The New Zealand Brain Tumour Trust is facing up to the Covid-19 situation by moving its Silver Gala event and auction online.
Trust vice chairwoman Jessie Lenagh-Glue said the cancellation of the gala dinner meant the trust, which had gathered a great selection of goods from local artists and businesses for auction, made the decision to move online.
An online event, including an address and ‘‘silent’’ and ‘‘live’’ auctions, will be held from 6pm to 7pm this Friday on the trust website www.nzbtt.org.nz.
Bidding for the auction, which the trust is running in partnership with Proctor Auctions, began in September.
Ms Lenagh-Glue said the auction coincided with International Brain Tumour Awareness Week, October 30 to November 6, and was a good opportunity for the trust to raise awareness and funds.
Founded in Dunedin in 2018, the New Zealand Brain Tumour Trust focuses on promoting and helping to fund vital medical research, and supporting patients and whanau.
Trustees include chairwoman Latika Samalia, treasurer Wallis Xie, secretary Linda Folland, Chris Medlicott, Kathy Harward, Ahmad Taha, Janice Royds, Noelyn Anne Hung, Alexandra Tickle, and Lyndell Kelly.
‘‘Your brain is so integral to everything that we are, and any tumour in the brain can cause catastrophic damage, whether it is cancer or not,’’ Ms Lenagh-Glue said.
A brain tumour is a growth of cells in the brain that multiplies in an abnormal, disorderly way, severely impacting on the quality of life for patients and their families.
Some brain tumours arise in the brain, both cancerous and non-cancerous, but up to 30% of people with other cancers develop metastatic brain cancer.
Nearly 14% of new brain tumour diagnoses occur in people under 20 years of age.
Last year’s fundraising efforts allowed the trust to provide a $10,000 grant to Dunedin-based researcher Tania Slatter.
Interest in the auction can be registered by visiting the link https://forms.gle/VJ6M5h2yyzBeBjf86
