The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) Honors General Colin L. Powell At Chicago Awards Dinner

CHICAGO, Oct. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) was honored to have General Colin L. Powell (Ret.) as the keynote speaker at the annual MMRF Chicago Awards Dinner fundraiser at the Four Seasons Chicago on October 17, 2019. General Colin L. Powell (Ret.) delivered inspirational remarks on the importance of leadership and family, as well as having a trusted healthcare team. He also discussed the power of optimism as a force multiplier and the significance of having a strong mission and plan as a guiding force. Additionally, Bonnie Hunt, the Actress, Director, Producer, Writer, and longtime MMRF supporter and Honorary Board Member who was once an oncology nurse hosted the event for the 15^th year.  The sold-out event raised over $800,000.

General Colin Powell said, "I am honored to be recognized by the MMRF and am inspired by their extraordinary progress in driving research forward and developing new treatments for such an uncommon and incurable disease. Their innovative research model can not only be used to treat multiple myeloma, but can be applied to other diseases, which will help to accelerate similar progress and save more lives."

"We are inspired by General Powell's exemplary leadership and service to our country and moved by his support. We thank him for believing in our work, and for bringing attention to the importance of delivering more precise treatments and striving toward a cure for all multiple myeloma patients," shared Kathy Giusti, Founder and Chief Mission Officer of the MMRF.

At the event, the MMRF also honored long-time MMRF supporters John Blackburn and Connie Lindsey with the Spirit of Hope Award. This award is presented annually to a patient, caregiver, or family who inspires hope through their resilience, perseverance and dedication to the MMRF and its mission.  Sage Steele, the anchor of ESPN's Sports Center, whose father has multiple myeloma, was a special guest at the event.

The MMRF Chicago Awards Dinner is a premier Chicago event attended by over 450 supporters including patients, family members, healthcare leaders and business executives. For more information, please visit www.themmrf.org/chicagodinner.

About Multiple Myeloma
Multiple Myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cell. It is the second most common blood cancer. An estimated 32,000 adults will be diagnosed this year and 13,000 people are predicted to die from the disease.

About the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)
A pioneer in precision medicine, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) seeks to find a cure for all multiple myeloma patients by relentlessly pursuing innovations that accelerate the development of precision treatments for cancer. Founded in 1998 by Kathy Giusti, a multiple myeloma patient, and her twin sister Karen Andrews as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the MMRF has created the business model around cancer—from data to analytics to the clinic. The MMRF identifies barriers and then finds the solutions to overcome them, bringing in the best partners and aligning incentives in the industry to drive better outcomes for patients. Since its inception, the organization has collected thousands of samples and tissues, opened nearly 100 trials, helped bring 11 FDA-approved therapies to market, and built CoMMpass, the single largest genomic dataset for any cancer. Today, the MMRF is building on its legacy in genomics and is expanding into immune-oncology, as the combination of these two fields will be critical to making precision medicine possible for all patients. The MMRF has raised nearly $500 million and directs nearly 90% of the total funds to research and related programs. To learn more, visit www.themmrf.org.

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SOURCE Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)