The Waldenstrom's Weekly

October 13, 2023

Volume 3, Issue 38

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

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-European Patient Forum-

ONE WEEK AWAY!

European Patient Forum is ONE week away!

Saturday, October 21st


Hear from experts, meet patients and families and talk to healthcare professionals at the FIRST EVER European Patient Forum co-hosted by IWMF and WMUK!


We’ll be live in Birmingham (United Kingdom) and Amsterdam (The Netherlands) covering everything you want to know about living with WM.


Our joint sessions will be streamed between our two locations, and will conclude with an ‘Ask the Healthcare Professional’ panel where you may ask your questions LIVE to a panel of nurses, doctors and allied healthcare professionals from across Europe.


The event is an exciting first-of-its-kind for both our organisations, combining our resources to provide even MORE expert advice and personal support for people affected by WM across Europe.


Click HERE for more information, agenda & registration.

We hope you can join us!


- Education -

Come get Waldenstrong with Us!

On Thursday October 26th, we’re inviting you to a wellness webinar all about fitness and the power of exercise! Find out how lifestyle changes like increasing your fitness level may help you live better with Waldenstrom’s. How often should I exercise? What type of exercise is right for me? How can I get motivated? Come prepared to have your questions answered, and learn what the research says on the benefits of strength training and cardiovascular exercise for people living with cancer. 


Join Sharon Piotrowski, Certified Personal Trainer diagnosed with WM in 2019, to learn more. Sharon has competed in 11 half marathons, 6 sprint triathlons, and over fifty 5k races; she is the co-leader for the IWMF Sarasota Support Group, a Lifeline Support Volunteer, and the creator of the WM Patient Perspective Video Series. She is passionate about motivating people of all fitness levels to achieve their goals, and especially loves empowering the well-being of fellow WM friends. 


*Bring small hand weights or water bottles.

Register Here and Join the Fun!

Registration Open!

IWMF Global Educational Webinar

 Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy – Past, Present, and Future for Blood Cancer and WM Patients

Speakers are Peter DeNardis and Dr. Fred Appelbaum

On November 8th at 2:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time, Join Peter DeNardis, IWMF Board Chair, for an hour discussion and Q&A with Dr. Fred Appelbaum. Dr. Appelbaum is the Executive Vice President and Clinical Research Professor at Fred Hutch Cancer Center (Seattle, WA) and author of “Living Medicine: Don Thomas, Marrow Transplantation, and the Cell Therapy Revolution” (2023). Dr. Appelbaum works with WM patients in the context of stem cell transplantation, and was involved with the very first clinical trials of anti-CD20 antibodies (rituximab) and their early application to WM.

Register Here!

*Please note that we are using a new platform called Zoom Sessions for this webinar, so please be advised that you will need to either a) register using a Zoom account, OR b) you will need to verify your email address with a numeric code upon registration. Contact the office for any questions at office@iwmf.com.

WMFC Virtual Ed Forum- Registration Open

WMFC logo - Canada Affiliate and they are having an Ed Forum on November 3-4
Agenda & Registration Here

Recording Available from TargetCancer Foundation

Video Link to Clearing the Air About Clinical Trials: Facts, Myths, and Potential Benefits

Clearing the Air About Clinical Trials: Facts, Myths, and Potential Benefits

Triage Cancer Webinar

Cancer Caregivers: Rights & Resources

Triage Cancer logo

November 15, 2023

8:30am PT / 10:30am CT / 11:30am ET

Duration: 90 minutes


Learn about the rights of caregivers at work, how to replace lost wages while acting as a caregiver, and practical tips to support caregivers. Triage Cancer also talk about community resources available to cancer caregivers.

Register Here
- Support -

Recording Available from Cancer Support Community:

What You Need to Know About Mental Health & Cancer

Cancer Support Community Logo

Join the Cancer Support Community’s Senior Director of Education and Programs, Rachel Saks, for a talk with Dr. Brandon Knettel about navigating Mental Health & Cancer. 

Check out the Recording Here

The Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation:

WM Fund OPEN for Eligible U.S. Patients!

The PAN Foundation is helping patients afford their out-of-pocket costs with annual grants of $7,000.

 

We know it can be difficult to afford the out-of-pocket costs of treatment for WM. If you’re looking for more financial assistance resources to help with your out-of- pocket treatment costs, we encourage you to learn more about our friends at the PAN Foundation.

 

The Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation is a national organization that helps underinsured patients with life-threatening, chronic, and rare diseases get the medications and treatments they need by assisting with their out-of-pocket costs. You can find more information about their WM fund below.

 

About PAN’s WM fund

 

PAN’s WM patient assistance fund provides $7,000 per year in

financial assistance to pay for the deductibles, co-pays, and coinsurance costs associated with WM treatment. To qualify for funding, patients living with WM must meet the following eligibility

requirements:

 

·        Be getting treatment for WM.

·        Reside and receive treatment in the U.S. or U.S. territories

·        Be prescribed a medication or product that is listed on PAN’s list of covered medications

·        Have an income that falls at or below 500% of the Federal Poverty Level.

·        Have Medicare health insurance that covers the qualifying medication or product.

 

Review the full eligibility criteria HERE and check if you qualify.

 

How to apply

 

It’s easy to apply and you’ll learn if you’re approved for a grant immediately. Visit PAN’s online patient portal to get started and check out their portal how-to guides for step-by-step instructions on common tasks like creating an account and applying for assistance. You can also reach PAN by phone at 1-866-316-7263, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time.

WM Wellness calendar

Waldenstrom's Weekly is a free service to WM community members to share WM related news and events. Click on downloading photos at the top to view all content. For more information, email info@IWMF.com or visit www.IWMF.com

IWMF, 6144 Clark Center Ave., Sarasota, FL 34238 | info@iwmf.com | 1-941-927-4963
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