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Mother, Wife, Scientist, Researcher, and More
Lisa Hatfield is a self-described “mom, a wife, a scientist, a researcher, a dark chocolate and book lover, and a multiple myeloma patient.”
Like many myeloma patients, Lisa’s initial diagnosis was almost missed. Lisa shares, “After experiencing…
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With Myeloma Action Month (MAM) taking place this March, the International Myeloma Foundation is excited to share this collection of patient and care partner stories from those who have completed the first course of the Legislative Advocacy Master Class (LAMC). The IMF hopes that these…
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This week, we’re putting the spotlight on five important facts that people of African descent need to know about multiple myeloma. The International Myeloma Foundation seeks to help raise awareness about the incidence of the disease among the African American population, and to encourage…
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The DVRd RegimenThis standard-of-care quadruplet combination is now FDA-approved for the majority of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma On January 27, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of the quadruplet (4-drug) combination of Darzalex Faspro® (…
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Diane Kennedy: A Care Partner's Journey and Passion for Advocacy
With Myeloma Action Month (MAM) taking place this March, the International Myeloma Foundation is excited to share this collection of patient and care partner stories from those who have completed the first course of the…
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With Myeloma Action Month (MAM) taking place this March, the International Myeloma Foundation is excited to share this collection of patient stories from those who have completed the first course of the Legislative Advocacy Master Class (LAMC). The IMF hopes that these unique and…
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Essential Self-Care Tips for Myeloma Patients
At the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), myeloma patients and their needs always come first. One of the most important aspects of living with multiple myeloma is self-care—not just for patients, but also for care partners. …
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What Myeloma Patients Should Know About Pomalyst and Medicare Price Negotiations
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced the selection of an additional 15 drugs for Medicare Part D price negotiations,…
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Essential Emergency Preparedness for Wildfires
(Editor’s Note: The International Myeloma Foundation has offered its Los Angeles headquarters in Studio City, CA as a temporary shipping location for life-saving medications and treatments for myeloma patients who have been displaced and…
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We take pride in providing impactful and transformative community support programs, events, seminars, and conferences. As part of our commitment to transparency, integrity, and accountability, we provide an anonymous reporting option for anyone who wish to share feedback or raise concerns related…
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On Monday, December 8, IMF Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Mikhael, along with IMF Vice President of Patient Support and 24-year myeloma care partner Robin Tuohy, IMF Support Group Leader and 24-year myeloma patient Michael Tuohy, IMF Director of Support Groups Jenn Wieworka DNP, and other…
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Phase 3 MagnetisMM-5 Trial Shows Statistically Significant and Clinically Meaningful Improvement in Primary Endpoint of Progression-Free Survival Using Elranatamab vs Daratumumab Plus Pomalidomide and Dexamethasone (DPd), as Evaluated by Blinded Independent Central Review (BICR) On Wednesday,…
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ASH 2024 Myeloma Highlights from Patients and Support Group LeadersAs the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition came to a close, IMF Support Groups and the myeloma community at large gleaned new and significant insights from the latest research in the field of…
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Progress in the Field of Myeloma: the Past, the Present, and the Future
By Dr. Joseph Mikhael, IMF Chief Medical Officer
The pace of drug development and advancement in myeloma in 2024 has been truly unprecedented, with a cascade of drug approvals, innumerable…
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Key Myeloma Research Highlights from the 2024 ASH Annual Meeting
Every December, the international hematology community comes together to share the latest and greatest in research.
With an expected 35,000 attendees in San Diego this week, there is no doubt that this year’s 66th…
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When you’re managing a condition as complex as myeloma, every decision matters. Teresa Miceli, BSN, RN, OCN, with over three decades of experience in myeloma care, shared insights on the importance of shared decision-making for patients and caregivers. She emphasizes how essential it is for…
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Medigap for Multiple Myeloma Patients: A Q&A Guide With Medicare open enrollment ongoing from October 15 – December 17, 2024, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) aims to provide education and guidance on Medicare policies and issues that are…
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In August 2024, a team of 15 individuals (including myeloma patients, care partners, and doctors) were on a quest to finish a 100-mile expedition across Iceland to raise both awareness for the disease and funding for research aimed at finding a cure.
By…
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Myeloma Nurse Q&A on Vaccines, Monitoring, and Early Detection IMF NLB experts share insights on early myeloma detection, treatment, and support. As part of the International Myeloma Foundation’s efforts on raising awareness for multiple myeloma during Blood Cancer Awareness…
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At the culmination of the 8th Annual Asian Myeloma Network Summit in Seoul on Sunday, October 20, there were invaluable gems that attendees took with them from this year’s largest gathering of myeloma specialists, patients, and caregivers in Asia.
Here are some of…
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Blenrep for Myeloma: Uses, Side Effects & Status
What Is Blenrep (belatanmab mafodotin) and How Does It Work?
Blenrep® (belantamab mafodotin) is a monoclonal antibody that targets B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)…
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When we think about planning, we usually think about big life events—weddings, having a baby, or saving for college. But have you ever thought about planning for your healthcare, especially if you couldn’t speak for yourself? It might sound intimidating, but advanced care planning is simply about…
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How the IMF Helps Multiple Myeloma Patients Thrive The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the world’s premier myeloma resource for patients. I am one of those patients. Thirteen years ago, I was diagnosed completely by accident in July 2011. I am grateful and blessed to be able to write…
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Andreas Kakarougkas, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology and Director, of Biotechnology Graduate Program at the Department of Biology in the School of Sciences and Engineering at the American University in Cairo. Dr. Andreas was so moved by this year’s Blood Cancer…
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This week’s blog was adapted from a presentation given by Danielle Doheny, the Director of Public Policy and Advocacy for the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), at the IMF’s Patient and Family Seminar in Los Angeles in August 2024.
You may have wondered what IMF advocacy team…
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As a nurse and a member of the IMF’s Nurse Leadership Board, I would like to provide you with some insight on how to build a support network as you navigate multiple myeloma.
What Is a Support Network?
A support network is simply a group of people that can assist you during times of need.…
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With the recent news in the United States of the April 12, 2024, Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC)’s unanimous vote in favor of using minimal residual disease as an early endpoint for accelerated approval in multiple myeloma clinical trials, I’d like to elaborate on what this vote means for…
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2024 ASCO and EHA Meetings Feature Four Phase III Clinical Trials and More!
By Dr. Joseph Mikhael, IMF Chief Medical Officer
Two very important annual medical meetings are held every spring, back-to-back, by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the…
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The International Myeloma Foundation held a Patient and Family Seminar at the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City from August 16-17, 2024.
The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) once again, gathered doctors, patients, and families in Los Angeles to share stories and connect with those…
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As a member of the IMF’s Nurse Leadership Board, I understand the vital role care partners play in ensuring myeloma patients follow their treatment plans.
Care partners, also known as caregivers, are indispensable in the journey of living with myeloma. Whether it’s one dedicated person or…
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What you need to know and what’s different this time around with COVID-19.
It’s been all over the news for the past month.
Another summer COVID-19 surge means that myeloma patients and their families will, once again, need to exercise extra caution to protect…
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The Declaration of Maui for Diverse Myeloma Trials Clinical trials are a critical part of drug development in myeloma and have led to the approval and use of nearly 20 new agents in myeloma over the last 20 years. I often think of the major advances in myeloma as being the 4 “Ts”…
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Key Insights from Dr. Urvi A. Shah's Live Q&A on Myeloma and Nutrition
In March 2024, Myeloma Specialist and Hematologist-Oncologist Dr. Urvi A. Shah (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center-New York, NY) hosted a…
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Last week, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) announced that IMF Co-Founder Dr. Brian G.M. Durie will no longer continue his role of Chief Scientific Officer with the organization.…
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At the end of every month, the International Myeloma Foundation Newsroom will feature a wrap-up of some of the most fascinating studies about multiple myeloma from medical journals. Here is the April 2026 edition.The IMF team of medical editors has provided overviews of key studies. Yet, we…
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With summer vacations in full swing, it is important to step back and celebrate the best moments of our lives, the victories whether large or small (or hard-to-find) to find joy for the future.As I've written about countless times before in my …
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The 15th Annual IMWG Summit was held from June 10-12, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.
The agenda for this year’s IMWG Summit set the stage for the emergence of new platforms—paving a way to plan forward, improve outcomes, and achieve a cure.
From early diagnosis to…
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Living with Blood Cancer, Riding for a Cure: The Cyclists Taking on Iceland What does it take to cycle across one of the world’s most rugged and awe-inspiring landscapes while living with cancer? This summer, a remarkable group of riders will answer that question during the International…
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The IMF Iceland Cycling Expedition (ICE): A Rigorous Journey to End Myeloma
As the wind whispers through the rugged Icelandic terrain, a group of determined individuals prepare to embark on a journey unlike any other. Their mission: to pedal across this breathtaking landscape, not just for…
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Resilience, the ability to be strong in the face of adversity, is increasingly needed to deal with the many issues which emerge when faced with the diagnosis of myeloma.
As I have stated so many times before, the ongoing care for myeloma is a marathon, not a sprint…
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What is the ODAC and What Did They Vote On?
On Friday, April 12, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held an …
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The State of Myeloma in 2024 Two new FDA approvals and promising clinical trials bode well for the future By Dr. Joseph Mikhael, IMF Chief Medical Officer The pace of change in the field of myeloma is incredible! New approvals are expanding treatment options,…
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Some very important and exciting news for the myeloma community ensued late last week.
The much-awaited outcome of the March 15th FDA Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) public advisory meeting is finally here.
On Friday, March 15, panelists at the advisory meeting…
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FDA to decide on Carvykti by April 5th, no date set yet for Abecma. European Commission (EC) approves Abecma for early treatment of RRMM in the European Union (EU) on March 20.
On Friday, March 15, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) held an…
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On Friday, March 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the release of …
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Research at ASH 2023: Health Equity and the Patient Experience
Insights from the 2023 American Society of Hematology annual meeting
By Dr. Joseph Mikhael, IMF Chief Medical Officer
The annual meeting and exposition of the American…
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This title has had a long history and was coined by IMF co-founder Susie Novis Durie when she first established the Caregiver Breakout Sessions in the IMF’s Patient and Family Seminars but more on that later.
Currently, it seems that “care partner” is in vogue to describe those…
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For myeloma patients, “cure” is a magical word. It’s like a coveted pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that disappears like a mirage in the desert as you get closer. This is why it’s very important to have a clear understanding of what “cure” really means and how close we are to…
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As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which was signed into law in 2022, patients with Medicare Part D prescription drug plans can now “benefit from lower prescription drug costs and a…
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In 2023, we learned about Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, including the chatbot that was based on a large language model (LLM) called Chat GPT, where we can ask questions and sometimes, get crazy answers.
Despite concerns about hallucinating computers and…