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Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma News - Return to News Menu
Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma Survivors Aid Others
By JEAN TARBETT - The Herald-Dispatch
February 14, 2005 - Karen McClanahan owes much of her quality of life to advancements in cancer treatments. Ryan Harbison feeds his 16-month-old son Evan while he and his family have dinner at his mother-in-law Karen McClanahan's home Thursday in Huntington. Cancer survivors who are participating in a daffodil sale to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
The 51-year-old, a mother of two and grandmother of three, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma six years ago. It’s incurable, but treatments are available until they find a cure.
"And I believe they can," said McClanahan, an employee at Cabell County Schools and volunteer with the American Cancer Society. Her son in-law is a cancer survivor as well.
There is hope, she said. And the American Cancer Society is selling daffodils right now to represent that hope for a cure and raise money to back it. The society is selling larger, fresh-cut daffodils, as well as pots of miniature daffodils.
"They signify new life," McClanahan said. "They’re spring and fresh and new. I think they’re beautiful."
The Daffodil Days campaign goes on through February, and orders will be delivered March 14-20, the week before Palm Sunday.
"It’s our annual event that’s about 40 years old," said Sherry Kincaid, community manager for the local branch of the cancer society. "It’s a flower of hope, and people look for it every year.
"These last about 10 days, and they’re very fragrant. The fresh cuts are large, and the potted are miniatures, but they’re extremely hardy. They come back year after year."
The cancer society encourages individuals and businesses to buy daffodils.
Money raised for cancer research is paying off, the organization reports. A news release for the American Cancer Society says there are more than 9 million cancer survivors in the United States, and that for the first time in history, more than 62 percent of Americans diagnosed with cancer are now living five years or more.
"I think in 1995, we saw the first downward turn in cancer death, and since then our research has helped forward cancer advances," said Amy Wentz Berner, communications and marketing director for the American Cancer Society in West Virginia. "And people are screened earlier so survival chances go up.
"Daffodils are so nice -- it really signifies the hope the cancer patient has for survival now."
The daffodils cost $6 for a bunch of 10 fresh-cuts; $8.50 for a single pot of miniature daffodils; and $125 for a box of 15 pots of miniatures. A purchase of 25 bunches of fresh-cut daffodils costs $150.
To order daffodils or for more information, call (304) 523-7989 or log onto www.cancer.org.
Genzyme reports positive results in Mozobil trial
Aug 2 2007 -
Genzyme Corp. on Thursday reported positive results from its second phase 3 trial of Mozobil for the treatment of multiple myeloma, which is a cancer of the plasma cell.
The Cambridge, Mass.-based drug developer (Nasdaq: GENZ) said the results, which met both primary and secondary endpoints, are similar to findings from a trial reported last month for the use of Mozobil to treat non-Hodgkins lymphoma patients.
The combined strength of these two trials -- in which patients with two types of cancer achieved more rapid and effective mobilization of stem cells in preparation for transplant than patients treated with current therapies -- will support Mozobils regulatory approval, commercialization, and likely adoption as a standard of care in transplantation, Genzyme said in a release.
Genzyme said based on the results, the company expects to file for US and European regulatory approval in both multiple myeloma and lymphoma in the first half of 2008. The company anticipates receiving priority review, and marketing approval by the end of 2008. Genzyme plans to launch the product early in 2009.
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