Dear Friends:

Thank you for visiting the Uzanas Family Fund of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF). We are pleased to partner with the MMRF to establish this fund in memory of our mother, Loretta Uzanas, who in June 2003 passed away following a 12-year battle with multiple myeloma.

Our mother was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1992. Like many families confronted with multiple myeloma, we had never heard of the disease until our mother was diagnosed. We were bombarded with unfamiliar terms and unpronounceable words, but of course we understood that there was no cure. Both ours and our mother's reaction was one of fear, confusion, and hopelessness.

After the initial shock, we began to look for sources of information and support that would help guide us as our mother faced her diagnosis. Our father, our mother's high school sweetheart and husband of 43 years, took it upon himself to be a very proactive advocate for our mother. As a result, our mother had the best treatment and care available at that time.

Unfortunately, as the disease progressed, our mother was not able to not to continue to do some of the activities she loved most. However, showing her truly remarkable spirit, our mother began to channel the energy and passion she once had for activities-- such as golfing and adventure traveling--into her artistic talents. In fact, she even established a business of designing beautiful silk and dried floral arrangements--a successful venture which continued into her final years. She also found time to devote to both doll making and collecting.

These creative pursuits, along with her loving family, sustained her through the challenging times she faced as a myeloma patient. Recognizing the importance of support in facing a myeloma diagnosis, our mother was incredibly compassionate toward other myeloma patients. She often would offer advice and counsel to newly diagnosed patients, providing insight to those with whom she shared her experiences, and standing as a steady source of support for other families facing the disease.

Yet, staying informed and getting the support needed was not always easy for our mother or as a family facing multiple myeloma. Especially during the early years of our mother's diagnosis, there was very little research into myeloma, information and knowledge about myeloma was limited, and there were few resources for myeloma patients and their families. That is why the MMRF became such an important resource and valuable source of support for our family throughout our mother's battle with the disease.

In addition to funding the world's most promising myeloma research, the MMRF has remained committed to keeping myeloma patients and their families informed of this research and other advances made against the disease. Working from a philosophy that knowledge is power, the MMRF equips patients and their families with timely and reliable information on myeloma to they can make informed decisions about their treatment and care. And perhaps more importantly, knowledge of the progress made against myeloma gives families facing the disease reason to believe that a cure is within reach.

We know from experience that a myeloma diagnosis affects the whole family. Your generous support of the Uzanas Family Fund will not only honor our mother's courageous and resolute struggle with myeloma, but will help the MMRF support the thousands of other families thousands of families affected by the disease.

Sincerely,

Stephen Uzanas, Ray Uzanas, Cheryl Jourdan, Christine Kilgore