MEETINGS & EVENTS

IN-PERSON MEETINGS

Grey Matters resumed in-person meetings on July 12, 2022. In-person meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at:

Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Plano

2800 West 15th St.

Plano, TX 75075

We ask that you RSVP for in-person meetings by emailing GreyMattersNorthTexas@yahoo.com with the number attending.

Please note – We want to stay in good favor with Encompass and keep our hospital privileges. It is important that we respect the hospital protocols and that everyone please:

use the front door of the hospital when entering,
sign in at the front desk,
and abide by the hospitals COVID protocols (screening and temperature check if directed to do so by the front desk attendant).

VIRTUAL MEETINGS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Grey Matters meetings have been offered via Zoom since the health and well-being of our members is of utmost importance. We will continue to offer monthly virtual meetings via Zoom on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. Please contact GreyMattersNorthTexas@yahoo.com should you have any questions.

Join our Grey Matters Zoom Video Meetings
Meeting ID: 841 385 5398
Passcode: keM8ss

2022 CALENDAR

Please check back periodically as new events are added throughout the year.

jan 6 - BRAINS FOR THE CURE PATIENT PERSPECTIVES

Brains for the Cure/Head for the Cure is offering a monthly “Patient Perspectives” virtual gathering via Zoom for perspectives from other patients and survivors. The calls will be held the first Thursday of every month. Learn more and register here.

jan 10 - nbts Meditation Mondays

The National Brain Tumor Society will host its Meditation Mondays, a free virtual meditation class for the brain tumor community offered specifically for patients, their caregivers, and families. Learn more and register here.

jan 11 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

jan 11 - embrace survivorship series

The UT Southwestern Harold C. Simmons Cancer Center is pleased to offer its popular EMBRACE Survivorship Series on the second Tuesday of each month via Zoom. Learn more about the monthly topics and RSVP to receive the Zoom link for each presentation here.

jan 16 - NBTS Brain Tumor Support Conversations

All members of the brain tumor community, including current and former patients and care partners, are welcome to join the National Brain Tumor Society’s Brain Tumor Support Conversations. This online monthly support group provides a welcoming space where patients and loved ones can talk about the feelings and emotions that accompany any aspect of the brain tumor experience. Free to register, reserve your seat today here.

jan 25 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

jan 27 - Head for the Cure Caregiver Conversation

Head for the Cure hosts its Caregiver Conversation on the last Thursday of the month. A Zoom link will be emailed to you on the Monday prior to the conversation. Each month will focus on a different topic led by caregivers, patients, survivors, doctors, nurses, and other facilitators. Learn more and register here.

FEB 3 - BRAINS FOR THE CURE PATIENT PERSPECTIVES

FEB 8 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

FEB 8 - embrace survivorship series

FEB 14 - nbts Meditation Mondays

FEB 17 - Healthy Sleep Solutions

Did you know that sleep is a key factor in helping your body more effectively handle diseases and can influence cancer treatment and recovery? Join Cancer Support Community North Texas as they present a conversation with Desiré S. Taylor, Ph.D., regarding ways to develop healthier sleep habits and improve the quality of your sleep. Dr. Taylor will discuss common sleep disorders, the relationship between sleep, health and cancer, and most importantly provide direction on how to improve your sleep. RSVP online or email info@cancersupporttexas.org to receive the Zoom link.

FEB 20 - NBTS Brain Tumor Support Conversations

FEB 22 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

FEB 23 - Eating Well During Cancer Treatment

Cancer Support Community North Texas is pleased to present dietitian Ashley Mowbray who will discuss Eating Well During Cancer Treatment. This presentation will be open to the public and is presented in partnership with Medical City. It will require registration by February 22 to ensure that you receive the Zoom link. Learn more and register here.

FEB 24 - Head for the Cure Caregiver Conversation

MAR 3 - BRAINS FOR THE CURE PATIENT PERSPECTIVES

MAR 8 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

MAR 8 - Embrace Survivorship Series

MAR 14 - nbts Meditation Mondays

MAR 20 - NBTS Brain Tumor Support Conversations

MAR 22 - GREY MATTERS MEETING - GUEST SPEAKERS

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m. Grey Matters is pleased to welcome guest presenters with GT Medical Technologies, Inc. (GammaTile). Dr. Ron Reimer (neurosurgeon) and Shannan Achens (patient navigator and GammaTile recipient) will join us virtually. Dr. Reimer is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and National Board of Medical Examiners. He is a consultant for the Department of Neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic, and he serves as associate professor of neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. You may view a video about Shannon, as well as read a patient brochure.

MAR 31 - Head for the Cure Caregiver Conversation

APR - Texas Health HEB Bluebonnet Retreat

2022 Event Dates TBA. The Bluebonnet Retreat offers, at no charge, a unique experience for adult cancer patients. During the three-day, two-night camp, attendees are provided a creative, educational atmosphere of support with a focus on wellness. The retreat is a special project of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Hurst-Euless-Bedford and is funded through donations. Ambulatory adults age 18 or older who have been diagnosed with cancer within the past five years are invited to attend. The retreat is held each year in the fall and spring. Attendance is limited to 24, and first-time campers receive priority. More information can be found here.

APR 7 - Brains for the Cure Patient Perspectives

APR 11 - nbts Meditation Mondays

APR 12 - GREY MATTERS MEETING - GUEST SPEAKER

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m. We are pleased to welcome attorney Brandon McGee with McGee Law Firm, who will present "How People Destroy Their Estate Plans."

APR 12 - EMBRACE Survivorship Series

APR 17 - NBTS BRAIN TUMOR SUPPORT CONVERSATIONS

APR 26 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

APR 28 - Head for the Cure Caregiver Conversation

APR 29 - 13th Annual NGF Golf Tournament & Fundraising Dinner

The Nick Gonzales Foundation for Brain Tumor Research will host its 13th Annual NGF Golf Tournament and Fundraising Dinner on Friday, April 29, 2022, from 2-10 p.m. EDT. Learn more at www.thenickgonzalesfoundation.org.

APR 29 - reel recovery FISHING RETREAT IN GLEN ROSE, TX

Reel Recovery is a national non-profit organization that conducts free fly-fishing retreats in Texas and Oklahoma for men recovering from all forms of cancer. Click here to read the flyer for more information. Please contact Reel Recovery directly with any questions by emailing them at info@reelrecovery.org or calling 800-699-4490. Learn more about upcoming retreats at https://reelrecovery.org/programs/retreat-schedule/.

MAY - Brain Tumor Awareness Month

MAY - American Brain Tumor Association BT5K Dallas Run & Walk

2022 Event Date TBA. Typically held at the Amphitheater at Oak Point Park in Plano, TX, the BT5K Breakthrough for Brain Tumors Run & Walk is the ABTA’s national signature fundraising event, taking place in cities coast to coast. Your participation allows the ABTA to provide vital brain tumor resources to patients and their families, fund promising research studies, and conduct nationwide brain tumor educational programs. Stay tuned for more information about the “Grey Matters North Texas Brain Tumor Support Group” team. Learn more here.

MAY 3 - NATIONAL BRAIN TUMOR SOCIETY’S HEAD TO THE HILL - WASHINGTON DC

Think your voice doesn’t matter? That Congress never listens? Think again. Brain tumor advocacy advances in the past decade have significantly improved research funding and patient care for our community. Government funding for brain tumor research has increased steadily and new bills were passed to support patients, families, and survivors. Save the date and check back for more information about the 2022 event here.

MAY 5 - Brains for the Cure PATIENT PERSPECTIVES

MAY 7 - 12th Annual Head for the Cure 5K - North Texas

This year’s HFTC event will be held at the Amphitheater at Oak Point Park in Plano, TX, or you may participate virtually if you prefer. Join us as we continue to raise funds, awareness, and hope for the local brain tumor community. Funds raised benefits UT Southwestern and the Brain Tumor Trials Collaborative. Registration is now open, and Grey Matters will host a team again (Karen Kuryla is the team captain). Learn more and register here.

Save the date for next year's event: May 6, 2023

MAY 9 - nbts Meditation Mondays

MAY 10 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

MAY 10 - embrace survivorship series

MAY 15 - NBTS BRAIN TUMOR SUPPORT CONVERSATIONS

MAY 16 - PLANO Senior Information & Wellness Fair

Adults of all ages are invited to attend the annual Plano Senior Information & Wellness Fair from 9 am to 1 pm on Monday, May 16 at Sam Johnson Recreation Center for Adults 50+. This come-and-go event provides a wealth of information for those of retirement and pre-retirement age. Visitors receive free health screenings and take home information about a multitude of services available in the area. The fair is free and open to everyone. Learn more here.

MAY 22 - GREY MATTERS SPRING PICNIC

Country Place Treehouse

3600 Country Place Road, Plano, TX 75023

Join us for a Grey Matters spring picnic from 1-4 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 22! Sub sandwiches, chips, cookies, and drinks will be provided, so all you need to do is bring your family, friends, and an appetite. We will meet on the covered patio, and there is a clubhouse in case of inclement weather.

RSVP no later than May 18 to Nancy Little or Karen Kuryla, or email GreyMattersNorthTexas@yahoo.com (please indicate if there are any vegans/vegetarians included in your RSVP). Reminder emails will be sent out as the event date gets closer. We hope to see you and your family there!

Note: We'd like to take photos during our picnic that may be posted on our social media/website. Please let us know if you don't want your picture to appear anywhere connected with the Grey Matters group.

MAY 24 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

MAY 26 - Head for the Cure Caregiver Conversation

JUN 2 - Brains for the Cure PATIENT PERSPECTIVES

JUN 5 - National Cancer Survivors Day

More information can be found here.

JUN 13 - nbts Meditation Mondays

JUN 14 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

JUN 14 - embrace survivorship series

JUN 14 - Living Well Beyond Cancer: Survivor Panel

Living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis can look different for each individual, but from the moment you begin treatment you gain something in common with anyone who’s been affected by cancer. You become a survivor. You will walk away from this webinar knowing that you are not alone, and that cancer rehabilitation services can provide much-needed physical and emotional support that is often missing from cancer care. This webinar is offered by offered by ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation. Learn more and register here.

JUNE 17 - HEAD FOR THE CURE NIGHT AT A ROUGHRIDERS BASEBALL GAME

Join us for a Frisco Rough Riders baseball event with fireworks on Friday evening! Game starts at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are $20 each (does NOT include any food), and part of the proceeds support HFTC for brain tumor research/outreach. Seats are in the left field area by the bullpen, Section 102 (not looking into the sun). Click the link below and use your cell phone camera to open the QR code, and use promo code "HFTC" when purchasing the tickets when it asks for promo code/payment. We suggest you pick the mobile tickets option so you can have the receipt of payment and tickets available via text/ link on your phone, if possible. Other options for tickets are will-call or printing.

Family and friends are welcome to come as this is an open invitation from HFTC for their sponsored event. Feel Free to share this information with others, and join us for a fun outing with Grey Matters friends!

Friso Roughriders North Texas Giveback | Head for the Cure

Jun 19 - NBTS BRAIN TUMOR SUPPORT CONVERSATIONS

Jun 23 - Head for the Cure Caregiver Conversation

Head for the Cure hosts its Caregiver Conversation on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month via Zoom. Each month will focus on a different topic led by caregivers, patients, survivors, doctors, nurses, and other facilitators. Learn more and register here.

Jun 25 - Advances in Brain Tumor Research and Clinical Trials

Get an inside look at new brain tumor therapies and clinical trials at this free, half-day virtual meeting offered by the American Brain Tumor Association. You'll discover the challenges and barriers in the development of new therapies and clinical trials, what new therapies are on the horizon, and one patient's experience in a brain tumor clinical trial. Learn more and register here.

JUN 28 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

JUL 7 - Brains for the Cure patient perspectives

JUL 12 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting IN PERSON (refer to the top of this page for time and location). Ice cream will be provided. Face masks are optional.

JUL 12 - embrace survivorship series

JUL 14 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

Head for the Cure hosts its Caregiver Conversation on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month via Zoom. Each month will focus on a different topic led by caregivers, patients, survivors, doctors, nurses, and other facilitators. Learn more and register here.

JUL 19 - Head for the Cure Webinar - GammaTile Therapy

As shared at our Grey Matters meeting in March, we are pleased to offer another opportunity to hear via Zoom presenters with GT Medical Technologies, Inc. (GammaTile), Dr. Ron Reimer (neurosurgeon) and Shannan Achens (patient navigator and GammaTile recipient). Dr. Reimer is board certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and National Board of Medical Examiners. He is a consultant for the Department of Neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic, and he serves as associate professor of neurosurgery at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.

Registration is free but required for this Zoom presentation. Register in advance for this webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7ZpiYrkqSi2XMQwNWMpsqw. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

JUL 20 - Glioblastoma Awareness Day

Learn more about this resolution passed by the U.S. Senate. Information about National GBM Awareness Day can be found here.

JUL 23 - The Lounge Coffee & Tea Bar Gathering

In honor of national Glioblastoma Awareness Day, Grey Matters friends are invited to gather at The Lounge Coffee & Tea Bar from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 23.

The Lounge Coffee & Tea Bar

2552 Stonebrook Parkway, #202

Frisco, Tx 75036

JUL 26 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

JUL 28 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

AUG 4 - Brains for the Cure patient persectives

Join Brains for the Cure every first Thursday of the month on Zoom at 6 p.m. CT for perspectives from other patients and survivors. The link for the Zoom call will be sent to anyone signed up before each conversation. Each month will focus on a different topic led by caregivers, patients, survivors, doctors, nurses, and other facilitators. Register here.

AUG 9 - GREY MATTERS MEETING - GUEST SPEAKER

Join us for our monthly meeting IN PERSON (refer to the top of this page for time and location). We are pleased to welcome to our meeting via Zoom a guest speaker:

Vincent Rock, MSW, LCSW, is the Senior Program Manager at the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA). He manages and delivers services for ABTA’s CareLine, Patient & Caregiver Mentor Support Program, and the ABTA Treatment Center Guide. He also participates in a working group that developed the Guiding Principles for CNS Tumor Treatment Programs. During his time at the ABTA, Vince has communicated with thousands of brain tumor patients and caregivers and has personally matched nearly 900 people with peer mentors for support. Vince has been with the ABTA for seven years and lives in Chicago with his wife, Claire, and dog, Randy Roo.

AUG 9 - embrace survivorship series

AUG 11 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

AUG 23 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

AUG 25 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

SEP 1 - Brains for the Cure patient perspectives

SEP 8 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

SEP 9-10 - ABTA National CONFERENCE

The American Brain Tumor Association National Conference is the only advocacy-led educational meeting designed specifically for patients, survivors, and caregivers that brings together the entire brain tumor community. Held annually, thousands of attendees learn from the nation’s leading experts about the latest advances in brain tumor research, treatment and care. Learn more and register for this virtual conference here.

SEP 13 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting IN PERSON (refer to the top of this page for time and location).

SEP 13 - embrace survivorship series

SEP 27 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

SEP 22 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

OCT - Texas Health HEB Bluebonnet Retreat

OCT 6 - Brains for the Cure patient perspectives

OCT 7 - Reel Recovery Fishing Retreat in Glen Rose, TX

OCT 11 - GREY MATTERS MEETING - Guest Speaker

Join us for our monthly meeting IN PERSON (refer to the top of this page for time and location). We ask that you RSVP for in-person meetings by emailing GreyMattersNorthTexas@yahoo.com with the number attending.

Presentation Title: An Update on Malignant Brain Tumors

Guest Speaker: Sam McBrayer received his bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Baylor University in Waco, TX, and his Ph.D. in cancer biology from Northwestern University in Chicago. Dr. McBrayer then joined the laboratory of Dr. William G. Kaelin, Jr. at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston as an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow. In 2019, Dr. McBrayer joined the faculty of Children’s Research Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas as an assistant professor. His laboratory seeks to understand how metabolic changes drive brain tumor formation and create opportunities for therapy. In recognition of his research, he has received awards from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, the V Foundation for Cancer Research, and the Sontag Foundation.

OCT 11 - embrace survivorship series

OCT 11 - LIVING WELL BEYOND CANCER SURVIVOR SERIES

How to Function When You Can’t Feel: Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy will be presented online from 2-2:30 p.m. Learn more and register here.

OCT 13 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

OCT 16 - GREY MATTERS Annual Picnic

Country Place Treehouse
3600 Country Place Road
Plano, TX 75023

Join us for a Grey Matters fall picnic from 1-4 p.m. CST! Sub sandwiches, chips, cookies, and drinks will be provided. All you need to do is bring your family, friends, and an appetite. We will meet on the covered patio, and there is a clubhouse in case of inclement weather.

RSVP no later than October 11 to Nancy Little or Karen Kuryla, or email greymattersnorthtexas@yahoo.com (please indicate if there are any vegans/vegetarians included in your reservation).

OCT 22 - BRAIN INJURY NETWORK (BIND) GOING WEST GALA

Tables are now on sale for the 9th annual event, and watch for individual tickets available later this month. This year’s theme, “Going West,” honors opening BIND'S second facility in Ft. Worth. Did you know it is the furthest west brain injury clubhouse in the United States? Since March, this location has grown well and doubled the resources and support that Brain Injury Network provides to North Texas.

The dress for the gala will be “cowboy chic.” Jeans, boots, and hats are all welcome. Dinner will be a fun chef’s selection of BBQ meats and sides (veggie stuff too). The silent auction will be online starting a week before and at the gala. This year, BIND is adding a live auction with incredible trips, vacations, and more. This is an event you don’t want to miss! Learn more here.

OCT 25 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

OCT 27 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

NOV 3 - Brains for the Cure patient perspectives

NOV 8 - GREY MATTERS MEETING - GUEST SPEAKER

We will welcome Remington Burke, owner of FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers, as our guest speaker.

NOV 8 - embrace survivorship series

NOV 10 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

NOV 22 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

Join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom at 7 p.m.

NOV 24 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

NOV 29 - Giving Tuesday

Thousands of individuals will show their support of nonprofit organizations on Giving Tuesday. We invite you to join the #GivingTuesday movement and give in support of Head for the Cure or any other organization of your choosing that supports brain tumor research.

DEC 1 - BRAINS FOR THE CURE PATIENT PERSPECTIVES

DEC 8 - HEAD FOR THE CURE CAREGIVER CONVERSATION

DEC 13 - GREY MATTERS MEETING

This will be the last Grey Matters meeting for the year. Meetings for 2023 will be announced soon after the New Year, so please continue to check our website or visit Facebook.