Free Brain Tumor Conference Spotlights Treatment, Support

CINCINNATI—The 2009 Midwest Regional Brain Tumor Conference, a free educational event for patients, caregivers and family members, will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington.

The conference, titled “Hope, Innovation, Progress, Support,” is presented by the Brain Tumor Center at the University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute, in partnership with the National Brain Tumor Society.

The conference will provide patients, survivors and caregivers with an opportunity to mingle with each other and to acquire information from brain tumor specialists and allied health professionals. The conference will offer formal presentations and informational displays. Topics will include the origins of brain tumors, advances in treatment, management of treatment side effects, long-term survivorship, rehabilitation, the patient’s “bill of rights” and financial resources.

Breakout sessions will focus on brain tumor types, including pituitary adenoma, acoustic neuroma, low-grade glioma, astrocytoma, glioblastoma and meningioma. Metastatic tumors also will be covered.

Featured speakers include:

• Ronald Warnick, MD, director of the Brain Tumor Center at the UC Neuroscience Institute.

• John Tew, MD, clinical director of the UC Neuroscience Institute

• Myles Pensak, MD, chair of the UC Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

• John Breneman, MD, professor of radiation oncology and neurosurgery at the UC Neuroscience Institute.

• Christopher McPherson, MD, director of surgical neuro-oncology at the Brain Tumor Center.

• Connie Menefee, caregiver.

The conference is directed by McPherson.

Fifteen-minute physician consults also will be available. Patients wishing a consult should contact Tara Orgon Stamper by June 10 at (513) 558-8649.

Although the symposium is free, participants are asked to register in advance by calling (513) 569-5354 or by sending an e-mail to eries@mayfieldclinic.com. Additional information, including a downloadable brochure and registration form, is available online at ucbraintumorcenter.com.

The Northern Kentucky Convention Center is located at

The UC Neuroscience Institute, a regional center of excellence at UC and University Hospital, is dedicated to patient care, research, education and the development of new treatments for stroke, brain and spinal tumors, epilepsy, traumatic brain and spinal injury, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, disorders of the senses (swallowing, voice, hearing, pain, taste and smell) and psychiatric conditions (bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression).