The Waldenstrom's Digest

June 26, 2026 - Volume 6, Issue 12

Welcome to the WM Digest: a place where you can find vital information and education about Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM), hear the latest WM research updates, meet WM community members who share their stories, and get diverse support for managing WM.

IWMF's mission is to support and educate everyone affected by Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) to improve patient outcomes while advancing the search for a cure.

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In this Issue

Special News

Our Newsletter Needs a New Name

What did you think when you saw "Digest" instead of "Weekly" at the beginning of this email? We'd love your thoughts on what to call the e-newsletter IWMF sends out every other week.

Goals of this newsletter:



• Include a curated, diverse collection of recent updates in a way that is not too overwhelming.
• Filter through complex medical data to bring you the facts, in a helpful and user-friendly way.
• Provide a sense of hope and steady guidance for a rare-disease community navigating a complex medical landscape.

Cast Your Vote

WM Research

Dr. Ferrero at EHA 2026: Skip the BMB

"We might skip the bone marrow biopsy for Waldenstrom patients," said Dr. Simone Ferrero of the University of Torino, explaining research that could transform the diagnosis and monitoring of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) at the recent European Hematology Association (EHA) Congress in Stockholm, Sweden.

IWMF's Global Partner Manager, Hannah Mobarak, captured an interview with Dr. Ferrero describing his prospective, observational study sponsored by IWMF and FIL - Fondazione Italiana Linfomi. Watch the video here. Also available in Italian.

The study of 300 patients demonstrated that testing for the MYD88 mutation in peripheral blood and plasma samples has the same accuracy as traditional bone marrow biopsies. This suggests that in the future, clinicians may be able to bypass bone marrow biopsies for these patients.

Learn more about Hannah's experience at EHA 2026.

Summer Video Series

Miss the Ed Forum Sessions?

Explore more videos from our signature educational events in both North America and Europe, which we'll continue to roll out over the next several months.

Navigating Initial Treatment Options: This session walks through common first-line treatment approaches for WM.

Take the Initial WM Treatment Options Quiz!

What's Next? For patients who have already received treatment, this session explores subsequent therapy options.

Mind Matters: Living with WM can impact mental and emotional health. This session addresses depression and anxiety, normalizes these experiences, and discusses supportive resources and coping strategies.

Making Time for Each Other: Led by our global patient advocates, in this interactive roleplay session we explore what makes a well-facilitated WM support group effective.

Find more:

• North American Ed Forum Video Playlist
• European Ed Forum Playlist

For those who took our first quiz on the basics - great job! The average score was 97%. You can still take the WM Basics Quiz.

Events / Webinars

Empowered by AI:

"Watch Party" with Live Q and A

July 15 at 1:00pm ET on Zoom / Register Now

Still have questions about using AI? Join us for our first "watch party" as we reexamine important sessions from our educational forums.

Empowered by AI: Navigating Blood Cancer Care through Technology with Lisa Porat and Anand Reddi



In this session, industry experts explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and patient empowerment. It's designed for patients, caregivers, health care providers and advocates navigating the complexities of blood cancer care.

Huge thanks to Lisa Marquette Porat, BeOne Director of North America Patient Partnerships, and Anand Reddi, BeOne Global Head of Direct-to-Customer Innovation and Digital Health, for coming back to answer more questions in our "watch party" webinar format!

Stick around for a live question and answer period - you can submit your questions here or type questions into the chat after the session.

Check out IWMF's Event Calendar.

Explore the IWMF Events Photo Gallery to experience the spirit of the WM community for yourself.

WM Community

June 20: from Portlaoise to Minnesota

Photos and summary by Global Partner Manager Hannah Mobarak.

June 20 was a great day for fostering WM community around the globe.

A heartfelt gathering took place at Cuisle Cancer Support Centre in Portlaoise, Ireland. Led by Bob Perry, members came together to share experiences, hear expert insight from Carmel Waldron and Melissa Martin of St James’s Hospital, and reflect on the power of peer support, wellness, and hope.

The day was a meaningful reminder of the strength found in community and the shared commitment to progress toward better treatments and, ultimately, a cure.

Meanwhile, in Oak Park Heights, Minnesota USA, the sun was also shining. IWMF's Minnesota/Western Wisconsin Support Group hosted its annual summer picnic at a park shelter, and WM community members, family, and friends joined in on the fun.

In regions where winter weather keeps us apart, summer gatherings are a wonderful reminder of how meaningful it is to connect in person for community, friendship, and shared encouragement.

For more on how to find support near you, keep scrolling.

Support

Stay connected through our:

Support & Affinity Groups

Integrative Wellness Classes

LIFELINE Volunteers

Online Discussion Forums

Upcoming IWMF Support

WM Military Veterans - June 30 at 2:00pm EDT. Join group leader Ray and presenter Bethanie Mills, MPH. Register here for the meeting.

WM Caregivers Support Group - Thursday July 2nd at 2:00pm EDT. This meeting is open to all those supporting others with WM, as well as those living with WM themselves who are caregivers. Meets on the first Thursday of each month. Sign up here.

LGBTQ+ Affinity Group - July 18 at 1:00pm EDT. Group leaders Gene and Jane will host a sharing discussion. Email office@iwmf.com to be added to the mailing list.

Young WM (Pre-retirement age) Affinity Group - July 25 at 12:00pm EDT. Email office@iwmf.com to be added to the mailing list.

View our full calendar of events here.

Funds Open for U.S. Patients

Need help covering the costs of WM treatment? The patient advocacy organizations listed below offer financial assistance programs to help with copays, premiums, and other out-of-pocket expenses:


• WM fund from HealthWell Foundation
• Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma fund from CancerCare
• Clinical Trials fund from Blood Cancer United

Living Well with WM

Join Us for July Wellness

Interested in joining IWMF’s global wellness community for patients and care partners?

✔️ Explore the IWMF Wellness Calendar and drop into an upcoming class.

✔️ Sign up to receive everything our Integrative Wellness Program has to offer in our monthly wellness newsletter.

✔️ Try a 30-minute guided exploration of the breath from our most recent "Just Breathe" class - reset

Wellness Questions? Please reach out to our Director of Integrative Wellness and Patient Communications, Ann MacMullan.

This e-newsletter is a free service to WM community members to share WM related news and events. Click on "download photos" at the top to view all content. For more information, email info@IWMF.com or visit www.IWMF.com

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Please note our new mailing address:
IWMF, 1449 S Michigan Ave STE 13329 Chicago, IL 60605 
info@iwmf.com | 1-941-927-4963