The Waldenstrom's Weekly

September 20, 2024

Volume 20, Issue 36

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.

- Special Announcements -

WM European Patient Forum THIS WEEKEND!

We are thrilled that the WM European Ed Forum is kicking off TOMORROW in London! We are anticipating an outstanding program and cannot wait to share event content with you. We look forward to meeting everyone attending in-person and engaging with those watching virtually from the comfort of their homes!

2024 Walk for Waldenstrom's Update

The Walk for Waldenstrom's is still trekking along, and it's not too late to join the movement! Because of your generosity, we have already raised over US$30,000 for this event! We have 4 more local community walks planned, and we have many teams and individual fundraisers on the leaderboard. Inspiring!

📣Let's hear it for our Top TEAM Fundraisers

1. Philly’s Walk for WM
2. Carl Harrington’s Walk for WM
3. IWMF Wellness Community

📣Let's hear it for our Top Individual Fundraisers

1. Ann MacMullan
2. Chris Campbell
3. Cheryl Frustieri

The purpose of this event is to come together and accelerate the search for a cure. If you would like to get involved and show your support for the Waldenstrom's community, you can participate in a variety of ways. You can walk or do other activities that you enjoy, in person or virtually. Whether you're a patient, caregiver, friend, or family member, we invite you to participate.

We’ve partnered with Esri, a global leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, to help us track our collective journey around the world. Every step you take will be added to our global movement, and we have already walked over 16,000 miles around the world together! Sign up here!

📣 Shout-out to Our Top Movers!

A huge round of applause for those leading the charge on our leaderboard:

1. Joanne Sparkes 
2. Charles Basin 
3. Steve Mitchell
4. Jeffrey Matous
5. Susanne Öhrn 

We would love to see your name on the leaderboard! For those who have signed up, please submit your miles and activities here. It's not too late!

Rally your networks, raise awareness and funds, join local walks (Illinois, Pennsylvania, California and Massachusetts are coming up!), and earn prizes for your efforts! Let's walk together for a cure!

WM Weekly DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that the IWMF October Torch quarterly magazine will be released soon? Catch up on past issues here and keep an eye out next month!

Want to See Your Artwork in a Calendar?

Calling all artists! Do you have artwork that was motivated by your cancer journey? Inspire others and submit your work to be featured in CURE®’s 2025 Calendar! Check out how to enter HERE today. The submission deadline is October 3, 2024.

- Education-

Senior Living Webinar on Monday, September 23rd

Ask and you shall receive! Back in June, a conversation began on IWMF-CONNECT on the topic of Continuing Care Retirement Communities, or CCRCs. A lot of interest was generated on this topic, so we are offering a two-part series to further explore the ins and outs of senior living options. To register for Monday's session, Do I Stay or Do I Go? click the registration button below! For the edited recording of Session 1 (Senior Living 101), click here.

IWMF Educate & Empower Wellness Webinar

Join Kenny Capps, founder of Cancer Active (previously Throwing Bones) to learn more about how to stay active while navigating your blood cancer journey. As a coach, athlete, and cancer patient, Kenny inspires folks to keep moving forward, whether it’s walking to the mailbox and back, or running from one ocean to the other. In his words, "You set your limits. Don't let cancer do it.” But what does that actually look like on a day-to-day basis? How can we learn patience during times when energy is low and symptoms are high? Be part of the conversation during this interactive (and unrecorded) motivational webinar and join the Cancer Active movement to add more life to your years! Register here.

Bio: Kenny Capps is the Executive Director and Founder of Cancer Active, a patient-focused nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate and advocate for individuals living with cancer to improve their quality of life through healthy and active lifestyles. Diagnosed with with multiple myeloma in January 2015, Kenny had to alter his fitness routine but never lost sight of his personal goal to keep moving forward. After a bone marrow transplant, maintenance therapy, and physical training to get back to the cycling and running that he'd been doing for years, he ran across the state of North Carolina on the Mountains to Sea Trail - over 1,200 miles in 54 days! It was the true launch of Cancer Active's mission.

Triage Cancer October Conference

Feeling overwhelmed by all of the practical and financial issues that come with a cancer diagnosis? Our partner Triage Cancer is hosting a FREE conference on October 25 & 26 for individuals diagnosed with cancer, caregivers, and oncology healthcare professionals.

Sound Meditation for WM

TODAY at 2:00PM ET

Recharge with sound! Join Ann Grace to relax to the sound of authentic Himalayan Singing bowls, with gentle verbal guidance and healing chants to further calm the nervous system. Reach out to anngrace@iwmf.com to register or sign up here.

Mindfulness Meditation Next Tuesday the 24th  

Take a break! Studies show that use of mindfulness practices among people with cancer reduced psychological distress, fatigue, sleep disturbance, pain, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Reach out to anngrace@iwmf.com to register or sign up here.

Cardio Flow – Friday, September 27th at 2:00PM ET

Challenge your coordination and balance while addressing symptoms such as fatigue and peripheral neuropathy. Improve blood flow, balance, and mobility. Reach out to anngrace@iwmf.com to register or sign up here.

Get the IWMF Wellness Newsletter!

Are you interested in receiving a monthly newsletter featuring all the wellness news for the month ahead? Get the Zoom links to every class in one spot, meet featured members of the wellness community, and learn the latest on how integrative therapies can help you navigate your journey. Sign up here - one email per month only! 

WM Community Corner: Walk for WM Spotlights

The IWMF Philly (PA) Support Group held a Walk for Waldenstrom's on September 15th at the beautiful Stoneleigh Natural Garden in Villanova, PA. Check our their event video here.

Tina Regester shared her inspiring Walk for WM video in Maryland (US) on Facebook. Way to go, Tina, and thank you for your participation!

Walk for WM in Oak Brook, IL, on September 28th

The Chicago Area & SE Wisconsin Support Group is hosting a two-mile Walk for WM at Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center in Oak Brook, IL, on September 28, 2024, at 9:00AM. Don and Mary Brown will lead the walk. For more information, contact Don at ldonbrown@msn.com.

For information about more upcoming walks in PA, CA, and MA, click here!

Want to buy a 2024 Walk for Waldenstrom's T-Shirt? Get yours at the IWMF Shop!

Note: For individual Walk for WM fundraisers who raise $150 or more, you will get a t-shirt for free!

Let's Work Together to Accelerate the Cure!

Accelerate the Cure is much more than a campaign slogan. It’s our next 31 million USD effort, over five years, to find a cure and support those with WM and their caregivers. Global researchers have a new set of WM research targets, and they are afire with excitement. We believe we can find that cure, and we hope 100% of our WM family will contribute! IWMF has three Research Opportunity Funds for your consideration: One for global research, one for WM-NET to accelerate clinical trials, and one that funds the next generation of researchers. We have a fourth fund that enhances our ability to be the world hub for WM education and support. In the months ahead, through this weekly and the Torch, we will illustrate the research progress that is rapidly accelerating through donor investment.

We encourage you to visit our Accelerate the Cure page on IWMF’s website to learn more and perhaps contribute. We invite conversations. Contact us at: office@iwmf.com.

Waldenstrom's Weekly 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