On Saturday, November 4, IMF president Susie Novis Durie and I will have the great pleasure once again of welcoming our guests to the 11th Annual Comedy Celebration benefiting the Peter Boyle Research Fund.
The generous donors who participate in this annual event have made a tremendous impact on myeloma research, and we are beginning to see results. Through the IMF’s Black Swan Research Initiative®, more than 40 fully-funded myeloma research projects are underway at major medical institutions around the world.
Prevention through early intervention
Most notably, the iStopMM® (Iceland Screens, Treats, or Prevents Multiple Myeloma) project – the first-ever effort to eradicate myeloma in an entire country through prevention with early intervention – is well on its way to success. Since launching in November 2016, over 77,000 Icelanders have signed on to participate – more than half of the population of Iceland over the age of 40, the study’s target demographic.
Heartfelt thanks
We could not have made this progress in research without the support of the Peter Boyle Research Fund and all of those who will join us Saturday night. Loraine Boyle deserves our sincerest gratitude for 11 years of dedicated commitment to this cause. So much of our success is owed to her vision, passion, and perseverance toward the goal of curing myeloma.
In addition, many thanks to Laurie Kuzneski for her continued role as Vice-Chair. Her collaboration with Loraine continues to complement the original vision of this event, and her great energy helps make this event a huge success.
Our shared goal
As always, we owe our deepest thanks to our returning host, Ray Romano, our event sponsors, and the evening’s incredible talent for all that they have done and continue to do.
On this wonderful evening, we will celebrate the unparalleled progress and achievement that can be made when we all work together toward a common goal.
Dr. Brian G.M. Durie serves as Chairman of the International Myeloma Foundation and serves on its Scientific Advisory Board. Additionally, he is Chairman of the IMF's International Myeloma Working Group, a consortium of nearly 200 myeloma experts from around the world. Dr. Durie also leads the IMF’s Black Swan Research Initiative®.
