Rick's life was full and multi-faceted, but his seven year battle with Multiple Myeloma was a defining portion of his later years. His fight was not only for his own love of life and family, but also with the hope that with each new therapy he tried, and setback overcome, the medical community might come closer to finding a cure for the future. He was a part of several clinical trials and was followed as a case study by both Dr. Rafat Abanour at the Simon Cancer Center and Dr. Bart Barlogie at Mt. Sinai. A fighter to the end, Rick was eternally optimistic and brave, meeting each challenge with an impossible good humor and grace.

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.

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!