Staff across Royal North Shore Hospital donned on their beanies recently to raise awareness of a special cause close to their hearts.

The Brain Cancer Group is a charity set up at RNSH in 2000 by neurosurgeons Drs Raymond Cook and Michael Biggs to improve patient outcomes and work towards finding a cure for the devastating disease.

By next year, it is expected the number of people diagnosed with brain cancer will be 653 and it will account for 3.1 per cent of all cancer deaths in NSW.

Given the rate of brain cancer deaths in NSW  has remained unchanged over the past 10 years, RNSH’s Director of Radiation Oncology and Director of The Brain Cancer Group charity Associate Professor Michael Back said staff were keen to get behind the charity and help promote brain cancer awareness and how vital research is to improving patient outcomes.

“We are committed to research that aims to improve patient outcomes and to work towards making an impact,” he said.

Compared to breast and prostate cancers which have a five year survival rate of 89.4 per cent and 95.2 per cent respectively, brain cancer is 27.7 per cent.

If you wish to support the cause, you can find out how to donate by visiting braincancergroup.com.au/make-a-donation