Prato, 23 dicembre ’09
L’anno that is about to close has been a year full of news for our association with events that have marked the path to a positive work began in April 2008.
In March this year, our association has reached an affiliation agreement with the IMF, International Myeloma Foundation, the first international foundation to have dealt with multiple myeloma since 1993. The IMF, which is based in the United States cooperates with other entities such as ours in the world promoting the information on multiple myeloma at all levels. We are delighted to have reached this agreement which will surely help our organization grow so that even in Italy to spread the information on this important disease.
In June this year was held on Memorial Schirinzi IV A. Mario, our popular annual golf event that aims to raise awareness of a wider audience on multiple myeloma. This year the competition also received the patronage of the Italian Golf Federation as well as policies that the Directorate of Sports of the Municipality of Prato. The event in its four years of life has reached almost a thousand people and has involved over 15 agencies and other sources. Among the distinguished guests of this event again this year we were pleased to see the participation of Giancarlo Antognoni, a great sportsman and a man of great sensitivity. Through our Memorial Association has released the voice of those affected by myeloma and media and public awareness at different levels.
In October this year was held the second annual seminar aimed to myeloma patients and their families. The presence this year by Dr. Brian Durie allowed the participants to be able to have a broader view of issues related to myeloma and new therapies being tested. Through this appointment year, the association wants to raise awareness and educated people face in our care in order to obtain all the information needed to combat the disease.
For next year, through the great moral support and encouragement came from many quarters, the association wants to continue the path taken in the current year and increasing in the previous year's scheduled events. The Memorial will see more dates in Tuscany in order to reach a wider audience and get in touch with various local authorities. The dates for the golf competition will reach the provinces of Florence and Pisa as well as that of Prato where he held the final.
The information seminars will become two: one aimed at practitioners who need to receive and guide the patient in the first instance of multiple myeloma and therefore need to deepen their knowledge of the disease, the second event sarà rivolto ai pazienti con un pannello allargato di relatori che quest’anno per la prima volta vedrà la partecipazione di uno psicologo specializzato in malattie oncologiche.
Siamo coscienti del grande impegno e della responsabilità che ci attende con l’anno che verrà; siamo tuttavia altresì convinti che attraverso il vostro sostegno e incoraggiamento che ci avete sempre dimostrato in questi 21 mesi di attività potremo affrontare questi appuntamenti con la forza e la positività che ci ha portato a realizzare tutto quello che abbiamo fatto sino ad oggi.
Un grazie sincero ancora a tutte le persone che hanno collaborato con noi nel 2009 e che ci hanno sostenuto, augurando a voi tutti un Buon Natale e un 2010 full of good news.
Vittorio Schirinzi
Association President A. Schirinzi Mario
