When asked what inspired her to become a brain cancer patient advocate and start the International Brain Tumour Alliance (IBTA) almost 20 years ago, founder Kathy Oliver cited her son Colin’s “incredible courage, determination, and fortitude” in facing a brain tumor diagnosis as the driving force.  

Through the profound loss of Colin only eight years post-diagnosis at the age of 32, Kathy had a vision, with three goals in mind: 

Equitable access for patients to new brain tumor therapies; establishment of brain tumor patient and caregiver support groups in countries where they don’t yet exist; and to raise awareness around the globe of the challenges associated with this devastating disease. Thus, Kathy founded the IBTA in 2005 as a “dynamic worldwide community for brain tumor patient organizations and others involved in the field of neuro-oncology.”  

Yet, Kathy’s accomplishments are even more far-reaching.  

As a patient advocate, Kathy participates in committees addressing brain tumor and rare cancer issues in Europe.  She is frequently a plenary or session speaker at international neuro-oncology and cancer conferences—a conduit between the medical community and patient advocates. She also participates in high-level, multi-stakeholder projects, focusing on patient-reported outcomes, quality of life, treatment guidelines, and more. She also serves as one of two patient advocates representing Rare Diseases Europe (EURORDIS).  

Kathy has also received several prestigious awards over the years, including the Society for Neuro-Oncology’s (SNO) Neuro-Oncology Community Service Award in 2019, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the neuro-oncology community.  

As a former freelance journalist, Kathy also edits the IBTA’s annual magazine, Brain Tumour, an industry-leading magazine distributed at no cost to the brain tumor community, across 111 countries and at neuro-oncology conferences worldwide.