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Emmy-Award Winning Actor Eric McCormack Presented With MMRF Spirit of Hope Award at the 10th Annual Friends For Life Fall Gala

Posted on: Monday, 30 October 2006, 15:00 CST

NEW CANAAN, Conn., Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) presented Eric McCormack, Emmy Award Winning actor and former star of NBC's Will and Grace, with the MMRF Spirit of Hope Award at the 10th Annual Friends for Life Fall Gala at the Hyatt Regency in Greenwich, Conn. on Saturday evening, October 28th. The event celebrates the medical advances being made in the field of myeloma research while recognizing those that continue to support the Foundation's efforts to accelerate the development of a cure. The event raised more than $1.5 million in support of the Foundation's mission.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061030/NYM214 )

"It is a great honor to receive this award from such a remarkable organization that has made significant strides in the fight against the devastating disease of multiple myeloma," said Eric McCormack. "I hope that as more awareness is focused on this form of cancer there will be more universal understanding and support for researchers, patients and their caregivers."

Multiple myeloma, the second most common hematologic (blood) cancer, represents one percent of all cancer diagnoses and two percent of all annual cancer deaths in the U.S. Despite recent advances in treating myeloma, the five-year survival rate for multiple myeloma is only 32 percent.

The event was hosted by corporate Chair Sol J. Barer, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Celgene Corporation, along with Mistress of Ceremonies, and longtime friend to the MMRF, Deborah Norville, host of Inside Edition. Additional celebrity honorees and participants included:

- Brian Williams, News Anchor, NBC Nightly News - Ann Curry, News Anchor, Today Show - Geraldine Ferraro, former Vice Presidential Candidate - Don Baylor, former Major League baseball player and coach

"We are extremely pleased to be honoring Eric McCormack with the MMRF Spirit of Hope Award as we believe he personifies all that the Award intends to celebrate," said Kathy Giusti, founder and chief executive office of the MMRF. "This distinction recognizes Eric's extraordinary commitment to raising awareness of cancer and the need for increased research funding which he does in honor and memory of his mother who died of the disease."

About Spirit of Hope Award

The Spirit of Hope Award was created by the MMRF to recognize individuals who through their passion, commitment and dedication devote time, effort and energy to raise awareness of cancer, and the need for increased research funding on behalf of cancer patients everywhere. The recipient may be a cancer patient, survivor or caregiver who exemplifies the "spirit" of hope that is needed to face the challenge of cancer diagnosis and the associated battle.

About the Friends for Life Gala

A cornerstone event for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), the Friends for Life Fall Gala celebrates its 10th year in 2006 having raised $10 million dollars to date. Approximately 95% of all funds raised by the Foundation are applied directly in support of the world's most promising myeloma research being conducted at leading biotech and pharmaceutical companies, and academic institutions around the world. This year's black-tie affair included a live and silent auction and was attended by more than 800 guests.

About the MMRF

The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) was established in 1998 as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization by twin sisters Karen Andrews and Kathy Giusti, a newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patient, with the unique mission of accelerating the search for a cure for multiple myeloma. Today, the MMRF is the largest non-profit foundation dedicated to the single mission of accelerating the search for a cure for multiple myeloma. As the world's number one private funder of myeloma research, the MMRF has raised more than $60 million to fund more than 200 research grants at 70 research institutions around the globe. Currently, the MMRF is funding more than 40 new compounds and approaches - in pre-clinical testing and Phase I, II and III clinical trials - that show promise in treating patients at all stages of the disease. For more information about the MMRF, please visit http://www.multiplemyeloma.org/.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061030/NYM214AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN7PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation

CONTACT: Anne Quinn Young of MMRF, +1-203-652-0212,quinnyounga@themmrf.org; or Paul Kidwell of Suda Communications,+1-617-296-3854, paulkidwell@comcast.net

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

Source: PRNewswire

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