National Brain Tumor Awareness Walks to Help Fund Life-Saving Brain Tumor Vaccines in 2011

CLEARWATER, FL, January 12, 2011 (Press-News.org) Over 6 years ago, Bob Gibbs defied the odds statistically and set out on a mission to raise awareness and funding for the same disease that attempted to take his life. Gibbs married and the father of four, refused to let brain cancer beat him. Instead, he and his wife, Barb, started Miles for Hope, a non-profit organization whose main mission is to raise national awareness and funding for cutting edge cancer vaccines and tumor tissue banking. These are the same treatments that Gibbs credits with saving his life.

Bob was diagnosed in 2004 with brain cancer at the age of 34, but refused to give up without a fight. If one brain tumor diagnosis was not enough, one year later their oldest son was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He and his wife started to research all possible treatment options and came across an experimental brain cancer vaccine. During his second surgery in 2008, his brain cancer became aggressive enough that it qualified him for a clinical trial at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). "The vaccine that I received has extended the median survival of Grade IV brain cancer (GBM) from 14.6 months, with conventional treatment, to over 36 months," stated Gibbs.

"Over the past two decades, conventional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation have only been able to extend the median survival of brain cancer by approximately two weeks. For that reason, we felt compelled to raise awareness and funding for the brain cancer vaccines so that others had access to the same treatment that has saved my life. Most other organizations in the country typically focus on chemotherapy and radiation, which in our opinion, is not yielding the same effectiveness as we are seeing with the addition of the vaccine."

Brain tumors currently affect over 200,000 people each year, one person every 3 minutes in the United States, and they are the leading cause of solid tumor cancer deaths in children under the age of 20. In addition, brain tumors are the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in males under the age of 29 and the 5th cause of cancer death in female adults 20-39.

Since the first event in 2008, Miles for Hope has been able to quickly expand their awareness efforts to include over 10 events currently scheduled across the nation in 2011, thanks to the success and demand for their brain tumor awareness walks. Miles for Hope was the first organization to bring patients the ability to store their cancer tissue, just like umbilical cord blood. Until this past May, this was only available for patients in other countries. "As the focus of cancer treatment in the United States changes towards a more personalized approach with the advancement of cancer vaccines, it is becoming more critical that patients start saving their tumor tissue," stated Gibbs. "Patients also need to be aware that many facilities will tell patients that they will store their tumor tissue, but will not give patients access back to their tumor tissue," continued Gibbs.

For that reason, Miles for Hope provides patients access to a private storage facility, where they have access to their tumor tissue for future use and testing. "We were pleased to be the first organization in the country to provide this ability, but it's only a start," stated Gibbs. "In order to raise awareness of this critical option and to provide access to cutting edge clinical trials and treatments, we continue to rely on our Moving Towards A Cure events to provide a vehicle for communities and the nation to become involved and help fund better treatments for this deadly disease," stated Barb Gibbs, Executive Director.

Registration is currently open for many of the brain tumor walks across the nation including Orlando, Los Angeles, Denver, Boston, Buffalo and Atlanta. Nashville, Grand Rapids, Clearwater, Tampa and others should be open soon. Registered participants can select to run or walk to help raise awareness and funding for brain tumor awareness and research. Volunteer, media and sponsorship opportunities are also available at each of these locations. For additional information on these or other events, please contact Miles for Hope at (727) 781-HOPE (4673) or visit the website at http://MilesForHope.org.

Miles for Hope was established by Bob & Barb Gibbs to raise funds for promising brain tumor clinical trials and research. We are dedicated to raising funds to improve current treatments for brain tumors, and to assist brain tumor patients with travel expenses for their treatment.

Our goal at Miles for Hope is to provide a complete source for cutting edge treatment and support for both the patient and care givers. There are many wonderful sources of information on the Internet for brain tumors, and our goal is to compile these resources at one location. Here you will find a large support forum full of information, the most current clinical trial information, breaking news regarding brain tumors, and other support and awareness tools for your use in combating and fighting brain tumors.