Children's Brain Tumor Project

Giving you a little something to brighten your Thursday! ☀

At this year's No Laughing Matter event, we are thrilled to be celebrating Jonathan and Brittany Cogan.

If you haven't heard, the Cogans' journey began when their daughter Ellie was diagnosed with brain cancer at just 10 months old. Instead of being overcome by fear, they turned their family's battle into a mission of hope.

Through their work with The Ellie Ruby Foundation, Brittany and Jonathan have raised awareness and funding for pediatric brain tumor research, standing by Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield’s team at Weill Cornell Medicine, who have been by Ellie’s side from day one.

Their story is a powerful testament to resilience, love, and the impact of community action.

We are coming together to honor their dedication and continuing their work in transforming the lives of families affected by pediatric brain cancer at this year's event.

The NLM event is one of the most important fundraisers of the year for the Children’s Brain Tumor Project at Weill Cornell Medicine, driven by parents who have been impacted by a pediatric brain tumor diagnosis. That is why we want you to join us in helping make a difference!

✨ Save the Date ✨
Date: October 10, 2024
Time: 7PM - 11PM
Location: New York Athletic Club

Click that link below to grab your tickets today!
https://cbo.io/bidapp/index.php?slug=comedynight

Developing new treatments for pediatric brain tumors is extremely complex, and research is critical. The core of our research at the CBTP relies on the biological study of the tumors.

Our talented team of neurosurgeons send tumor tissue straight from the OR to our lab to guide in-depth pathology and personalized treatment protocols. Here’s how:

🧬 Sequencing: Analyzing DNA and RNA to identify gene mutations and tailor treatments.

🧬 Bioinformatics: Analyzing data from tumor tissues to share insights with other researchers for better treatments.

🧬 High Throughput Drug Screening: Testing thousands of drugs to find the most effective ones for fighting tumors.

🧬 Immunophenotyping: Examining how the immune system responds to tumors and boosting immune cells that fight cancer.

Explore our website for more on our Precision Medicine program! Special thanks to the Patrick Bayly Marsano Foundation for making this program a reality, and The Ellie Ruby Foundation for continuing to fuel this important work.

https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/precisionmedicine/

✨ September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and more children pass away each year from brain tumors than any other childhood cancer.

This statistic is one of the many reasons we continue our research and strive to bring children and their families innovative treatment options.

This is also where we need you!

Curing pediatric brain tumors requires research
⬇️
Research requires funds
⬇️
Funds require compassionate donors

If you have a ♥️ for children suffering from rare brain tumors, please hurry over to our website and donate.

Every little bit brings us closer to finding a cure for our pediatric patients.
✅ https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=wcmc&id=52

🧠 What would you do if your child was diagnosed with a pediatric brain tumor?
🔬 What if there was little research on how to find a cure for your child?

Tim and Barbara Michels were faced with these challenges when their daughter, Sophie, was just 11 years old.

Sophie received many medical interventions such as invasive brain surgeries, only for the brain tumor to return.

Once they came in contact with Dr. Mark Souweidane, everything changed with the minimally invasive treatments he offered.

As a thank you to Dr. Souweidane, Tim and Barbara Michels pledged an endowment of $3 million to create the Michels Family Professorship in Pediatric Neurological Surgery .

These parents saw first hand what treatment from Dr. Souweidane can do and want other families to have similar experiences.

You can 'Do Something' too. Any effort big or small helps provide more research opportunities and hope to our young patients. Head to our website and see how you can donate or fundraise!

➡️ https://give.weill.cornell.edu/milestones/gift-tim-and-barbara-michels-inspired-teen-daughter-fund-professorship-pediatric

Raise your sneakers if you love running, your community, and a challenge! 👟

New York Road Runners and the TCS New York City Marathon partners with over 550 charities and guess who is one of them?

👋👋🏻👋🏼👋🏽👋🏾👋🏿

CBTP is an official charity partner, and we are excited to have a team at the race on November 4th.

We are honoured that our team is currently filled.

And because we have had such big interest, we want to prepare you for next year with this information:

After signing up, each participant must raise at least $5,000 that will go towards CBTP and our research for rare pediatric brain tumor cures.

Here is what CBTP racers get before and during the race!

🏁A CBTP race shirt
🏁A Marathon prep kit
🏁Training plans with lots of details
🏁Weekly check-ins
🏁Access to a licensed trainer and nutritionist
🏁Assistance with how to fundraise before the race
📣Designated Cheer Squad spot on race day!

Just like our search for cures for pediatric brain tumors, we are in this together.

And if you want to contribute to our CBTP team this year check out our website here: https://cbtpfoundation.org/campaign/tcs-nyc-marathon-2024/

Double tap if you love feel-good stories! ❤️

We are beyond happy for our former intern Irene!

Irene is a master’s student in neuroscience and interned at CBTP at Weill Medicine, where she developed a DNA extraction protocol.

This experience fueled her interest in pediatric oncology research and helped her hone her skills in vital research techniques. We are proud of Irene and excited for her future contributions to our field.

If you are a medical student and want to Do Something, join us in a proactive internship through CBTP by clicking the link below ⬇️
https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/summerinternship/

✨ Tag someone who needs to see this 👀

The Children’s Brain Tumor Project at Weill Cornell Medicine is one of the only labs in the U.S. focused solely on rare and inoperable pediatric brain tumors.

Our unique approach uses four research pillars to find novel treatments:

🔬 Precision Medicine: Tailoring therapy through pharmacology and genomics for each patient.
🔬 Immunotherapy: Enhancing the immune system for better tumor treatment and understanding.
🔬 Drug Delivery: Directly targeting tumors by bypassing the blood-brain barrier.
🔬 Developmental Biology: Linking brain development and cancer to potentially prevent tumor progression.

Want to know more?

Head over to the website and check out our approach to treatment for rare, pediatric brain tumors
➡️ https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/our-approach/

Want to make a bigger impact in the lives of children with brain tumors?

You can host a fundraiser!

Organizing an in-person or online event for any occasion—whether it’s a birthday party, a staff get-together, a holiday party, in memory of a loved one event, or simply raising awareness, it can be done.

Head to the fundraising page on our website and we’ll help coordinate from start to finish.

It doesn't end there though, you can also join our fundraising committee to explore new ways to engage and inform the community.

We appreciate all forms of support for our patients and their families. 💝

Head to the link here!
https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/2020/04/02/fundraise/

✨ How to stay updated on the Children’s Brain Tumor Project at Weill Cornell Medicine

Join our newsletter where we cover information like:

📰 Lab accomplishments
📰 Team highlights
📰 Funding stewardship
📰 Upcoming events

In our fall 2024 edition you will meet our new team members, read about our Do Something Spotlight, learn about our Health Inclusivity Initiative, and discover our latest lab successes.

See how Dr. Souweidane is honoured as the first president of BTF Kids, a new pediatric arm of the Brain Tumor Foundation.

Click the link in our bio to sign up today ➡️ https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/portfolio-items/newsletters/

✨ Our latest 'Do Something' highlight celebrates the Bronxville varsity field hockey team, The Broncos!

The Broncos teamed up with the .club to raise funds for CBTP at Medicine. The Good Hood Club will donate 50% of the proceeds to support pediatric brain cancer research.

The Broncos organized a hoodie sale, bake sale and a charity game called “Dollars for Goals,” raising a total of $4,400 for CBTP.

Thank you, Broncos and Good Hood Club for your incredible support!

➡️ If you would like to be featured in one of our 'Do Something' highlights, check out our website to see how you can get involved with CBTP.

https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/portfolio-items/do-something/

✨ Where can you get the right information about a pediatric brain tumor diagnosis that is life-altering?

Families struggle every day to find the necessary resources.

This can be overwhelming as patients and their families try to navigate what life may look like after diagnosis 😔

The CBTP team at Weill Cornell Medicine has created a website for anyone affected by a pediatric brain tumor to learn more about the research we do and the doctors behind it all.

Under our "family resources" section, there are multiple organizations available to help newly and currently diagnosed children and their families.

Here are just a few:

➡️ The Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation (CBTF)- A nonprofit organization focused on providing support and improving the quality of life for pediatric brain tumor families.

➡️ Marc Jr. Foundation - An organization that supports families diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a universally fatal brain tumor in children.

➡️ The Imaginary Friends Society- How do you explain to your child or even their siblings what cancer is? The team at Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation has developed animated short films that address a variety of topics such as getting a diagnosis, how to navigate the feelings of cancer, the different treatments and side effects they may face, and so much more.

Head to the 'family resources' section today by clicking the link below and getting all the information you need.
➡️ https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/family-resources/

And, if you know anyone who could use this information share this post along!

Should all children with brain tumors have access to better treatment? You said yes? We agree!

The Children's Brain Tumor Project has ambitious goals to help children with brain tumors, including:
🧠 Continue intensive research on rare pediatric brain tumors
🧠 Broaden our reach to expand research inclusivity
🧠 Provide less invasive surgical solutions
🧠 Disseminate our findings so children from all over the world can receive the innovative treatment they do not currently have access to.

We ask that you share our organization with anyone you know who may need our help. You could help make a difference in a child's diagnosis just by getting them connected with the Children's Brain Tumor Project.

Interested in learning even more? Check out our website here: https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/

Dr. Souweidane is now seeing young patients at the Center for Community Health at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist.

Learn more at https://www.nyp.org/brooklyn/neurosurgery

Weill Cornell Medicine NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

❗️Would you Do Something to save a child’s life?

✨ That is what we are doing at the Children's Brain Tumor Project, Weill Cornell Medicine.

What can you do to contribute?
➡️ Help us continue researching pediatric brain tumors by donating through our website.

Thank you for helping us give more children hope for an improved quality of life and the potential for cures.

✨ We have some behind the scenes news to share! 😊

Dr. Mark Souweidane cofounded the Children’s Brain Tumor Project to find innovative treatments for his pediatric brain tumor patients that involve fewer surgical complications.

➡️ Recently, Dr. Souweidane was interviewed about a new clinical trial using intra-arterial drug delivery for patients with Choroid Plexus Carcinoma (a rare brain tumor).

This approach involves injecting chemotherapy directly into the bed of the brain tumor.

The first trial participant, Aiden (7 years old), has had outstanding results 🥳

Here is what Dr. Souweidane said in regards to Aiden’s surgery and recovery.

“Getting Aiden through the surgery was incredibly exciting. He has no evidence of disease, and this alone provides him with the best prognosis.”

📢📢To read more of Dr. Souweidane’s interview, head to our website
https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/2024/05/18/cpctrialqanda/

And, we welcome you to share this with your local pediatric oncologists!

Sharing is caring and if we can reach more pediatric patients with a rare CPC diagnosis, the more children we can help! ❤️

Children with brain tumors are fighting for their lives. Don't look away. Do something!

You can help the Children’s Brain Tumor Project at Weill Cornell Medicine continue researching rare and often deadly pediatric brain tumors.

Here are some ways you can help save a child’s life ⬇️

🦸🏽Share our resources with affected families or other organizations who may be an asset to our mission

🦹🏻‍♀️ Donate to CBTP to ensure continued research for advanced cures of pediatric brain tumors.

🦸🏿‍♀️ Start a fundraiser. This could be for someone you know who is diagnosed with a pediatric brain tumor, or for an event, or special occasion.

Whatever your action is, it will be an incredible step towards saving children diagnosed with rare brain tumors.

Learn more on our website now!
https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/portfolio-items/do-something/

Sometimes laughter is the best medicine!

Join us for the Children's Brain Tumor Project's annual

✨ "No Laughing Matter" fundraiser✨

We will be returning to the New York Athletic Club on Thursday, October 10th to laugh, cry, and cry from laughing so hard as we raise funds for CBTP.

Let's bring joy to:
✨ Our families
✨ Our doctors
✨ Our researchers
✨ Our donors

This critical fundraiser supports the groundbreaking research of Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield and Dr. Mark Souweidane at Weill Cornell Medicine. By purchasing a ticket YOU will be a crucial part of improving outcomes for children with brain tumors.

🎟️ Get your tickets at https://cbo.io/bidapp/index.php?slug=comedynight

Do you know anyone who has been impacted by a pediatric brain tumor diagnosis?

➡️ If you do, you may know that treatment is very complicated, often depreciating the quality of life for children and their families.

✨ The mission of the Children’s Brain Tumor Project is to improve outcomes for children with brain tumors by developing innovative treatment options that focus on:
💡Targeted Therapy
💡Effective Drug Delivery
💡Low Treatment-Related Toxicity

We bring hope to children and their families facing this life-changing diagnosis of a rare, sometimes inoperable, and often incurable brain tumor.

To partner with us in providing hope to these children and families, please check out our website or share it with others who may benefit from our organization.

Help us cure more children with brain tumors!

➡️ https://www.childrensbraintumorproject.org/mission/

LAST DAY FOR DISCOUNTED TICKETS to “No Laughing Matter” - A Night of Comedy & Illusion. Visit nolaughingmatter2024.org today!

Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield met with Gavin Campbell yesterday, a rising Eagle Scout from Pawling, NY. Jeffrey P. Greenfield MD, PhD was his brother Ty's neurosurgeon several years ago, and he has been a tremendous influence on Gavin's decision to help children in hospitals for his Eagle Project. Yesterday Gavin delivered several Meta Oculus devices to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine, allowing children to participate in special experiences and escape from the hospital through Virtual Reality. Watch this special story on NBC New York tonight at 11PM! Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery

Please help the Cristian Rivera Foundation reach their fundraising goal! Dr. Mark Souweidane is a proud beneficiary of this wonderful organization and 💯 of your donations will directly benefit his great research!

We still have time to rally more donations and raise funds. We are still a little short of our goal.

To donate cristianriverafoundation.org/crf5k/donate/. I encourage everyone to look at this as a last push against D.I.P.G. Every dollar counts. Every dollar we raise brings us one step closer to a cure. Full Steam Ahead!

Yesterday, Team CBTP participated in the annual Cristian Rivera Foundation 5K in Van Cortlandt Park. It was the most beautiful and inspiring day as our dedicated CRF community gathered together to fight for children with . We are honored to be a beneficiary of this incredible event, and grateful to John Gungie Rivera and Melissa Cox Colon for all the hard work they do every single day to ensuring a better future for children with this devastating diagnosis. Weill Cornell Medicine Neurological Surgery

As Brain Tumor Awareness Month comes to a close, we salute all the brave patients and families who have come through treatment and are living their best lives now.

https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org/service/brain-tumor-surgery/what-our-patients-say-brain-tumor-stories

Dr. Mark Souweidane Wins 2024 Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentorship -- At today’s commencement ceremony for the graduating class of Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Mark Souweidane was announced as the winner of the 2024 Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentorship. This prize recognizes a faculty member who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to supporting colleagues to become academic leaders in clinical care, research, or education. See link.
https://neurosurgery.weill.cornell.edu/about-us/news-updates/dr-souweidane-wins-2024-deans-award-excellence-mentorship

Congratulations to Dr. Mark Souweidane and Jeffrey P. Greenfield MD, PhD!

Congratulations to the record 25 faculty members from the department of neurosurgery named to the 2024 list of New York SuperDoctors!

We are proud to say that we have more neurosurgeons on this year's list than any other hospital in the New York metropolitan area, by far. We are also cementing our leadership for the future, with more Rising Stars than anyone else – meaning that for decades to come, Weill Cornell Medicine neurosurgeons will top the list of SuperDoctors in the entire metropolitan area.

https://neurosurgery.weillcornell.org/in-the-news/record-25-weill-cornell-medicine-neurosurgical-faculty-named-ny-2024-superdoctors-list

Weill Cornell Medicine NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

Tomorrow is the first day of brain tumor awareness month. Please consider changing your profile picture or cover photo to help raise awareness. Kids with brain cancer need more research. Research needs more support. Awareness generates that support. Follow this page and share our posts throughout May.

So proud of this dynamic duo. John Gungie Rivera and Dr. Mark Souweidane.

from the Children's Brain Tumor Project Foundation. Meet , one of our runners for the United Airlines Half Marathon. "I am running with Team CBTP to help advance a cure for kids with brain tumors. I was inspired to join the team because my sister, Lexi, was diagnosed with a glioma brain tumor when she was in 4th grade. Lexi had to spend a lot of her childhood in Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh getting MRIs.
I am hoping my friend’s and family’s donations are able to bring hope to families that have a loved one diagnosed with a brain tumor. Thank you so much for all your race day help!! Looking forward to the big day!
You can donate to her fundraiser here: https://cbtpfoundation.org/.../ua-half-2024/fundraiser/33/