For the fourth consecutive year, the MMRF partnered with the Lymphoma Research Foundation to bring blood cancer patients and their families to Washington, DC for Blood Cancer Advocacy Days!

On May 19, 180 blood cancer advocates from more than 30 states attended over 140 Congressional meetings to encourage their Senators and Representatives to urge NCI to support novel collaborative research efforts in blood cancers, initiate a blood cancer research program at the Department of Defense, and encourage the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to promptly enact a program that would provide transitional coverage for oral cancer treatments.

Another highlight of the day was a luncheon "on the Hill" which featured long-time champions of the blood cancer community, Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Barbara Mikulski, as well as the Honorable Geraldine Ferraro, who is also a myeloma patient. Drs. Ken Anderson and Tom Kipps provided exciting updates on collaborative blood cancer research efforts in multiple myeloma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) respectively, while Dr. Elias Zerhouni, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) roused the advocates and staffers in attendance with details of his NIH Roadmap.

The MMRF sincerely thanks the LRF for its partnership, as well as all of the guest speakers who lent their time and energy over the past two days. Most of all, the MMRF thanks the advocates for their contagious enthusiasm and tireless support and for making Blood Cancer Advocacys Day 2004 an overwhelming success. Your efforts truly made a difference for all patients.