IWMF Launches Accelerate the Cure Campaign on Rare Disease Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 29, 2024
IWMF Launches Accelerate the Cure Campaign on Rare Disease Day
The International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF) is leaping into the future of medicine by launching office@iwmf.coma new fundraising initiative established to raise $25 million in five years to substantially improve patient outcomes and advance a cure for Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM), a rare blood cell cancer, originating from malignant B-cells.
WM is considered a slow-growing type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, usually forming in the bone marrow and can slow normal blood cell growth, which may lead to anemia and a weakened immune system. Because it develops in the bone marrow, it is considered a disease of the whole body, and can affect the liver, lymph nodes, spleen, and peripheral and central nervous systems.
To date, research funded by IWMF has already contributed to the important and accelerated development of eighty treatments, improvements in the quality of life, and gains of 15 to 20 years of life expectancy. IWMF’s Accelerate the Cure campaign, will ensure vital funding for promising new research projects identified by its international Scientific Advisory Committee.
With recent advancements in understanding the genomics and biology of WM, researchers are optimistic they will find a cure[ link to Treon video #1]. Dr. Steven Treon, Director of the Bing Center for Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia Research, and an attending physician for medical oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts, reflects, “When I first started working in Waldenstrom’s 27 years ago, we knew little about the biology of the disease. Today, I have a very different and hopeful perspective on whether we can achieve a cure. Do I believe there’s a cure in sight for WM? Absolutely.”
In pursuit of this goal, IWMF has partnered with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) to create a global plan that identifies priorities for WM research. “As we approach more research breakthroughs through new clinical trials network, we must and will keep the research momentum going,” says Newton Guerin, President and CEO of the IWMF. “WM is a rare disease, so 85% of our funding comes from donors—not the government or pharmaceutical companies.”
Donations to IWMF will accelerate the discovery of a path to the cure and provide a longer future for individuals afflicted with the disease (see Stories of Hope). One of the members of the IWMF notes, ““Living with the interminable and progressive effects of LM has been a great challenge. Living without it would be a miracle; one made possible as a result of donations to this life-saving organization and campaign.”
For more information, contact Annette Preston, CFRE, CFRM, Director, Donor Engagement
at Apreston@iwmf.com or 941-927-4963.
About the International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia
We are a non-profit organization supporting those affected by Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia while advancing the search for a cure. Since 1999, the IWMF has funded more than $23 million in global WM research. We are a patient-founded and patient-driven, nonprofit organization, dedicated to a simple but compelling vision and mission.
Our Vision
A World without WM (Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia).
Our Mission
Supporting, advocating for and educating everyone affected by Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia (WM) in order to improve patient outcomes while advancing the search for a cure.
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Learn more about the IWMF at iwmf.com. Reach out to the IWMF office: 941-927-4963 or email office@iwmf.com with any questions.