EndBrainCancer Initiative

The EndBrainCancer Initiative, formerly the Chris Elliott Fund, was established in May 2002 by Chris Elliott and his wife, according to its Glioblastoma Awareness Day page, after the couple were not referred straight away to a brain tumour specialist or to clinical trials. Its Direct Connect programme links patients and families with specialists, clinics, clinical trials and treatment providers through a call centre and patient navigator; the page says the services are free to patients because the charity partners with drug, device and diagnostics companies to pay for them, and that it receives more than 7,000 inquiries a month. It also campaigns for Glioblastoma Awareness Day on the third Wednesday of July. The National Cancer Institute lists it as a partner of its NCI-CONNECT rare brain and spine tumour network. The IRS record, under the name Chris Elliott Fund, places it in Redmond, Washington, with tax exemption issued in October 2008.