Why research is necessary
Our brain: Almost everything that makes us a human being begins and ends with our brain. Every thought, idea, movement and feeling. Our brain makes it possible for us to perceive and to experience and to be capable of achieving small and great accomplishments. Whether it be consciously or unconsciously. This same brain makes us vulnerable.
The smallest abnormality can be life-threatening. You can just imagine how destructive a brain tumour can be. An invader who nestles itself into the most important organ in our body. It doesn’t bear thinking about. Annually, in the Netherlands, there are approximately 1500 new patients with malignant brain tumours and approximately 900 with benign brain tumours. On average 4 people die daily because of a brain tumour.
Benign and malignant: With brain tumours it is not always easy to make a distinction between benign and malignant. For this reason when one speaks of a brain tumour one seldom speaks of brain cancer. Even with a benign brain tumour 5% of patients die because of where the tumour is located in the brain, as it is sometimes too difficult or impossible to treat.
After the treatment brain tumour patients frequently have to learn to live the rest of their lives with impediments or disabilities Benign or malignant, brain tumour patients often describe learning to live with a tumour as being like learning to live with a time bomb in their head. One day the bomb might go off. The question being if and when.
Children under 12 and young adults: Brain tumour cancer is apart from one other the most common form of cancer amongst children under 12 and young adults. The most common form being leukemia, which has a higher chance of being cured. There are many different types of brain tumours existing among children and young adults. Tumours which as a rule that don’t exist amongst adults.
The treatment of a brain tumour depends on the type a patient has as there are various ways to treat them. For many years little progress has been made, largely because of lack of money. When money gets divided for medical research the most common forms of cancers have the first priority. This has lead to the progress in finding a cure for primary brain tumours research falling behind.
For the last few years, the foundation STOPhersentumoren has been doing its best to finance research. For more information see : www.STOPhersentumoren.nl
Introduction
Hello, I am Maggie Tervit, the person who answers the e-mails sent to info@pieterpadsteppen-wandelen.nl. I was born and brought up in Wallyford, a village near Edinburgh in Scotland and now live in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. What started off as an adventure for a number of months has now reached 38 years and counting.
In 2010 I kickbiked my way on a scooter to the top of the Alp du Huez with a number of people to raise money for brain tumour research.
I did this on behalf of my son Jamie Tervit. In 2004 when Jamie had just turned 17 he was suddenly admitted to the hospital with a brain tumour in the cerebellum. It was not possible to remove the whole tumour because it lies next to the brain stem. His tumour has been stable for nearly nine years and is called “relatively” benign. Relatively because of its position next to the brain stem and therefore considered a dangerous location.
In 2010 I acquired a taste for kickbiking and it is once again time to get mine out from under the dust. I liked the idea of kickbiking because of its originality and therefore decided to organize a similar event in the Netherlands.
Why kickbike the Pieterpad?
On Sunday the 31st. of August 2014, we want to kickbike the Pieterpad with as many people as possible on scooters. This to raise money for the foundation: STOPhersentumoren.nl (hersentumoren : brain tumours)
Our aim is to create attention nationally for the necessity of more research into brain tumours. It is a form of cancer, along with one other which is predominantly found in children under the age of 12 and young adults.
Why kickbiking on scooters? Nowadays many sporting events are organised to raise money for good causes. These are all important and necessary but because there are so many we wanted to organise something unique for the foundation. Hence our choice fell on kickbiking on scooters.
Why the Pieterpad? The Pieterpad is in total 495 km long and is the Netherlands longest walking route. The goal is to kickbike the whole of the Pieterpad in stages.
Should any non Dutch speakers be wanting information on taking part, sponsoring etc., please send an email to info@pieterpadsteppen-wandelen.nl
