.

5. Disabled Parking Permits are avaluable item that make transportingdisabled persons in your vehicle easier.Make sure you treat them like theprivilege they are. They should only bedisplayed when the person for whomthe permit has been issued is with youin the vehicle. Simply displaying thepermit at other times (even if you arenot using a disabled parking spot) canresult in the confiscation of the permit,a hefty fine and even an offense onyour driving record!

involved in research activities as well. She explains that her principal focus will be on trying to discover the bestplanning method in the treatment ofmeningiomas. In order to do this, shewill be comparing three differenttechniques used to plan radiation therapy.Ultimately, she hopes to determine which

technique is most preferable.The Pencer Centre is fortunate to

have a physician of Dr. Vallières caliberjoin our treatment team. We are certainthat her warm smile and quietconfidence will make patients andfamilies feel comfortable during theirclinic appointments. Welcome!

6. Perform small, simple acts ofkindness towards yourself everyday: Listen to music you enjoy whiledriving in the car, have a chocolatemilkshake, buy a plant that hasbeautiful flowers, or have a bubblebath. Whatever small things you enjoy,find a way to make them part of youreveryday routine.

7. Look after your own health: Justbecause you are caring for someoneelse does not mean your own healthneeds should go unattended. Makesure you have an annual physicalexam, see the dentist regularly, eatproperly and get proper rest andexercise.

8. Try a new way of expressing yourfeelings: Journalling ordrawing/painting for example, canprovide positive outlets for youremotions. If you want furtherinformation about these types ofcomplementary therapies, the staff atThe Pencer Centre would be happy tohelp you.

9. Educate yourself about “yourpatient’s” illness: Knowledge ispower. Having a basic understandingof the condition you are living with willhelp you and your patient to clarifyquestions you may have, and to makeinformed decisions about treatment.

10. Use the Patient Information Binderthat is provided to every newpatient and family at The PencerCentre: This organizational tool helpsmake sense of all the information thatis coming your way, and at the sametime, reduces some of the associatedanxiety.

5

An avid reader of BrainScan, AndréeMcFaull is a member of the BrainTumor Foundation of Canada supportgroup. She gets her copy of BrainScanwhen she attends her support groupmeetings, and submitted this story forpublication.

Ibegan to have problems with myvision in the fall of 1998. When

the first incident happened, I feltslightly nauseated and, it seemed, Iwas seeing everything through aglass filled with water. The situationdid not last long, and I was notconcerned. However, after that, Ibegan to see flashing lights in theupper corner of my left eye. Thesesymptoms would subside after afew minutes, and again, I did notworry because I had convincedmyself I had migraines without pain.

One day at work, though, I lostthe sight in my left eye, and couldhardly walk because of balanceproblems. That scared me enough toconvince me to see my familydoctor, who promptly sent me to seea neurologist. Immediately, heordered a CAT scan. A few dayslater, my family doctor told me thenews: a mass, or tumor, wasgrowing in my head. It was probablynon-cancerous, and was called ameningioma. I was then referred toa neurosurgeon, Dr. Duncan fromthe Trillium Health Centre. Heordered an MRI which confirmed thediagnosis: a non-cancerous tumor. Iwas also told that this type of tumorwas slow forming, and had probablybeen forming for 20 years. Dr.Duncan prescribed medications toreduce the brain swelling, and thepossibility of seizures. Surgery wasan option, but I was told at thattime that the tumor was in a verydangerous area of the brain. So, analternate procedure was suggested

Dr. Duncan then decided thatsurgery was probably toodangerous, and he adopted a wait-and-see approach. I had MRI’severy six months or so, and I wastaken off medications.

After about five years, thetumor, which had grown to be thesize of a golf ball, started givingme major problems with my visionand balance. Dr. Duncan decidedthen that it was time for surgery. Imust admit that I was veryfrightened, because I knew aboutthe possible dangers with thissurgery. It was scheduled for July28th, 2003. When I awoke fromthe surgery, I suffered from doublevision, and was having trouble withmy balance. However, I was able togo home just four days aftersurgery. Even though I was stillusing a walker to get around, andan eye patch to cope with thedouble vision one month aftersurgery, on the positive side, Ifound I could read, use thecomputer and even go to themovies. Today, five months afterthe surgery, I am happy to reportthat I am doing very well. While itcould take up to a year for thedouble vision to disappear, and Istill use a cane to get around, Ihave been able to resume all mynormal day-to-day activities aroundthe home.

I was very lucky to have suchan excellent surgeon, and myhusband has been a tower ofstrength throughout this ordeal.Also, my friends have been verysupportive. Bill and I have beenmembers of a Brain Tumor SupportGroup for many years. Theinformation and wonderful supportfrom all the members was a bighelp to me, and my husband.

to help reduce the flow of blood tothe tumor. The procedure is called anembolization. A radiologist whospecializes in neurosurgery wouldinsert a probe into a vein in my legthat would travel all the way to thebrain, blocking the blood vesselsfeeding the tumor. Unfortunately, Isuffered a minor stroke during theprocedure. The left side of my bodywas very weak, my speech was slurredand I was seeing double. I was verylucky, as some of the symptomscleared over the next few days,although there was still weakness onmy left side, and I wouldhave problems with myvision for the next sixmonths. I could nolonger work.

MY STORYby Andrée McFaull

hair down’ and informal. As always, all proceeds from ‘SouthBeach’ will go toward research, and support of brain tumorpatients and their families at The Gerry & Nancy PencerBrain Tumor Centre.

Last year’s gala event, Bell Bottom Bash, raised netproceeds of $500,000. This year, once again, we hope tomeet or exceed the half million dollar mark. If you would like to get on our invitation list, or to become one of ourdistinguished corporate sponsors, please contact our eventhotline at 416-923-2999.

Thanks to all our donors and supporters, and to everyonewho contributed to this issue. As always, if you have any ideasor suggestions about the newsletter, or if you would like toget on our mailing, or have a story to share, please feel free to contact Maureen Daniels at 416-946-2240 or by email atMaureen.Daniels@uhn.on.ca

the food was superb, as usual, and for seeing that all ourvisitors received gift bags chock-full of useful items such aspens, notepads, mugs and a variety of edible treats.

As we head out of winter and towards spring, I want toremind you to be sure and mark Thursday, May 27, 2004 onyour calendars because it’s that time of year again: The Gerry& Nancy Pencer Brain Trust’s annual spring gala! This year,The Brain Trust presents ‘South Beach,’ at Toronto’s LibertyGrand Entertainment Complex, Exhibition Place. A sexy andsophisticated night reminiscent of the famous destination inMiami Beach, ‘South Beach’ will feature an Art Deco-stylebar & lounge, beautiful people, Latin music and dancing,tapas treats, a spectacular silent auction and many surprisesalong the way. Once again, our dress code will be ‘let your

Director’s Messsage from page 1

Andrée McFaull and her husband Bill

Educational Update eRadiation Therapy and You

For the past several years, the radiation therapists at PrincessMargaret Hospital have offered a bi-weekly drop-in

information session for patients and families who will beundergoing radiation to the brain. During these sessions, aradiation therapist provided an overview of how radiationtherapy works, and what the process is for delivering thetreatment. Following the formal portion of the session,patients and families were free to ask questions.

Now, through the wonder of technology and with theamazing skill and support of Bob Stefanovic Productions, weare pleased to be able to provide this information to you onvideo. While you are not likely to see this video listed amongthe “Top Ten Rentals” at your local video store, we believe itis a “must see” for those people about to undergo radiationtherapy to the brain. This 20-minute video walks patients andfamilies who are about to undergo this treatment through theentire process: It shows patients what they can expect, andclarifies who they can look to for assistance and advicethroughout their treatment. In addition, the video informspatients about their condition, and enables them to askquestions and get answers from their treatment team, as theymove forward with treatment.

Angela Cashell, Clinical Educator in Radiation Therapybelieves that this video will provide the patient with a“valuable and practical understanding of the process they mayundergo in the preparation and delivery of their treatment.”

The video will be available from a variety of sources atPrincess Margaret Hospital. Your R.N. Case Manager orRadiation Therapist would be happy to provide you with acopy to view at the hospital, or if you prefer, you may borrowa copy from the Library in The Pencer Centre or the MainPatient and Family Library at the hospital, to view in thecomfort of your own home.

While you can view this video on your own, we want tomake sure that you never feel you’re on your own. At no timewill you simply be handed the video and expected to geteverything you need from it alone. Instead, it should beconsidered as an information tool that is designed to workwith – not replace – the supports already in place at ThePencer Centre and Princess Margaret Hospital. As a result,our staff are always available to speak with you, one-on-one,about any questions you might have after viewing the video,and in general, about any questions you have about yourdiagnosis or treatment plan. Feel free to speak to any memberof your Treatment Team. They will be pleased to answer yourquestions.

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MoroccanVegetable StewOur own dietitian Connie Ziembicki, highly recommends this hearty veggie stew from the Crazy Plates Cookbook. It’s great comfort food, not to mention nutritious and delicious!

2 tbsp each light peanut butter and chopped, fresh cilantro

Heat olive oil in large, non-stick saucepan overmedium-high heat. Add onions, celery, greenpepper, and garlic. Cook and stir until vegetablesbegin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Add all remaining ingredients, except raisins, peanutbutter, and cilantro. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat tolow and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Stir in raisins, peanut butter, and cilantro. Mix well.Simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving provides: 251 calories, 5.1 g fat, 0.5 gsaturated fat, 8.9 g protein, 44.9 g carbohydrate,4.3 g. fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 784.5 mg sodium

2 tsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup each diced celery & chopped green bell pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

3 cups vegetable broth

3 cups peeled, sweet potatoes

1 can (19 oz) tomatoes, drained & cut up

1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, drained & rinsed

1 tsp each ground cumin, curry powder, ground coriander, & chili powder

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp gingerroot

1/4 cup raisins

I N G R E D I E N T S

Ask the Expert ? ??Salvage treatmentTreatment given when all standard treatments have beenexhausted.

Spinal TapA procedure involving the insertion of a needle into the lower spinalcolumn to remove spinal fluid for testing (diagnosis) or to deliverchemotherapy drugs to the central nervous system (also calledLumbar Puncture).

Stereotactic RadiationA treatment in which a rigid head frame is attached to the skulland a single high dose of radiation is delivered with precision tothe tumor. It spares normal brain tissue from injury and is suitablefor tumors of smaller dimensions.

Tumor Grading for Brain TumorsGrading refers to the classification of the tumor according to itsdegree of aggressiveness. Helpful in predicting disease behaviourand making treatment decisions. Brain tumors are graded on ascale of I to IV, with Grade I referring to benign tumors (e.g.Acoustic Neuroma, Meningioma etc.) and Grade II – Low-gradetumors (low grade Oligodendroglioma), Grade III beingIntermediate-grade tumors such as Anaplastic Oligodendroglioma,Grade IV being the most malignant and aggressive of the braintumors such as Anaplastic Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma Multiforme.

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by Dolores Dholah & Neetu Malik

You may have heard your oncologist refer to your treatment as an adjuvant treatment or your tumor as a grade IV. Whatis he talking about, you may have thought to yourself! Well, here is your chance to familiarize yourself with some of the

commonly used Brain Tumor and Treatment related terminology.

Although these are the most commonly used medical terms, thereare scores of others that you may want clarified. Please refer to thefollowing website for a glossary of terms: http://www.cancer.gov

For further help you may also contact Neetu Malik at the Centre at416-946-4624.

Our Occupational Therapist Stephanie Phan and her Husband Louis To were spotted at the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Stephanie and Louis are the most well-travelled members of the Pencer Team.

We cannot dogreat things...only smallthings withgreat love.

Mother Teresa

Adjunctive TreatmentAny treatment given with the primary treatment to improveresponse rate. For example: Chemotherapy is an adjunctivetreatment if given while you are on radiation. (Radiation being theprimary treatment)

Adjuvant treatmentAny treatment given after the primary therapy to improve responserate. For example, chemotherapy that is given after radiationtreatments have been completed. (Radiation being the primarytreatment)

Alkylating agentA drug that interferes with a cell’s DNA and discourages cellgrowth (e.g. Temozolomide)

EnhancementRefers to a pattern seen on Contrasted Imaging studies (CT, MRI)that appears due to uptake of contrast dye - which is taken up byactively dividing cancer cells.

Neo-adjuvant treatmentA treatment (Chemotherapy, radiation) you will receive before yourprimary treatment.

NitrosoureaA group of chemotherapies that act similarly to the alkylatingagents. e.g. CCNU, BCNU.

Palliative TreatmentThese therapies are not meant to actively fight cancer, rather aimto relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. These may includechemotherapy, steroids, surgery or radiotherapy.

The Gerry &Nancy Pencer

Brain Trust is a not-for-profitorganization thatwas developedby the late GerryPencer to make a

difference in the quality oflife of people who live withbrain tumors. This privatefamily foundation is the cata-lyst in the establishment of The Gerry & Nancy PencerBrain Tumor Centre atPrincess Margaret Hospital,Toronto. The Centre is dedicated to providing multi-disciplinary care, treatment,and support for brain tumorpatients and their families.Additionally, the Brain Trust,in collaboration with TheBrain Tumor Centre will seek to facilitate and fund thebest local, national, and inter-national brain tumor researchin the hopes of finding a curefor brain cancer.

The Board of Advisors ofThe Gerry & Nancy PencerBrain Trust include:

• Lawrence S. Bloomberg,Director & Advisor,National Bank of Canada

• Richard Cole, President,R.J. Cole FinancialConsulting Limited

• David Cynamon,Chairman & CEO, KIK Corporation

• Lloyd S.D. Fogler, Q.C.,Partner, Fogler, RubinoffLLP (Law Firm)

• Dianne Lister, LL.B., CFRE,Past President & CEO, The Hospital for SickChildren Foundation

• Dr. Christopher Paige,PH.D, Vice PresidentResearch, The UniversityHealth Network

• Holly Pencer Bellman, Executive Director, The Gerry & Nancy PencerBrain Trust

• Nancy Pencer, President,The Gerry & Nancy PencerBrain Trust

• Dr. Daniel Silver, M.D., FRCP (C)Consultant to the Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai Hospital

• Larry Tanenbaum,Chairman & CEO, Kilmer Van Nostrand Co.Limited

For more informationabout The Brain Trust contact Linda McKie at416-923-2999.

BrainScan is published quarterlyby The Gerry & Nancy PencerBrain Trust. Inquiries or requests to reprint anyof the articles should be directed to MaureenDaniels, Coordinator, The Gerry & Nancy

Pencer Brain Tumor Centre,Princess Margaret Hospital,

610 University Avenue, 18th Floor, Toronto,Ontario M5G 2M9 Tel: 416-946-2240 oremail: maureen.daniels@uhn.on.ca

Please note that many of the programs offered at the Pencer Centre are on a drop-in basis, allowing people the flexibility to attend when they are able to. On rare occasions, programs may be

cancelled on short notice. Therefore, it is always wise to call ahead, to confirm that the program is running on the day you are planning to attend. Please feel free to call Maureen Daniels at 416-946-2240.

sheets for your existing copy, please contactMaureen Daniels at 416- 946-2240. This binder isan excellent organizational tool for keeping trackof appointments and all the other information youneed during your ongoing treatment. It alsocontains a wealth of information on brain tumors,treatment, available support services, and much,much more.

Radiation Therapy Information Video: Ourrecently completed video on radiation therapy tothe brain is now available for patients and familiesto view. This 20- minute video tells patientsexactly what they can expect, and what they needto know about the course of their treatment. It isavailable to view in The Pencer Centre, or a copycan be borrowed to view in the comfort of yourown home. To obtain a copy, simply come to theLibrary in The Pencer Centre or contact MaureenDaniels at 416-946-2240.

CD-ROM: Our highly acclaimed CD-ROM, whichcontains over 20 hours of information on braintumors, available treatments, supportive careservices and even real life patient experiences, isnow accessible via the computer in the ResourceLibrary of The Pencer Centre. In addition, copiesare also available to borrow through the mainPatient & Family Library at Princess MargaretHospital. The staff at the Centre or one of ourresource volunteers would be happy to help youlearn how to use this wonderful tool. If you wouldlike to book a time to come in, please callMaureen at 416-946-2240, or drop by theResource Centre.

Open House 2004: Be sure to mark Friday,October 29, 2004 on your calendar for out annualOpen House. Stay tuned to BrainScan for details ofthis upcoming event.

PRINTING COURTESY OF:B R A I N S C A N

Editors: Holly Pencer Bellman, Maureen Daniels Project Consultant: Joanne Rosenberg, J.R. CommunicationsRevenue Canada Charitable Business Number: 88177 7569 RR000 Design: Slingshot Communications Inc.

Support Groups for Brain Tumor Patients andFamilies: Our support groups run the secondTuesday of each month from 7:00-8:30 pm. Thesegroups are facilitated by Neetu Malik, StephaniePhan, Maureen Daniels and Nadia Feerasta, at ThePencer Centre. Patients meet as one group whilecaregivers meet separately in another room. Thisis a drop-in program and no prior registration isrequired. Simply come to the Centre on theevening the group meets.

Relaxation Therapy: Winter is here… Time torelax! Why not join our Relaxation Therapyprogram, which takes place each Wednesdayafternoon from 1:00 pm – 1:45 pm. Led by ouroccupational therapist Stephanie Phan, it offerspatients and family members an opportunity tolearn a number of useful techniques for relaxation.This is a drop-in program and no prior registrationis required, simply come to the Centre at theabove noted time.

Art Therapy: Our Art Therapy Program is apleasant way to spend those gray winter days. Ourfirst six-week session of the new year will beginon Thursday, January 15th. Lead by well- knownart therapist Gilda Grossman, this program usesart as a means to explore and share feelings. Noprior art experience is necessary. This program isfree and space is limited, so for a complete list ofdates for 2004 or to register, please call Maureenat 416-946-2240.

Patient Information Binder: Our PatientInformation Binder is as popular as ever. Includedin the latest edition is a copy of “Brainspirations,”a treasury of inspiring stories, poems, and recipespublished by our own Patient & Family AdvisoryCommittee (PFAC). If you are a patient of ThePencer Centre and have not received a copy of ourPatient Information Binder, or require additional

8

The Brain Trust has a toll-free number!DID YOU KNOW?

1-877-282-HOPE4673