Author: Beth

MMRF Press Release – Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation Mourns Loss of Geraldine Ferraro

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Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) Mourns Loss of Geraldine Ferraro

Pioneer, Leader, and MMRF Honorary Board Member Succumbs to Multiple Myeloma
Norwalk, CT — March 26, 2011

The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) is deeply saddened by the loss of Geraldine Ferraro (1935-2011), a Member of the MMRF Honorary Board of Directors and a dear friend. Ferraro passed away this morning from complications following a long and courageous battle with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer.

“Geraldine Ferraro was a true trailblazer, an inspiration to many, an incredible advocate for cancer research, and a very dear friend. She will be sadly missed, never far from our hearts, and fondly remembered for her incredible legacy and the extraordinary woman who she was. We pray that her family finds comfort and peace during this sorrowful time,” said Kathy Giusti, Founder and CEO of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, and a patient with multiple myeloma.

In addition to serving on the MMRF’s Honorary Board of Directors, Ferraro was actively involved in the Foundation’s work to bring new treatments to patients. In 2002, she passionately testified before Congress for the critical need for increased research funding, and a year later, a bill was signed authorizing $250 million for blood cancer research. Congress then appropriated $5 million to the Geraldine Ferraro Blood Cancer Education Program in 2003 and renewed funding in 2006, enabling the MMRF to provide high-quality educational programs to underserved populations.

About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is an incurable blood cancer. The five-year relative survival rate for multiple myeloma is approximately 38 percent, one of the lowest of all cancers. In 2010, more than 20,000 adults in the United States will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma and nearly 11,000 people are predicted to die from the disease.

About the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)
The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) was established in 1998 as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization by twin sisters Karen Andrews and Kathy Giusti, soon after Kathy’s diagnosis with multiple myeloma. The mission of the MMRF is to relentlessly pursue innovative means that accelerate the development of next-generation multiple myeloma treatments to extend the lives of patients and lead to a cure. As the world’s number-one private funder of multiple myeloma research, the MMRF has raised over $160 million since its inception to fund more than 130 laboratories worldwide. An outstanding 89% of funds raised go toward research and related programming. The MMRF has supported 70 new compounds and approaches in clinical trials and pre-clinical studies and has facilitated 30 clinical trials through its sister organization, the MMRC. For more information about the MMRF, visit www.themmrf.org.

Media inquiries, contact:

Anne Quinn Young – (203) 536-8691

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Voluntary Limited VELCADE Recall

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This is from the Millennium Pharmaceuticals web site. Just a snippet here, with the URL so you can read more. Chances are good you’ve already heard about this if you’re on Velcade.

As a precautionary measure, Millennium is voluntarily recalling a limited number of lots of VELCADE® (bortezomib) for Injection 3.5mg/vial due to the possibility that small white polyester particles may be observed upon reconstitution of VELCADE drug product.

Millennium is undertaking this recall in consideration of the potential for safety issues if the affected product is administered to patients including local injection site reactions, inflammatory responses and thromboembolic events.

The VELCADE Package Insert (Section 2.7) and Investigator Brochure have specific guidelines recommending visual inspection for particulate matter or discoloration prior to administration. Do not use the reconstituted product if you observe particulate matter or discoloration.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been informed of this voluntary limited recall.

This action is limited to the VELCADE lots listed below, produced by one of our manufacturers before certain process improvements were implemented.

http://www.mlnm.com/velcade_recall.asp

I was in a trial once, and got a letter about there being some particles found in my drug, too. I wonder how polyester and other things get into our drugs?

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It’s about time someone figured this out.

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Most of us already knew this.
Nov 2nd, 2010

LONDON (Oct. 31) — Alcohol is more dangerous than illegal drugs like heroin and crack cocaine, according to a new study.

British experts evaluated substances including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and marijuana, ranking them based on how destructive they are to the individual who takes them and to society as a whole.

Researchers analyzed how addictive a drug is and how it harms the human body, in addition to other criteria like environmental damage caused by the drug, its role in breaking up families and its economic costs, such as health care, social services, and prison.

Heroin, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, or crystal meth, were the most lethal to individuals. When considering their wider social effects, alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine were the deadliest. But overall, alcohol outranked all other substances, followed by heroin and crack cocaine. Marijuana, ecstasy and LSD scored far lower.

The study was paid for by Britain’s Centre for Crime and Justice Studies and was published online Monday in the medical journal, Lancet.

Experts said alcohol scored so high because it is so widely used and has devastating consequences not only for drinkers but for those around them.

“Just think about what happens (with alcohol) at every football game,” said Wim van den Brink, a professor of psychiatry and addiction at the University of Amsterdam. He was not linked to the study and co-authored a commentary in the Lancet.

When drunk in excess, alcohol damages nearly all organ systems. It is also connected to higher death rates and is involved in a greater percentage of crime than most other drugs, including heroin.

But experts said it would be impractical and incorrect to outlaw alcohol.

“We cannot return to the days of prohibition,” said Leslie King, an adviser to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and one of the study’s authors. “Alcohol is too embedded in our culture and it won’t go away.”
King said countries should target problem drinkers, not the vast majority of people who indulge in a drink or two. He said governments should consider more education programs and raising the price of alcohol so it isn’t as widely available.

Experts said the study should prompt countries to reconsider how they classify drugs. For example, last year in Britain, the government increased its penalties for the possession of marijuana. One of its senior advisers, David Nutt – the lead author on the Lancet study – was fired after he criticized the British decision.

“What governments decide is illegal is not always based on science,” said van den Brink. He said considerations about revenue and taxation, like those garnered from the alcohol and tobacco industries, may influence decisions about which substances to regulate or outlaw.

“Drugs that are legal cause at least as much damage, if not more, than drugs that are illicit,” he said.

Source: http://www.aolnews.com/health/article/study-alcohol-more-lethal-than-heroin-cocaine/19696816?icid=main|htmlws-main-n|dl1|sec3_lnk2|181500

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Sponsafier NASCAR design contest

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Congratulations! Your support for “The Survivor” has pushed the car ahead into the semi-final round of the Sponsafier NASCAR design contest!

“The Survivor” is a myeloma awareness racecar designed by patient Keith May and the IMF, and it is one of only 10 cars (out of over 3,100 submitted!) to advance to the semi-final round in the “Cause” category! Our cause, of course, is “beating myeloma to the finish line,” as Keith has written on the car.

Our spot in the semi-final round is an exciting chance for all myeloma supporters to be in the driver’s seat as we raise awareness of myeloma and the International Myeloma Foundation.

To help “The Survivor” forge ahead into the finals, please vote every day for the next 10 days by logging onto http://nascar.myeloma.org and simply clicking the “vote” button! It takes only 30 seconds, and you won’t have to enter an email address or any personal information!

The winning entry will be built as a full sized car, showcased at a NASCAR race, and your votes can help push us across the finish line!

The messages on the car are simple: “Beat myeloma to the finish line,” and simply “beat cancer.” What better way to get there than by racing?

Visit http://nascar.myeloma.org to cast your vote once per day! And spread the word! Voting is open until September 23.

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Here she is…

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This is the new doggie.  I don’t have a name for her yet, so any suggestions are welcome. Thanks to the Collie Rescue of the Carolinas for bringing her to me.

She’s a sweet pup.  I’m not sure how old she is, but the vet paperwork says “> 8.”  She seems to be deaf, so it’s ok that I don’t have a name for her yet.  She does respond to hand gestures, which is pretty cool.   I can motion to her to come to me, and she does!

My new collie girl

Here’s a picture I took yesterday.  I think she’s feeling safe and secure here.  She took over my bed!

My collie

I’m still considering names, but her inability to hear me call her means there’s no rush.  She’s quite a pistol.  She’s getting into the garbage and eating cat food. We walk every night, when it cools down a bit,  and we’re both enjoying that.  Once the temperature gets a little cooler, we’ll start going to the park to walk.  Buddy used to love that, and I hope the new doggie loves going there, too.

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Help get Toyota racing to beat myeloma

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A reader just told me about this. How cool! I’m going to go vote for the “Myeloma Survivor” right now! You can vote every 24 hours.
http://www.sponsafier.com/#/gallery/view/367247

I thought you may be interested to know that the International Myeloma Foundation has entered a Toyota racecar design in a contest called Sponsafier. The winning entry will be built as a full sized car, and your votes can help push myeloma awareness across the finish line.

The idea and the car design come from a myeloma patient in Normal, Illinois. Keith May has covered the car with slogans to raise awareness of myeloma, and the work being done to beat it. The IMF has named the car “The survivor.”

“Survivor” is one of several hundred entries in the Sponsafier contest. Some entries are just artistic designs and some like Keith’s support a cause. For the next 12 days, please log onto nascar.myeloma.org to vote for Keith’s design. Please also ask your friends, families and colleagues to vote too.

This is a great opportunity to educate a new audience about myeloma and blood cancers, the advances that have been made in treatment and the challenges that lie ahead.

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Incidence of myeloma by country

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Paula just added an interesting post here:

http://feresaknit.wordpress.com/2010/08/04/whys-africa-not-red/

Our toxic environments have a lot to do with why we got myeloma. (see http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090813142148.htm)

From the maps linked in Paula’s blog, you can see that the industrialized countries have more MM in their populations.

There’s some information to be found on myeloma cancer clusters by googling:

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=meyloma+cancer+clusters&aq=f&aqi=m1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=ea2cd8eab02d18af

I’ve been really lazy about posting these days.  There’s a lot going on.

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