Support BRIAN and accelerate progress
We’ve worked hand-in-hand with people affected by a brain tumour to build BRIAN, our Brain tumouR Information and Analysis Network. BRIAN is a trusted, collaborative online app designed to help defeat brain tumours on multiple fronts: by improving quality of life for people living with this disease and revolutionising the research landscape to accelerate a cure.
Where are we now?
We launched BRIAN in October 2019 and are proud to report that over 1,000 people have registered to use it. By using BRIAN through their PC, tablet or phone, people affected by a brain tumour are telling BRIAN about themselves, recording information about their treatments and tracking how they’re feeling day-to-day. These inputs are being captured using internationally recognised quality of life measures suitable for research.
Users are able to view this data, combined with healthcare data sourced from NHS Digital and Public Health England, to compare their experience with the experiences of others, empowering them to make informed decisions. We know BRIAN is already benefiting people’s quality of life, with users telling us it’s ‘therapeutic’, ‘helpful’ and ‘supportive’.
BRIAN is important for myself as in such a fast paced life, access to information and support about my illness is so useful to be at hand. And when I want to log how my symptoms have been, it’s nice to know that it’ll help future patients and the Charity in such a modern way. The storage of dates and appointments is great for my calendar.
Jordan, former Young Ambassador mentor
What’s next for BRIAN?
BRIAN is well on the way to becoming an invaluable resource for information and knowledge sharing among patients, clinicians and researchers across the world. With your support, we can push forward to the next stage of its development and drive the vital progress needed to advance treatments, improve care and ultimately discover a cure for brain tumours.
We’re already in the process of converting BRIAN into a mobile app so that users can access it anytime, anywhere, in the way that’s best for them. In addition, we have many other exciting developments planned, like integrating images (such as MRI scans) into BRIAN, and using artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to give a better understanding of the data and images.
Want to see BRIAN in action?
If you’d like to explore the BRIAN app and take a look at a sample user’s experience, contact us to request a login.
The impact of your support
By donating to support BRIAN, you’ll help us put the power of data into the hands of the entire brain tumour community!
- Patients and their carers will have the information they need to make decisions that are right for them, and will be empowered to better manage the everyday aspects of their treatment and care
- Brain tumour treatments will have fewer side-effects and offer better outcomes, and care will become more consistent.
- Research projects will cost less and take less time, increasing the number of projects that get off the ground and scientists working in the field.
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Garfield Weston
Established over 60 years ago in 1958, the Garfield Weston Foundation is a family-founded, grant-making charity which supports causes across the UK and gave over £88million last year. We are delighted that they are supporting the further development of BRIAN with a grant of £75,000 in 2021.