By The Survivors Club Staff
March 9, 2010

After being diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme - a type of brain cancer - in 2006, Anne Feeley was told she had no more than one year to live. Four years later, after surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, Feeley is considered cancer-free, although doctors caution the disease is likely to return.

Despite this prognosis, the 55-year-old is determined to make the most of her time, and that includes helping to raise awareness about brain cancer and funds for research, as well as showing survivors the physical and emotional importance of an active lifestyle.

For these reasons, Feeley and a friend organized Brains on Bikes, an event during which she will cycle across the country - from San Francisco to Washington, DC - this spring on behalf of research institutions and support organizations, including Stand Up 2 Cancer, the American Brain Tumor Association and the Brain Tumor Center at the University of California, San Francisco.

"We're looking for supporters, survivors and partners along the route to meet, ride and have fun," she said, adding that "together we can muster the will and funds needed to outsmart brain cancer."

According to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 22,070 Americans were diagnosed with brain cancer in 2009 and 12,920 died of the disease.

Experts say there are no known factors that can prevent the disease from developing, but avoiding exposure to radiation or certain chemicals, such as formaldehyde, vinyl chloride and acrylonitrile, may reduce the risk, according to MedTV.com. Also, those with a family history of the disease are encouraged to talk to their doctors about screening.

Survivors may also consult the website of the National Brain Tumor Society for information on how to thrive despite their diagnosis.