Online Health Tips

MPN Research Foundation and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Partner to Spur Innovation in Fibrosis Research

Chicago and White Plains, New York (PRWEB) January 23, 2012

Applicants for this concept grant program (titled the MF Challenge) will have until April 1, 2012 to submit their proposal for funding in the amount of up to $ 100,000 per grant. The grant review will take place in June 2012 in Chicago.

“Concept grants” are used to identify innovative and novel approaches to an issue. Since the objective is to identify and fund new approaches to this problem, applicants are not required to have preliminary data. Success for a grant is defined as proving an idea is worth pursuing further.

Fibrosis is the formation of excessive fibrous connective tissue in place of healthy tissue. The disease myelofibrosis (one of the myeloproliferative neoplasms) is characterized by fibrosis in the bone marrow. Prognosis for sufferers of myelofibrosis varies. A small proportion of MF patients can transform to acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a type of blood and bone marrow cancer that progresses rapidly.

MPN Research Foundation President Barbara Van Husen feels that this grant program is timely: “Myelofibrosis is the deadliest of the MPNs, and patients of both polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia have the potential to convert to myelofibrosis. Despite that, we have never received a request for funding based purely on research into fibrosis. We are going to change that with this grant program.”

“LLS takes an aggressive and proactive approach to identifying areas of critical unmet need and funding research in those areas in order to improve the outcomes for patients with particularly urgent diagnoses and myelofibrosis is such an area,” said Richard C. Winneker, LLS senior vice president, research. “LLS looks forward to working with the MPN Research Foundation to meet the challenge for patients with myelofibrosis.”

About The Myeloproliferative Research Foundation

The MPN Research Foundation was started in 2000. Founded by patients, for patients, terms on every research grant are negotiated to maximize the dollars invested in actual research. The Foundation’s esteemed Scientific Advisory Board utilizes a rigorous selection process to ensure donations are allocated to the most innovative research projects. To date, the Foundation has awarded over eight million dollars for MPN research. While the priority remains on funding innovative and accountable MPN research, the mission also includes educating and empowering the MPN community.

MPN Research Foundation

180 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1870

Chicago, IL 60601

Office: 312-683-7249

Fax: 312-332-0840

http://www.mpnresearchfoundation.org

Twitter: @MPN_RF

Blog: http://www.mpnrf.blogspot.com

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services. Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit http://www.LLS.org or contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. http://www.lls.org. Media contact: Andrea Greif, (914) 821-8958, andrea.greif(at)lls(dot)org.

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Early Bird Publishing Joins Fight Against Cystic Fibrosis

Cranford, NJ (PRWEB) February 5, 2004 -

—Buy a birthday card online from Early Bird Publishing, and you can strike a blow against cystic fibrosis at the same time.

Early Bird Publishing, an independent greeting card company based in Cranford, N.J., is donating 50 cents for every card bought online at its Web site to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The foundation funds research into the disease and works to raise public awareness.

Participation in the program requires that customers have a working account with the online payment system PayPal, available at PayPal.com. Customers need to name the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in the note portion of the PayPal form as they send an order, via e-mail, to info@earlybirdpublishing.com.

There are no shipping and handling fees for orders of $ 20 or more. Customers who choose not to pay online also may call or fax orders to 908-497-1612.

Owned and operated by John Hartnett, Early Bird Publishing launched its Cards for Charity program recently as a way to help the family of a Cranford third-grader who suffers from cystic fibrosis.

“Curtis is a classmate and friend of my daughter Annabelle. He’s very funny, a talented athlete and on a very personal level, he epitomizes the need to support research efforts to cure this disease,” said Hartnett. “I spoke to his parents about starting this project and they put me in touch with the Greater New Jersey Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, where they were very supportive in helping me get started.”

Triggered by a genetic defect, cystic fibrosis causes the body to produce an abnormally thick mucus that coats the lungs and that can turn even the most basic cold into a life-threatening lung infection. The disease also can prevent crucial enzymes from reaching the digestive tract, leaving afflicted children small for their age and unable to thrive.

Cystic fibrosis affects 30,000 children and adults in the United States. Another 10 million Americans unknowingly carry the gene for cystic fibrosis without ever showing symptoms themselves.

Customers participating in the program can choose from Early Bird Publishing’s two different lines of humorous, original greeting cards. Categories range from birthday and anniversary wishes to cards with messages such as “Get well” and “Congratulations,” to announcements about new babies and moving plans.

“We publish cards designed to meet the needs of people seeking a more sophisticated but good-natured line of humorous cards,” said Hartnett. “In other words, we’re funny for everybody.”

Hartnett plans to extend the Cards for Charity program to include other charities as well. He can be reached at (908) 497-1612.

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.