September is National Blood Cancer Awareness Month
August 23, 2012
In September MPN patients will have a unique opportunity to draw attention to polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia and myelofibrosis. In 2010, The U.S. House of representatives declared September to be a time in which to raise awareness and support activities that will help people living with all types of blood cancer. MPNs (Myeloproliferative Neoplasms) are often overlooked in discussions about blood cancer. Patients with myelofibrosis/MF, polycythemia vera/PV, or essential thrombocythemia/ET understand the need for more focus on the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of MPNs will benefit thousands of people across the U.S. and around the world.
The MPN Research Foundation will be rolling out a list of activities for MPN patients to partcipate in during the month of September and will be highlighting some of the important work currently being conducted in research, advocacy and education. These activities have been spearheaded not just by MPN Research Foundation, but by a wider group of organizations working together to help patients. You'll be hearing more about this group - known as the MPN Coalition - later this month.
• September 5-6 & 12th: Educational Dinner for Wisconsin-based MF Patients. This free event will be hosted by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Contact Christina Lee at 262-785-4220 or email Christina.Lee@LLS.org for more information or to RSVP.
• September 10: Launch of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's new webcast Advances in Blood Cancers: Update on Treatment for Myelofibrosis. Learn about progress in treatments from this insightful discussion with Ruben A. Mesa, MD, Professor of Medicine, Chair, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology and Deputy Director, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, and Emily A. Knight, RN, BSN, OCN®, Coordinator, Hematology Patient Care, Outpatient Setting at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, Scottsdale, Arizona. Go to www.LLS.org/webcasts.
• Wednesday, September 19: Connect Education Workshop Series will feature a discussion on MF, including quality of life concerns and current treatment options. Details available here.
• Thursday September 20: The Midwest Patient Symposium, hosted by the MPN Research Foundation, will bring patients, their families and healthcare professionals together to learn the latest research updates, treatment options and about current clinical trials. Register Now
• Thursday September 20: Release of the Symptom Management Calendar for patients with Myelofibrosis. This calendar, produced by the MPN Coalition, provides a systematic way for patients to track their symptoms on a monthly basis along with tips and best practices for communicating with their healthcare teams.
• Tuesday September 20: "Frankly Speaking About Cancer: Myelofibrosis" The Cancer Support Community launches Frankly Speaking About Cancer: Myelofibrosis, a great educational resource for patients and family members. Details available here
Beyond September
• Thursday October 4: MPN Patient Forum in Cardiff, Wales. A free event for patients and their families hosted by MPD Voice. Details here.
• Wednesday October 31: Connect Education Workshop Series on coping with the stress of caregiving when your loved one has myelofibrosis. Details here.
• Saturday & Sunday February 9-10: Joyce Niblack Memorial Conference on MPNs hosted by the MPN Education Foundation.
As members of the MPN community of patients, families, friends, clinicians and researchers, YOU have a part to play as well, by sharing this information with your communities and letting them know that MPNs, though rare, are as challenging as other forms of cancer. Please share this with your local media outlets, physicians, healthcare teams and your friends and families. Please feel free to contact the Foundation of you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Your friends at MPN Research Foundation
