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The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Unveils Its First National Education Program on Myeloma

Posted on: Friday, 22 July 2005, 09:01 CDT

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Patients with myeloma, their families and caregivers have a new educational resource with the launch this summer of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Exploring Myeloma program.

Exploring Myeloma presents a thorough overview of the disease in an easy-to-follow, one session classroom format led by local physicians specializing in myeloma. The program includes an overview of myeloma, a review of current and emerging myeloma therapies and the management of disease & treatment related side effects. The program also examines the emotional and social aspects of a myeloma diagnosis, and provides information on how and where to seek support. The program will be offered at all 64 Society chapters in the United States, making this the first time the Society has offered a community based myeloma program.

"This program gives patients, families and caregivers a supportive and caring environment in which to learn about myeloma, emerging therapies, how to communicate with their medical teams and how to make treatment choices," said Robin Kornhaber, M.S.W., senior vice president, Patient Services.

Exploring Myeloma is supported by a grant from Celgene(R) Corp. For more details, please contact your local Society chapter or call the Society's Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572.

About Myeloma

Myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cells found in many tissues of the body, but primarily in the bone marrow. In myeloma, a B lymphocyte, the cell that forms plasma cells becomes malignant and grows continuously, especially in the marrow, destroying normal bone tissue, causing pain and crowding out normal blood cell production. Eighty-six percent of myeloma cases occur in people over age 55. Americans of African descent have a much higher incidence compared to those of European descent. Incidence rates in men are 58 percent higher than in women. While survival increased five-fold between 1971 and 2001, the rate of survival is still only 32.4 percent today, making myeloma the most difficult blood cancer to treat successfully.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society(R), headquartered in White Plains, NY, with 66 chapters in the United States and Canada, is the world's largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The Society's mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Since its founding in 1949, the Society has invested more than $424 million in research specifically targeting leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Last year alone, the Society made over 2.5 million contacts with patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals.

For more information about blood cancer, visit http://www.lls.org/ or call the Society's Information Resource Center (IRC), a call center staffed by master's level social workers, nurses and health educators who provide information, support and resources to patients and their families and caregivers. IRC information specialists are available at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

Contact: Andrea Greif Director, Public Relations (914) 821-8958

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

CONTACT: Andrea Greif, Director, Public Relations of The Leukemia &Lymphoma Society, +1-914-821-8958

Web site: http://www.lls.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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