The Waldenstrom's Weekly

November 3, 2023

Volume 3, Issue 41

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.

November is National Family Caregivers Month (NFCM). It's a time to recognize and honor family caregivers. 

Here are some ways to honor a caregiver: 

• Donate in their honor
• Give a gift card to their favorite store or restaurant
• Give a gift certificate for cleaning or food delivery service
• Voice or draft a note of your appreciation
• Treat them to lunch or dinner

Join us in recognizing WM caregivers and raising awareness of resources available. Visit our ‘Support for Caregivers’ webpage to find support resources.

- Education -

Next Week!

IWMF Global Educational Webinar

Wednesday, November 8th at 2:00PM U.S. ET

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

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.

*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.

Recording Available & Upcoming Program!

Huge thanks to Sharon Piotrowski for spending time with us during her Finding Fitness Webinar last week - you can WATCH THE RECORDING here. If you’d like another opportunity to "get WaldenStrong" with our WM wellness community, join Sharon on November 10th at 1pm EST for a 30-min Strength Training for All Levels workout. We’ll watch the pre-recorded video together, and stick around for 15 minutes for Q&A with Sharon LIVE. You will receive the recording after our live Zoom watch party! Email Ann at anngrace@iwmf.com  if you're interested in receiving the Zoom link (if you registered for the webinar, you’re already on the list.)

THIS WEEKEND!

Lymphoma Research Foundation Workshop

Saturday, November 4th at 9:30AM US ET

Lymphoma Workshop: Understanding Lymphoma Basics and Current Treatment Options

About The Workshop

The Lymphoma Research Foundation’s Lymphoma Workshop provides the latest information about lymphoma, current treatment options and support issues to members of the lymphoma community across the United States. The National Lymphoma Workshop is the premier patient education and networking forum in the country.

Reasons To Attend

• Learn about your specific type of lymphoma, treatment options, clinical trials and novel concepts during the comprehensive disease-specific breakout sessions. There will be a WM breakout session at 11:45AM ET with Dr. Jithma Abeykoon (Mayo Clinic, Rochester).
• Hear a variety of presentations and have your specific questions answered from our expert speaking faculty comprised of lymphoma specialists and patient support experts.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Webinar

Caregiving Over Coffee: Give Yourself Grace

November 28th, 2023

3:00PM - 4:00PM US Eastern Time

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) invites you to grab a cup of coffee, tea, or your favorite beverage, and join a discussion about the challenges and triumphs of caregiving.

NEW Specialty Support Group Meeting

WM and SMZL: Living with & managing TWO rare disease/diagnoses

CALLING ALL WM patients and caregivers who have WM and Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma (SMZL)!

IWMF Specialty Support Group “WM and SMZL: Living with & managing two rare diseases/diagnoses.” 

 On Wednesday, November 29th at 8:00PM US eastern time, Join the WM & SMZL Support Group for a sharing session. Bring your stories and questions to share with the group for approximately one hour. The group leader will be Tom:

"As I exhibit symptoms of both WM & SMZL and a bone marrow biopsy cannot pinpoint the disease type, I’m striving to provide a forum where patients experiencing a similar WM / SMZL dual diagnosis can share ideas and help each other navigate treatment options."

To join the group list, contact Michelle: mpostek@iwmf.com.

Bing-Neel Syndrome Support Group

From Bing-Neel Group Co-Leader, Julie Davidson:

"We are going to try something a little different for the fall Bing- Neel Support Group meeting on Sunday, November 19 at 1 PM and 7 PM (EST-US). There will be a couple of our own members presenting their stories. Then there will be a fun participation presentation by Joseph Hawthorne ACSM-CPT, AKC, RBT, CSC, Owner of Block Fitness (blockfitco.com)."

Join the IWMF Online Community!

IWMF CONNECT and Facebook Groups

The IWMF offers two Internet-based group discussion forums  where you can communicate with others, share experiences and insights, exchange information, and get emotional support. The discussions typically focus on WM diagnosis, treatments, research, prognosis, side effects and related conditions. Thousands of patients and supporters from all over the world are signed up, come join us by clicking the links below!

·        IWMF CONNECT

·        IWMF Facebook Group

For help navigating IWMF CONNECT or Facebook, contact  office@iwmf.com.

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