Flashback - Ependymoma Awareness Day

The CERN Foundation has designated 8 May 2017 as this year's Ependymoma Awareness Day.

Ependymoma is the third-most common type of brain cancer in children, and also affects adults.

Those familiar with Ethan's story will know that he was diagnosed with this form of brain cancer at the age of only 20 months.

For the last six years, the CERN Foundation has partnered with medical professionals, patients and caregivers all around the world with the aim of raising awareness of ependymoma through Ependymoma Awareness Day.

Ependymoma Awareness Day in 2014 was on 10 April, and we marked the occasion with a special event held in Forrest Place in the Perth CBD.

On the morning of the event, our supporters were out in force on the streets of Perth shaking donation tins and handing out stickers and flyers.

Later in the day, our tin-shakers joined the CBD lunch crowd in Forrest Place to hear presentations by Ethan's Dad, Professor Jonathan Carapetis (Director, Telethon Kids Institute), the Right Honourable Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi and Laurence Goodman (Director, Harcourts Central). These were followed by a mass butterfly release, with face painters and butterfly balloons on hand to keep the kids entertained.

During his presentation, Laurence handed over a cheque for $10,000 for our cause. All in all, we raised over $12,000 on the day for paediatric brain cancer research.

If you'd like to do something for this year's Ependymoma Awareness Day, feel free to get in touch with Ethan's Dad, or contact the CERN Foundation directly.

Below are some photos from our 2014 event.