Kala Thaivalappil was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in February 2019 and unexpectedly passed away in October 2019. Kala was tremendously giving and devoted her life to taking care of her family and friends. She had a huge heart and always believed in helping anyone in need. Despite months of enduring treatments for her myeloma, Kala never shed a tear and showed her strength with humor and optimism throughout the whole process. Even in the face of incredible sickness, she always thought of ways improve the lives of those around her. She was an inspiration to us all. It would be her wish to help others who have also been diagnosed with this terrible disease.

The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), along with its research and medical industry partners, has fueled more studies, initiated more trials, developed more treatments, introduced more medicines, and have had a far greater impact than any other organization on myeloma. While the MMRF has made enormous progress, they still have much to do and cannot continue to do great research without your support.

Together we can make a difference.

About the 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 10 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 themmrf.org.

Matching Gifts
Did you know you can double your impact in seconds? Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees.  Find out if your employer offers this benefit! Visit the MMRF Matching Gifts website (themmrf.org/matchinggifts) or ask your Human Resources Department!