Dr. Greg Foltz, a neurosurgeon at Swedish Neuroscience Institute.?
Swedish Neuroscience Institute invited the public behind the scenes Friday to see what it?s like to be a brain surgeon.
The event, which was intended to raise awareness of brain cancer and of the Seattle area's prominent role in research to combat the disease, had attendees drilling a fake skull, using a camera to plunge deep into a faux head, and even touching a real human brain specimen.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Greg Foltz led the event, walking the audience through a video of a recent brain surgery he had performed at Swedish.
Foltz has had personal experience with the disease. Until he was 24, he was a classically trained pianist on his way to The Julliard School in New York City. But he lost a loved one to brain cancer, and changed course to attend medical school and become a brain surgeon.
Foltz says brain cancer is an orphan disease, or one that doesn?t affect enough people to generate massive funding and advocacy. For that reason, Foltz organized the first Seattle Brain Cancer walk in 2008 to raise money, and he reserves one day a week to focus on patient advocacy.
Federal funding has been more difficult to get since the economic downturn in 2008, Foltz said. But local partnerships have generated funding to support new technologies and research at Swedish?s Ben & Catherine Ivy Center for Advanced Brain Tumor Treatment
The Ivy Center has also partnered with local organizations, including the Institute for Systems Biology, the Allen Institute of Brain Science, the University of Washington and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, among others.
Valerie Bauman covers nonprofits and health care for the Puget Sound Business Journal.
Follow Your Favorites with My News
My News is a way to create a customized news feed based on companies and industries that matter to you.
bobby valentine marian hossa philip humber red sox yankees white sox chuck colson
কোন মন্তব্য নেই:
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন