On Thursday, April 18, The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF)
held its 15th Annual Gala for the first time at the Edison Ballroom
in New York City at 6 p.m. EST.
A Media Snippet
accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this
link.
Hosted by renowned actor and comedian Ray Romano (Everybody
Loves Raymond), the annual IMF Gala benefits the Peter Boyle
Research Fund as well as other key IMF research initiatives such as
the Black Swan Research Initiative® and educational programs.
Romano was joined onstage by award-winning artists: comedian and
singer Robert Klein; actor Tony Danza; with the special
participation of actress and film producer Patricia Heaton, and
actress and model Alex Meneses.
Established in 2007, the Peter Boyle Research Fund supports
groundbreaking, cure-focused myeloma research and was named in
honor of Peter Boyle— a beloved actor and one of the cast of
Everybody Loves Raymond who lost his battle with multiple
myeloma.
Peter’s wife, IMF Gala Committee Chair Loraine Alterman Boyle,
is also a member of the IMF Board of Directors.
During his opening remarks at the gala, IMF President & CEO
and 28-year myeloma survivor Yelak Biru delivered a powerful
message:
"We are a tapestry woven from patients, caregivers, researchers,
doctors, supporters, and industry partners – all united by the same
unwavering purpose – to conquer myeloma.”
He described how standing before the audience at the Edison
Ballroom, he felt a “mix of emotions.” Yelak recalled being
diagnosed with myeloma at the young age of 25 and how this
diagnosis “forever altered” the course of his life.
To a captivated crowd, Yelak continued, “Cancer. Incurable. 2-3
years to live. Dead before the age of 30. These were the phrases I
heard in that cold winter of 1995. By the grace of God and
innovation of science, that was 28 years ago.”
Yelak credits his survival journey to finding a “beacon of hope”
in the International Myeloma Foundation. Today, as the
organization’s President and CEO, Yelak proudly shared with the
audience, “At the IMF we have always placed patients at the center
of everything we do. It's more than just a mantra; it's the very
foundation upon which this organization was built. Here, patients
aren't just statistics; they're individuals with stories, dreams,
and a fierce will to live. We empower them to become active
participants in their own treatment journeys…after all, it's their
lives we're fighting for. The battle rages on and the need for
continued progress is urgent!”
With this pressing call to action, Yelak closed his speech with
this sentiment: “This annual gala isn't just a fundraiser; it's a
celebration of our collective will.”
One of the highlights of the evening was the awards ceremony,
honoring organizations with the following:
Innovation Awards The Innovation Award
recognizes a pharmaceutical company that demonstrates exceptional
dedication to developing novel therapies, advancing clinical
research, and fostering patient-centric care by developing
therapies and offering robust patient support programs in multiple
myeloma.
This year’s Innovation Awardees are Bristol Myers Squibb and
2seventy bio. Dr. Samit Hirawat, Bristol
Myers Squibb Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Drug
Development; and Chip Baird,
2seventy bio Chief Executive Officer received the
awards on behalf of their respective organizations.
BMS and 2seventybio were recognized for their groundbreaking
research methods that led to the development of Abecma
(idecabtagene vicleucel or ide-cel)— a life-changing third-line
treatment for multiple myeloma patients whose other options have
been exhausted.
The awards were presented by IMF Chairperson of the Board S.
Vincent Rajkumar, MD, and Myeloma Patient and Advocate Tom
Bellfort.
Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion AwardThe
inaugural IMF Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Award is unique
because it recognizes the critical importance of health
disparities, especially in multiple myeloma.
Johnson & Johnson President of U.S. Hematology
Tyrone Brewer received the Diversity, Equity &
Inclusion Award on behalf of Johnson and
Johnson.
In his award acceptance speech, Brewer stated: “I’m so honored
to accept the inaugural Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion Award. This is incredibly meaningful given my personal
values, the work we are committed to every day at Johnson &
Johnson, and the mission of the IMF. That’s why the work we do at
Johnson & Johnson to advocate for diversity and justice,
through Our Race to Health Equity initiatives, is so important. We
are committed to creating a world where your identity is not a
determinant of your access to care, the quality of your care, or
your health outcomes.”
“At Johnson & Johnson, we’re looking at all factors that
impact quality of care, and we’re looking to empower patients on
all fronts to take charge of their health,” added Brewer.
The award was presented by IMF Chief Medical Officer Joseph R.
Mikhael, MD, and Myeloma and Patient Advocate Oya Gilbert.
Partner of the Year AwardThe Partner of the
Year Award recognizes an organization that significantly
contributes to the IMF’s vision of creating a world where every
myeloma patient can live to the fullest, unburdened by the
disease.
LatentView Analytics Chief Executive
Officer Rajan Sethuraman received the Partner of the Year
Award on behalf of LatentView Analytics.
"I want to thank the International Myeloma Foundation for this
recognition. Through this collaboration, we have reduced the ‘time
to hope’ for patients diagnosed with myeloma using data to reduce
the time between diagnosis and choosing a treatment plan,
significantly improving outcomes and lives," said Sethuraman in a
press release from LatentView Analytics.
The award was presented by IMF Board Member Sanjay Singh, and
Myeloma Patient and Advocate Kent Oliver.
“We have made major advances in myeloma through close
collaborations between researchers, pharmaceutical companies,
patients, and non-profit foundations. The IMF 15th Annual Gala was
a huge success—celebrating the remarkable progress we have made and
highlighting our continued commitment to research and to patients
worldwide,” said IMF Chairperson of the Board Dr. S. Vincent
Rajkumar.
“The IMF 15th Annual Gala was designed with the vision of taking
the organization into the next era of innovation and collaboration.
The IMF exists because we help patients and care partners find
their way, as they go through their own myeloma journeys. Patients
and care partners turn to us at the most vulnerable time of their
lives, looking for answers. We give them HOPE and a REASON to
continue to fight their battle against myeloma by showing them that
it is possible to live and thrive. However, the IMF cannot do this
alone. The gala was a testament to the strong partnerships,
collaborative mindset and spirit, and innovative thinking that the
IMF has established with the myeloma community. We need
philanthropy to help us be big and bold with research and to bring
moonshot ideas to life. Science and research require money and
without funding, finding a cure for myeloma will remain elusive.
The gala's success — raising over $675,000—brought us closer to our
goals, and we are excited to continue to advance and scale in our
mission!” said IMF Vice President of Development Sylvia Dsouza, who
took the lead in organizing this year’s gala.
The IMF extends its very special thanks to Gala Chair Loraine
Alterman Boyle and to Ray Romano for their unwavering support of
the Gala and the IMF.
We also wish to acknowledge Gala Vice-Chairs Laurie Kuzneski,
Carol Klein, and Kimberly Alexander; Honorary Chairs Anna and Ray
Romano; and members of the Gala Honorary Committee: Joe Armstrong,
Amy Boyle, Lucy Boyle, Tom Brokaw, Ebs Burnough, Judy Collins,
Blythe Danner, Tom Fontana, Barbara Freitag, Brad Garrett, Mark and
Marilou Hamill, Ann Hearst and Jay McInerney, Patricia Heaton,
Jason Katz, Alex Meneses, S. Vincent Rajkumar, MD, Desiree Rogers,
Phil and Monica Horan Rosenthal, Slava Rubin, Lisa Schultz and Dr.
Ezriel Kornel; Stu Smiley and Lisa Doty, Otis Williams, and Alfre
Woodard.
The IMF is grateful to our Gala Honorees: Bristol Myers Squibb,
2seventy bio, Johnson & Johnson, and LatentView Analytics; and
to our sponsors: Sanofi (Silver Level); Loraine Alterman Boyle,
Karyopharm Therapeutics, Kite Pharma, Benson and Carol Klein,
Leanne Klein, Medscape Oncology, Mount Sinai, Charles and Sharon
Newman, Pfizer Inc., Rosenthal Family Foundation, and Takeda
Oncology (Bronze Level).
ABOUT THE BLACK SWAN RESEARCH
INITIATIVE® The International Myeloma Foundation
(IMF) has banded together the world’s brightest minds in research,
oncology, and health studies to form the IMF’s Black Swan Research
Initiative® (BSRI) – a leading-edge project that pits our
scientists and leaders on the frontlines against myeloma. The IMF’s
BSRI was established in 2012, following a scientific brainstorming
meeting linked to the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG)
Summit in Amsterdam. Together, the IMF and BSRI’s mission is to
find the first definitive cure for myeloma and to help bridge the
gap from long-term remission to cure. Led by an international
consortium of myeloma experts, BSRI is bridging the gap from
long-term remission to cure by sharing collective data and tracking
myeloma through multiple, simultaneous drug trials and therapies to
determine which work best.
ABOUT THE M-POWER PROJECTPartnering with cities
across the U.S., the International Myeloma Foundation’s (IMF)
M-Power Project aims to turn the core vision of the IMF Diversity
Initiative into a reality: improving the short- and long-term
outcomes of African American patients with multiple myeloma. By
raising myeloma awareness and empowering healthcare professionals,
community leaders, neighborhoods, and families, the M-Power Project
aims to break down barriers for the African American myeloma
community.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA FOUNDATION
Founded in 1990, the
International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the first and largest
global foundation focusing specifically on multiple myeloma. The
Foundation's reach extends to more than 525,000 members in 140
countries worldwide. The IMF is dedicated to improving the quality
of life of myeloma patients while working toward prevention and a
cure by focusing on four key areas: research, education, support,
and advocacy. The IMF has conducted more than 250 educational
seminars worldwide, maintains a world-renowned InfoLine, and in
2001, established the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), a
collaborative research initiative focused on improving myeloma
treatment options for patients. In 2012, the IMF launched the Black
Swan Research Initiative®, a groundbreaking research project aimed
at curing myeloma. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE (2873).
The global website is www.myeloma.org.
Follow the IMF
on: X: @IMFmyeloma Instagram: @imfmyeloma Facebook: @myeloma LinkedIn: International
Myeloma Foundation
Media Contacts:
Peter Anton Panton@myeloma.org
Jason London Jlondon@myeloma.org
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