CURE Media Group Adds International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation to Advocacy Spotlight Partnership Program

PLAINSBORO, N.J. October 13, 2015 -- CURE Media Group, the nation’s leading digital and print media enterprise focused on cancer patients, today announced a new partnership with the International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF) to expand education and support for patients battling this rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, their families and physicians.

“Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia is a so-called ‘orphan disease’ that typically does not command much attention — and that makes our partnership with the IWMF even more important,” said Mike Hennessy Jr., president of Intellisphere Oncology and Healthcare Specialty Group, part of the Plainsboro, N.J.-based Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc. (MJH), family of businesses.

“CURE’s Advocacy Spotlight Partnership program will provide easier access to expanded and up-to-date information that patients and their families so desperately need.”

About three cases per million people — or approximately 1,500 patients — are diagnosed with WM each year in the U.S. WM usually can be managed as a chronic disease for a number of years. However, it is not yet curable and the overall relative five-year survival of people with WM is about 78 percent, according to the American Cancer Society.

The IWMF is a patient-led nonprofit organization founded in 1998 and dedicated to funding research and supporting those affected by Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia. Since 1999, the IWMF has invested more than $8.1 million dollars in research on WM.

“Because WM is a rare disease, patients struggle to understand the disease and treatment options,” said Carl Harrington, IWMF president. “Our small staff and legion of volunteers work hard to meet this community’s needs. Joining the CURE Advocacy Spotlight Partnership means WM patients can find additional help with the resources they need so they no longer feel alone as they battle this disease.”

WM is almost twice as common in men as it is in women, and it is more common among whites than blacks. The average age at the time of diagnosis of WM is in the mid-60s, and there is a familial predisposition to WM. Symptoms include excessive thickness of the blood, anemia and peripheral neuropathy.

“This partnership is at the heart of our Advocacy Spotlight Partnership program,” Hennessy said. “Our goal is to help patients, families and physicians find the resources and support they need. Adding IWMF as a partner enables those suffering from this rare disease to find answers they need so they no longer feel like ‘orphans.’”

About CURE Media Group

CURE Media Group’s flagship product, CURE® magazine, is the indispensable guide to every stage of the cancer experience. With nearly 1 million readers, CURE is the largest consumer publication in the United States focused entirely on cancer, with broad distribution to cancer patients, cancer centers and advocacy groups. CURE Media Group’s offerings also include its online resource, curetoday.com; live meetings; a resource guide for the newly diagnosed; and the Extraordinary Healer™ national nursing award. CURE Media Group combines science and humanity to make cancer understandable. CURE Media Group is part of the Plainsboro, N.J.-based Michael J. Hennessy Associates, Inc. (MJH), family of businesses, which includes the acclaimed OncLive® (http://www.onclive.com) platform of resources for the practicing oncologist. For more information, visit http://www.curetoday.com or http://www.mjhassoc.com.

About IWMF

The International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF) is a non-profit support and information organization for individuals with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM.) IWMF publishes a quarterly magazine with information about symptoms and treatments, stories of interest, articles about living with the disease and patient education. Comprised of more than 10,000 members, the organization offers a telephone and email service, a network of support groups around the world, and an online discussion forum. IWMF holds an annual Educational Forum for patients and supports a robust research program to fund projects aimed to better understand the disease. For more information visit www.iwmf.com.

###

Media Contacts

For International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Foundation: Sara McKinnie, 941-927-4963, info(at)iwmf.com

For CURE Media Group: Becky Taylor, 609-240-6886, becky(at)btaylorpa.com