UCSF Brain Tumor Center's 50th anniversary celebration brochures

Brain Tumor Center Celebrates 50th Anniversary

On February 18, 2020, over 150 guests gathered at the top of San Francisco’s Salesforce Tower to raise funds and celebrate the 50th anniversary of UCSF’s Brain Tumor Center. 

Hosted by long-time supporters Alan and Ashley Dabbiere, the event also paid tribute to the pioneering work of the Center’s director, Mitchel Berger, MD.

“I’m very, very proud of the achievements that we come here to celebrate tonight. Patients like Ashley come from all over the country as well as all over the world to receive what’s turned out to be the highest quality of care along with most advanced clinical trials offered by any center,” said Berger.

Host Ashley Dabbiere shared her experience as a brain tumor survivor and together with her husband, Alan Dabbiere, gave a moving speech about the need for philanthropic support for brain tumor research. "This team is known all over the world for being on the cutting edge of research, imaging, surgery, finding new therapies, but I know Dr. Berger and the Brain Tumor Center as something more – I know them as the devoted team that not only saved my life, but gave me quality of life," said Ashley. 

The event raised funds for clinical care and research and paid tribute to 50 years of accomplishments by BTC investigators, including:

  • Pioneering surgical techniques that are now standard care, including awake brain mapping and transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary tumors
  • Identifying the first drug combination to be effective for brain tumors
  • Introducing radiosurgery to the west coast
  • Establishing one of the world’s largest biorepositories of brain tumor tissue for research
  • Publishing 2,000+ academic research articles that continue to drive advances towards improved therapies

In addition to the Center's many supporters over the years, Sam Hawgood, MBBS (Chancellor of UCSF) and Talmadge King, MD (Dean of the UCSF School of Medicine) were also in attendance.