Brainstem Gliomas of Childhood - a lifetime of lessons for the future
by Professor David Walker - Emeritus Professor of Paediatric Oncology at the University of Nottingham, and former Chair of the Children’s Brain Tumour Drug Delivery Consortium
For DIPG Awareness Day this year, 17 May 2021, Professor David Walker has written an informative and motivating blog, setting the scene that now needs to be taken forwards by committed translational and clinician scientists. As David states, 'These challenges offer “Moonshot Moment(s)” to those brave enough to develop integrated, adaptable approaches to innovation... It is up to the clinician scientists to generate the opportunities the children deserve.'
David was asked to write the blog by The Anticancer Fund - a Belgian non-profit organisation with an international scope. The Anticancer Fund are dedicated to expanding the range of treatment options available to cancer patients, regardless of commercial value. Their ultimate goal is to extend lives, increase quality of life and provide cures for cancer patients.
David's blog
'As a recently retired paediatric neuro-oncologist I can look back over 40 years of experiences with children and families, facing the devastating impact of this group of diseases.
On the one hand we could focus on Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) and its frighteningly low survival rates, the devastating progressive neurological damage and the lack of progress despite extensive trials of radiotherapy, chemotherapy and translational research.
On the other hand, we could list all that we have learnt and put it into perspective for future researchers so that the experiences of the past, inform the developments of the future. I prefer the latter approach.....' Read more here.