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Katie’s Story

08 July 2020

My name is Katie Kobzeff, 33, and born and raised in Orange County, California.

When I was 4 years old, I remember being in the Doctor office and hearing my Mom screaming in the other room. Next thing I know I’m being shoved into a MRI machine being told not to move at all. At first, they thought I had a cancerous tumor but thank God, I was diagnosed with Plexiform Neurofibromas in my left nose and cheek.

I have had over 22 surgeries on face. I have to get surgery every 1-2 years on my nose to de-bulk the tumor so I can breathe and cosmetic reasons. Growing up with a tumor on my face is something I can not hide.

Yes, it sucks after I have surgeries and a million people ask me what happened, or tell me that I have dirt on my face when it’s the scar line. I try not to have it bring me down but share my story instead by running marathons. I have ran over 49 marathons! 12 fulls & 37 half’s and I have raised over $20k for various children’s tumor foundations over the years!

I have ran all over the country and even tested @nike.__shoes before they hit the store! I ran for Nike for 6 years! Running is a way for me to get through my problems and all the surgeries I’ve had to deal with! I feel blessed that I just have the 1 tumor and not multiple and I just want to share my story and let you know you are not alone and I’m trying to be brave by sharing my story!

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RideLondon-Essex 2024 Review

Thank you to our NTUK RideLondon-Essex 2024 cyclists!

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Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital celebrate NF2 Awareness Day

We set out to promote and educate people about NF2 & the service offered in Oxford & Southwest Region for patients

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Care Quality Commission survey

Take part - if you are from an ethnic minority, have a long term physical condition & live in selected SW London boroughs

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CAR research family planning decision making

This CAR UWE research explores family planning & decision making for people with a visible difference which can be inherited

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Shine A Light 2024

The Shine A Light 2024 campaign had 133 buildings around the UK & the Republic of Ireland lit up in blue!

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Guidance on sudden hearing loss in NF2-related Schwannomatosis (NF2-SWN)

Symptoms, diagnosis & treatment of sudden hearing loss, from Juliette Buttimore, Nurse Practitioner NF2 Service Addenbrooke's

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NF2 Day 2024 by Emily Owen

A reflective poem for World NF2 Day, to celebrate people living with NF2

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Connor’s NF2 story

Connor's mum Tracy's maternal instincts proved invaluable when fighting to get Connor's symptoms investigated

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Jo’s Shine A Light Family Fun Day

The family fundraiser was supported by Dr Shruti Garg, member of the Nerve Tumours UK Medical Advisory Board

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Registered Charity Number: 1078790 and SC045051

Nerve Tumours UK has taken reasonable care to ensure that the information contained on this website and in its newsletters, literature is accurate. Nerve Tumours UK cannot accept liability for any errors or omissions, or for information becoming out-of-date. Any information given is not a substitute for getting appropriate medical advice from your own GP or other healthcare professional.

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Masterclasses in NF: Ophthalmologic Findings & Orthopic Eye Examination in NF1 and NF2-Related Schwannomatosis

Ophthalmologic Findings & Orthopic Eye Examination in NF1 and NF2-Related Schwannomatosis

Prof. Dr. Berthold Pemp

OT Sabine Koinig

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Masterclasses in NF: Plexiform Neurofibromas in NF1 - General Course and Neuroradiology

Plexiform Neurofibromas in NF1 - General Course and Neuroradiology

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gregor Kasprian

Dr. Hector Salvador, MD

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Masterclasses in NF: The Patients’ Perspective: A Masterclass on NF Care Held by NF Patients

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Masterclasses in NF: Treatment Strategies for Vestibular Schwannomas: When to Treat? How to Treat?

Treatment Strategies for Vestibular Schwannomas: When to Treat? How to Treat?

 

Michel Kalamarides MD

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Masterclasses in NF: Management Of Plexiform Neurofibromatosis in NF1- Rianne Oosterbrink, Justus L Groen, Karine Lascelles

Masterclasses in NF1: 1.Management Of Plexiform Neurofibromatosis in NF1

Rianne Oosterbrink MD

Justus L Groen MD

Karine Lascelles MD

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Masterclasses in NF: Constitutional Mismatch Repair Deficiency Syndrome as Differential Diagnosis to NF1/Legius Syndrome - Prof. Dr. Katharina Wimmer

Constitutional Mismatch Repair Deficiency Syndrome as Differential Diagnosis to NF1/Legius Syndrome

Prof. Dr. Katharina Wimmer, Medical University of Innsbruck

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Masterclasses in NF: Rare NF1-Associated Tumors in Adults - Eric Legius & Prof. Ellen Denayer

Masterclasses in NF: Rare NF1-Associated Tumors in Adults

Eric Legius, MD, PhD, University Hospital Leuven

Prof. Ellen Denayer, University Hospital Leuven

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Masterclasses in NF: Optimising Hearing Outcomes in NF2-Related Schwannomatosis - Simon Freeman

Masterclasses in NF: Optimising Hearing Outcomes in NF2-Related Schwannomatosis

Simon Freeman, MPhil FRCS, Manchester Royal Infirmary and Salford Royal Hospital

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Masterclasses in NF: NF1 Dermatological Manifestations - Pierre Wolkenstein, Laura Fertitta & Sirkku Peltonen

Masterclasses in NF: NF1 Dermatological Manifestations

Pierre Wolkenstein, MD, PhD, Hopital Henri-Mondor, Paris, France

Laura Fertitta, MD, Hôpital Universitaire Henri Mondor

Sirkku Peltonen, MD, PhD, University of Gothenberg, Sweden

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Masterclasses in NF: Breast Cancer in NF1 - Gareth Evans

Masterclasses in NF: Breast Cancer in NF1

Gareth Evans, MD, University of Manchester, UK

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Masterclasses in NF: Pain in Non-NF2-Related Schwannomatosis - David Pang

Masterclasses in NF: Pain in Non-NF2-Related Schwannomatosis

David Pang, MD, ChB. Guys and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Trust, London

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Masterclasses in NF: Distinguishing Non-NF2-Related from NF2-Related Schwannomatosis - Clinical and Genetic Approaches - Said Farschtschi

Masterclasses in NF: Distinguishing Non-NF2-Related from NF2-Related Schwannomatosis - Clinical and Genetic Approaches

Said Farschtschi, MD, University Medical Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany

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Masterclasses in NF: NF1 Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis - Eric Legius & Prof. Ellen Denayer

Masterclasses in NF: NF1 Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis

Eric Legius, MD, PHD, University Hospital of Leuven, Belgium

Prof. Ellen Denayer, University Hospital of Leuven, Belgium

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NF2 Working Together: from a tentative diagnosis and beyond

Understanding the impact that a tentative diagnosis has on a parent. Information and access to the existing NTUK and Specialist Nerve Tumours medical and non medical care network.

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NF1 Working Together Part 2: from a tentative diagnosis and beyond

Understanding the impact that a tentative diagnosis has on a parent. Information and access to the existing NTUK and Specialist Nerve Tumours medical and non medical care network.

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NF1 Working Together Part 1: from a tentative diagnosis and beyond

Understanding  the impact that a tentative diagnosis has on a parent. Information and access to the existing NTUK and Specialist Nerve Tumours medical and non medical care network.

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Masterclasses in NF: Surgery in NF2 - Michel Kalamarides & Andrew King

Masterclasses in NF: Surgery in NF2

Michel Kalamarides, MD, PhD, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France

Prof Andrew King, MBBS FRCS FRCS(SN), Salford Royal Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom. Member of the MAB of Nerve Tumours UK

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Masterclasses in NF: Cognition and Behaviour in NF1: Phenotype and Treatment Approaches - Shruti Garg, Andre Rietman

Masterclasses in NF: Cognition and Behaviour in NF1: Phenotype and Treatment Approaches

Dr Shruti Garg, MBBS, MRCPsych, MMedSci, PhD, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, United Kingdom. Member of the MAB of Nerve Tumours UK

Andre Rietman, PhD, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands

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Masterclasses in NF: Emotional Challenges in NF1, NF2 and Schwannomatosis - Susie Henley, Thomas Pletschko & Verena Rosenmayr

Masterclasses in NF: Emotional Challenges in NF1, NF2 and Schwannomatosis

Susie Henley, DClinPsy, PhD, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London UK

Thomas Pletschko, PhD, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

Verena Rosenmayr, Clinical Psychologist, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

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Masterclasses in NF: NF1 Pediatric Management - Rianne Oostenbrink

Masterclasses in NF: NF1 Pediatric Management

Rianne Oostenbrink, MD, PhD, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands

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Masterclasses in NF: Associated Glioma in Children - the Optic Pathway and Beyond - Amedeo Azizi

Masterclasses in NF: Associated Glioma in Children - the Optic Pathway and Beyond

Amedeo Azizi, MD, PhD, Head of the Paediatric Neurofibromatosis Program and Paediatric Neuro-Oncology Program, Medical University of Vienna, Austria

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Masterclasses in NF: NF1 Orthopedic Manifestations - Eric Legius and Christophe Glorion

Masterclasses in NF: NF1 Orthopedic Manifestations

Eric Legius, MD, PhD. Head of Clinical Genetics Department of the University Hospital Leuven, Belgium

Christophe Glorion, MD, PhD, Department of Paediatric Orthopedic and Traumatologic Surgery, Hopital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France. 

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Masterclasses in NF: NF1 Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumours - Rosalie Ferner and Viktor-Felix Mautner

Masterclasses in NF: NF1 Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumours

Prof Rosalie Ferner, Consultant Neurologist and Lead Clinician for Neurofibromatosis, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London. Member of the MAB of Nerve Tumours UK and Trustee of Nerve Tumours UK

Viktor-Felix Mautner, MD, PhD. University Medical Centre in Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. Head of NF Outpatient Department

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Masterclasses in NF - Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Cutaneous Neurofibromas - Pierre Wolkenstein and Sirkku Peltonen

Masterclasses in NF - Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Cutaneous Neurofibromas

Pierre Wolkenstein, MD, PhD. Hopital Henri-Mondor, Paris, France. Head of the Department of Dermatology

Sirkku Peltonen MD, PhD. University of Gothenberg, Sweden. Professor of Dermatology

INFER (International NF Educational Resources) is a series of online educational lectures for medical professionals by leading neurofibromatosis experts. The Masterclasses take place online approximately once a month, each on a different topic, and include real-time interaction between the expert presenter and the participants. The presentations are conducted in English, with real-time audio interpretation available in 6 additional languages: French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. A recording of each INFER masterclass is then be made available online in each language for those who could not attend an event. INFER is an initiative of Children’s Tumor Foundation Europe, supported by an educational grant from AstraZeneca. https://ctfeurope.org/research/masterclasses-in-nf

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BPNA Keynote Lecture - Prof Rosalie Ferner - Neurofibromatosis 1 in the 21st Century

‘Neurofibromatosis 1 in the 21st Century’

Keynote Lecture at the 48th British Paediatric Neurology Association Annual Scientific Meeting on 21st January 2022

Prof Rosalie Ferner, Consultant Neurologist and Lead Clinician for Neurofibromatosis, Guy's and St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London. Member of the MAB of Nerve Tumours UK and Trustee of Nerve Tumours UK