Tom Brokaw, Brian Williams, David Letterman, other Celebs Raise Funds for Blood Cancer Research

When former NBC News Anchorman Tom Brokaw told a friend earlier this year that he had multiple myeloma, the friend responded, “Don’t worry Tom ... I gotta guy for you.”

That friend is Brian Williams, Brokaw’s successor in the NBC News anchor job, and the “guy” Williams was referring to is Kathy Giusti, a 17-year multiple myeloma survivor and founder of The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, the largest private funder of research on the disease.

Brokaw, who has a home in Pound Ridge, NY, not far from Williams’ home in New Canaan, CT or the foundation’s headquarters in Norwalk, CT, now receives the latest treatments available for multiple myeloma.

Williams, Brokaw and Giusti all had prominent roles at a fundraising gala Sunday evening that raised $2.6 million for research and new clinical trials funded by the organization.

The event in Greenwich, CT was attended by 1,200 friends of Brokaw and multiple myeloma supporters who included Williams, an honorary member of the organization’s board of directors and master of ceremonies for the event, Wynton Marsalis, Andrea Mitchell, David Letterman, NBC News reporter Bob Woodruff and his wife, Lee.

As the crowd cheered, the MMRF presented Brokaw with a “Spirit of Hope” award for his battle with the rare blood cancer. Past recipients of the award include Berry Gordy, Clive J. Davis, Diana Krall and Stevie Wonder.

“I am so inspired by Tom’s strong spirit, as well as the incredible support given by many people from patients, to pharmaceutical partners, to leading philanthropists in support of our mission,” said Kathy Giusti, MMRF executive chairman of the MMRF and still a multiple myeloma patient.

“The MMRF was created by patients and individuals to bring about a meaningful change in cancer research models,” she said in a news release, “and we will not stop until cures are found.”

According to the MMRF: “The five-year survival rate for multiple myeloma is approximately 43 percent, versus 28 percent in 1998.” Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cell and the second most common blood cancer. It’s been estimated that 24,050 adults (13,500 men and 10,550 women) in the United States will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2014, with another 11,090 predicted to die from it.

You can learn more about the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation here.