MY LIFE IS WORTH IT Says Multiple Myeloma Patient Don Wright Will Talk About Achieving His Goal of Running 100 Marathons with Cancer During Global Medical Conference in San Diego
–75-Year-Old is Example of Medical Innovation and Insurance
Reimbursement Working Together to Provide Life-Changing Medical
Care–
NEW YORK & SAN DIEGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–MY LIFE IS WORTH IT (MLIWI), a non-profit patient advocacy
organization, congratulates Don Wright on achieving his personal goal of
running 100 marathons with cancer, and personifying the progress that is
possible treating this disease.
Thirteen years ago, when Don was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a
blood cancer of cells in the bone marrow, he began running marathons.
November 20th, in Philadelphia, he ran his 100th
marathon since diagnosis, at age 75 while on treatment. Now he heads to
San Diego, site of the global hematology cancer conference December 2nd
through 6th. Don will speak to advocacy organizations and at
patient events to put a face to the data and add his personal story to
illustrate the progress being made today and the promise needed tomorrow.
“We can’t hit the wall when it comes to developing new treatments, to
use a marathon expression,” says Don. “Cancer is a clever opponent; it
figures out ways to defeat your medications, which is why research to
get us new medicines is so important. I was on an amazing pill for seven
years, and when my cancer flared there was a brand-new immunotherapy to
add to my regimen, or I might not be here.”
“But throwing us curve balls doesn’t help, to use a baseball
expression,” says former major league pitcher and fellow myeloma patient
Bob Tufts. “For example, many insurance policies make patients pay more
out-of-pocket for pills than a needle in the arm, or they saddle us with
high co-pays. That’s why I co-founded MY LIFE IS WORTH IT, and
why Don and I are so passionate about giving people like us a voice to
fight for development of the innovations and access to the treatments we
need.”
In his case, Don maintains the system does work! Don’s
combination-therapy is covered by insurance. That’s how it should be for
everyone.
“Medical advances keep Don running,” says Ardis Wright, Don’s wife of 53
years. “Our hope is the concentric circles of interest in Don’s story
will help other patients get the modern medicines they need too.”
Look for Don, Ardis and their daughter Sarah in San Diego. And at the
Patients Rising VOICES OF VALUE forum in person or online,
December 4th. (https://patientsrising.org/events/voices-value-speak-patients-progress-access-innovation-and-future-reform)
IMPORTANT LINKS:
www.facebook.com/eRaceCancer
www.twitter.com/eRaceCancer
Contacts
Initiate PR
Deanne Eagle, 917-837-5866
