The International Myeloma Foundation Launches the Iceland Cycling Expedition: A Fundraiser to Advance the Goals of the iStopMM Project and the IMF’s Robust Array of Research Initiatives

STUDIO CITY, Calif., Feb. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is excited to announce the launch of the Iceland Cycling Expedition (ICE)—a 3-day, 2-night fundraiser biking tour set to take place from August 29 – September 4, 2024, in Reykjavik and around Iceland to kick off Blood Cancer Awareness Month, which happens every September.

The ICE biking tour is an inaugural signature IMF Myeloma Cures fundraiser, with the goal of highlighting IMF’S diverse and robust research portfolio.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

ICE will include a team of approximately twelve participants who will be individually raising funds for the IMF’S vast Research portfolio. These IMF cyclists will embark on an unforgettable journey of adventure and purpose, as they take part in this exclusive bike tour of the breathtaking landscapes of Iceland while doing it to find a cure for myeloma.

This sensational event will begin in Reykjavik with a tour of the deCODE genetics building, where the iStopMM (Iceland Screens, Treats, Or Prevents Multiple Myeloma) Research Project is currently based. The iStopMM Research Project is a first-of-its-kind, population-based screening study for monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS).

iStopMM Principal Investigator Dr. Sigurdur Y. Kristinsson (University of Iceland—Reykjavik, Iceland) will be leading the tour, and participants will have the opportunity to explore the iStopMM Project laboratories as well as the unique deCODE DNA Biobank.

The tour will also feature talks and presentations around the IMF’s groundbreaking cure trials including ongoing efforts and progress being made by the iStopMM team.

The expedition will conclude with an intimate dinner with Dr. Kristinsson and the iStopMM Research Team at the Blue Lagoon in Grindavík.

“I am thrilled to be hosting the tour and intimate dinner for the IMF Iceland Cycling Expedition this year in my home country. On behalf of the iStopMM team, I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to the IMF for organizing the ICE event and for giving the iStopMM team the opportunity to feature our ongoing efforts and progress in myeloma research. This inaugural signature IMF Myeloma Cures fundraiser is definitely groundbreaking, and I look forward to having it every year in Iceland,” said Dr. Kristinsson.

IMF Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Brian G.M. Durie is elated that the Iceland Cycling Expedition will be inaugurated in Iceland—the home of the iStopMM Research Project. “It is only fitting that this signature IMF Myeloma Cures fundraiser will be first held in the breathtaking scenery of Iceland. I am just as equally excited about the expedition as the participants and the wonderful IMF staff who tirelessly worked to make this event possible.”

“As much as the ICE event is groundbreaking, the iStopMM Project’s research work is also trailblazing in its efforts to screen and identify individuals with asymptomatic MGUS or smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM). Knowledge of the underlying DNA profile of all iStopMM participants leads to powerful translational research opportunities,” added Dr. Durie.

“The Iceland Cycling Expedition offers a unique opportunity to join a determined team focused on finding a cure for myeloma amid breathtaking landscapes. With 28 years of living with myeloma, for me, the urgency is real. Join the revolution against myeloma, whether cycling with us or supporting from afar, and together, let’s turn Iceland’s beauty into a symbol of a brighter, myeloma-free future,” said IMF President & CEO Yelak Biru, who is also a 28-year myeloma survivor.

“The IMF couldn’t be more excited and eager to launch this event and bring the myeloma community together through a fun and adventurous bike tour all in search of finding a cure for myeloma. We are in this together!” said IMF’s Vice President of Development Sylvia Dsouza.

ICE is not just a cycling expedition—it is also an opportunity to make a lasting and meaningful impact in the IMF’s fight against multiple myeloma, the second most common blood cancer in the United States and the most common blood cancer among African Americans.

You, too, can seize the opportunity to become a part of this noble cause. For more information about the IMF Iceland Cycling Expedition, contact Ilana Kenville, IMF Director of Development, Peer to Peer Fundraising at ikenville@myeloma.org or Sylvia Dsouza, IMF Vice President of Development at sdsouza@myeloma.org.

To apply for this exciting expedition or to make donations, visit the IMF Iceland Cycling Expedition fundraiser.

The International Myeloma Foundation is grateful to Sanofi, a long-time and unwavering supporter of the IMF, for sponsoring the inaugural Iceland Cycling Expedition.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA FOUNDATION
Founded in 1990, the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is the first and largest global foundation focusing specifically on multiple myeloma. The Foundation’s reach extends to more than 525,000 members in 140 countries worldwide. The IMF is dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma patients while working toward prevention and a cure by focusing on four key areas: research, education, support, and advocacy. The IMF has conducted more than 250 educational seminars worldwide, maintains a world-renowned InfoLine, and in 2001, established the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), a collaborative research initiative focused on improving myeloma treatment options for patients. In 2012, the IMF launched the Black Swan Research Initiative^®, a groundbreaking research project aimed at curing myeloma. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE (2873). The global website is www.myeloma.org.

ABOUT THE BLACK SWAN RESEARCH INITIATIVE^®
The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) has banded together the world’s brightest minds in research, oncology, and health studies to form the IMF’s Black Swan Research Initiative^® (BSRI) – a leading-edge project that pits our scientists and leaders on the frontlines against myeloma. The IMF’s BSRI was established in 2012, following a scientific brainstorming meeting linked to the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) Summit in Amsterdam. Together, the IMF and BSRI’s mission is to find the first definitive cure for myeloma and to help bridge the gap from long-term remission to cure. Led by an international consortium of myeloma experts, BSRI is bridging the gap from long-term remission to cure by sharing collective data and tracking myeloma through multiple, simultaneous drug trials and therapies to determine which work best.

ABOUT THE ISTOPMM PROJECT
Launched in 2016, the iStopMM (Iceland Screens, Treats, or Prevents Multiple Myeloma) Project is the first population-based screening study for monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), with Dr. Sigurdur Y. Kristinsson of the University of Iceland as principal investigator. The study also includes a randomized trial of follow-up strategies. The iStopMM Project is one of several global research projects supported by the IMF Black Swan Research Initiative® (BSRI) which is committed to finding a cure for myeloma.

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Facebook: @myeloma
LinkedIn: International Myeloma Foundation 

Media Contacts:
Peter Anton 
Panton@myeloma.org

Jason London
Jlondon@myeloma.org