Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation's Annual Gala Raises More Than $1.5 Million To Advance Cancer Research

The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) raised over $1.5 million at its 12th annual "Friends for Life" Fall Gala held on November 1, 2008 in Greenwich, Conn. Funds raised at this premier fundraiser, attended by more than 900 guests will support the MMRF's innovative research portfolio developed to bring patients new treatments and find a cure for multiple myeloma, a fatal blood cancer.


Deborah Norville, host of Inside Edition, and author of Thank You Power served as Mistress of Ceremonies. Other honored guests included Melanie Bloom, widow of NBC news correspondent David Bloom; Geraldine Ferraro, former congresswoman and myeloma patient; Congressman Christopher Shays; and Bob Costas, sportscaster.


Honoree Cindy Crawford and Tiki Barber, former New York Giant, NBC News correspondent and analyst for NBC's Football Night In America (tikiventuresllc), were presented with the Spirit of Hope Award. The MMRF Spirit of Hope Award is awarded annually to individuals who inspire hope with their perseverance in overcoming personal obstacles such as a cancer diagnosis.


"Having both been touched by cancer at a young age, Cindy and Tiki understand the urgency with which people with cancer and their families live. They have gracefully used their celebrity to speak passionately and from the heart about the need to accelerate the development of effective new treatments and we are proud to honor them with the MMRF Spirit of Hope Award," said Kathy Giusti, Founder and CEO of the MMRF.


"Next year almost 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with some form of cancer and over 550,000 of these patients will die, so it's up to us to keep up the fight," said Cindy Crawford. "We can look to the MMRF and their partners for inspiration and know that in supporting them we are supporting all families with cancer."


"Cancer affects us all in many ways with different experiences, but we all share the same goal as the MMRF - a cure," said Tiki Barber.


About the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (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, soon after Kathy's diagnosis with multiple myeloma. The mission of the MMRF is to urgently and aggressively fund research that will lead to the development of new treatments for multiple myeloma. As the world's number-one funder of multiple myeloma research, the MMRF has raised over $100 million since its inception to fund more than 90 laboratories worldwide. An outstanding 93% of funds raised go toward research and related programming. The payback on the MMRF's investment has been significant, including the approval of four new treatments in four years. Today, the MMRF is supporting 30 new compounds and approaches now in clinical trials and pre-clinical studies and has facilitated 15 clinical trials through its sister organization, the Multiple Myeloma Research Consortium (MMRC). For more information about the MMRF, please visit themmrf.

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