International Myeloma Foundation Hosting Congressional Briefing

International Myeloma Foundation on Riverside Drive in Sherman Village is hosting congressional briefing on Tuesday. The event is open to the public.

The following is a press release via Businesswire:

The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), the oldest and largest foundation dedicated to improving the life and care of myeloma patients, will sponsor a Congressional Briefing on Tuesday, October 25^th, to highlight the need for continuing government investment in biomedical research. The briefing will emphasize the disease altering achievements made possible by this research, and the urgent need to move beyond the status quo to save and extend patients’ lives. The briefing will be held 9:00 – 10:00 AM in Room B-340, Rayburn House Office Building.

Myeloma, also called multiple myeloma, is a cancer of cells in the bone marrow that serves as a case study for the issue. Once a rare disease of the elderly, today 20,000 Americans are newly diagnosed with myeloma each year, and the prevalence of the disease is increasing, with a growing incidence among those who are less than 65 years old. But the good news is treatment advances have extended overall survival from just a few years to more than a decade in some cases, with tolerable treatments and a good quality of life. Now more research is essential to continue that progress.

Susie Novis, president and co-founder of the IMF noted, “The IMF has been supporting patients with myeloma for over twenty years. Patients need more treatment options, and we have to get to the underlying causes for the spread of the disease. However, the investment in research is paying off. Each year the news is positive, the progress is encouraging, and many patients are living longer, better lives. Now our challenge is to continue that trend and to find that elusive cure.”

Among those speaking at the briefing are Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) and C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD, National Cancer Institute, who will discuss advances in research; and Barbara Klencke, MD, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Michael Katz, MBA, Patient Advocate & Member, IMF Board of Directors, who will look at next-generation treatments.

The briefing is open to the public and to members of the press.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA FOUNDATION:

The International Myeloma Foundation is the oldest and largest myeloma organization, reaching more than 195,000 members in 113 countries worldwide. A 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma patients and their families, the IMF focuses in four key areas: research, education, support, and advocacy. To date, the IMF has conducted more than 200 educational seminars worldwide, maintains a world-renowned hotline, and established the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), a collaborative research initiative focused on improving myeloma treatment options for patients. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE. The global website is www.myeloma.org.

Contacts

For The International Myeloma Foundation:
Jennifer Anderson, 212-584-2276
or
International Myeloma Foundation
800-452-CURE