New beginnings and being bold

I am excited to announce that we are reaching the next step in our efforts to raise funds for the brain cancer metabolism study.  

We have a new website complete with information about study, how you can donate if interested and why this work is necessary.

Coming up we have several meetings, podcast interviews and events to build momentum, reaching a larger audience. This isn't the only way we are generating funds, but it is important for a number of reasons.

I believe what we are doing here is truly unique, and our efforts will pave the way for future investigation on metabolic interventions to this notoriously difficult to treat disease.  

The website can be found here.

I don't want to go into too much detail about the next steps yet, but we are well on track with everything we had planned to do by this stage. The future looks promising. 

The next couple of weeks will be particularly revealing. I look forward to sharing news on our progress by the end of the month. Until then I will have to talk in riddles, which isn't really what I like to do at all, but is sometimes necessary. 

In other news, which isn't unrelated - Towards the tail end of last month I was able to do some valuable networking at the annual British Neuro-Oncology Society conference (BNOS) in Liverpool. I've been to these conferences before and always found great value in them. I have the ability to keep up to date with the latest research, clinical trials and discuss the clinical management of these tumours in a more practical sense. 

There were a number of highlights, but the main highlight for me was finally meeting Dave Bolton in person, a long term survival of glioblastoma, who gave an exceptional talk on his journey. 

We don't usually get the patient perspective much at these conferences, however there was truly meaningful input from patients who are directly shaping how we improve care, as well as directing the course of emerging treatments to improve outcomes. 

This is a big month for me in general. I'm preparing to move back to London in August after over 3 years away and I'm working on a number of projects. I am making myself accountable by aiming to finish by October/November time. An important lesson I have learned over the years is to be more relaxed about things not necessarily going to plan. Being adaptable and taking time to look after myself, while continuing to move forward by achieving small, manageable goals yields the greatest rewards. 

In moving from Oxford I will be leaving an area that I love and a comfortable, secure work situation for something more unpredictable and frantic, but infinitely more exciting and rewarding. The work I have been doing here was perfect for that time in my life, but it's time to move on and progress in my career. It is the only way I will be able to have the influence I need to make an impact on a larger scale to help the most people.  

There is so much to look forward to over the next few weeks and months. Although it seems fairly daunting when I stop and think about it, this is what I have been waiting for over many years. It's finally time to grab these opportunities with both hands.