HealthWell Foundation Launches Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia Fund

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Dec 14, 2022, 10:42 ET

Medication Copayment and Insurance Premium Assistance Now Available

GERMANTOWN, Md., Dec. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The HealthWell Foundation^®, an independent non-profit that provides a financial lifeline for inadequately insured Americans, is proud to announce that it has launched a new fund to provide financial assistance to patients living with Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia. Through the new fund, HealthWell will provide up to $8,000 in copayment or insurance premium assistance to eligible patients with annual household incomes up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level to obtain prescription medications for the treatment and management of their condition.

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare type of blood cancer that begins in the white blood cells and is a slow-growing cancer of the lymphatic system. Common symptoms of WM include weakness and fatigue, shortness of breath, swollen lymph nodes, and swollen abdomen due to an enlarged liver or spleen. WM suppresses the immune system making those living with the condition vulnerable to infections where even minor respiratory or wound infections can become serious medical events. Some people may develop complications including hyperviscosity syndrome (thickening of the blood) and cold aggulutinin disease (sensitivity to cold in the hands and feet due to thickening of the blood). Source: International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation

"Although treatments to manage the symptoms of WM have improved over the years, accessing those treatments remains a challenge for many people living with this rare blood cancer," commented Newton Guerin, President & CEO, International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation. "We applaud the HealthWell Foundation and its donors for recognizing the undue financial burden patients face in accessing and affording their care. Staying on the prescribed treatment regimen is critical to managing symptoms and to a better quality of life. Thank you for recognizing this critical need and for providing the financial resources so desperately needed by our WM community."

"We are excited to be able to provide financial assistance that will enable access to care for those living with WM," commented Krista Zodet, HealthWell Foundation President. "For the WM community, obtaining and adhering to proper medical treatment is paramount to disease management and to maintaining quality of life. Unfortunately for many, accessing treatment may be cost prohibitive. We are thankful that our dedicated donors recognize the hardships many people living with WM face and are proud to be able to offer the financial resources they need to manage their condition."

To determine eligibility and apply for financial assistance, visit HealthWell's Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia Fund page. To learn how you can support this or other HealthWell programs, visit HealthWellFoundation.org.

About the HealthWell Foundation

A nationally recognized, independent non-profit organization founded in 2003, the HealthWell Foundation has served as a safety net across over 85 disease areas for more than 727,000 underinsured patients. Since its inception, HealthWell has provided over $2.7 billion in financial support through more than 1.1 million grants to access life-changing medical treatments patients otherwise would not be able to afford. HealthWell provides financial assistance to adults and children facing medical hardship resulting from gaps in their insurance that cause out-of-pocket medical expenses to escalate rapidly; HealthWell assists with the treatment-related cost-sharing obligations of these patients. HealthWell ranked 27th on the 2021 Forbes list of The 100 Largest U.S. Charities and was recognized for its 100 percent fundraising efficiency. For more information, visit www.HealthWellFoundation.org.

About the International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF)

The International Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia Foundation (IWMF) is a patient-founded and volunteer-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to a simple but compelling vision: Support everyone affected by Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) while advancing the search for a cure. To accomplish this vision, the IWMF offers several invaluable benefits:

Information for patients and caregivers written in easy-to-understand language.
Education to help patients and caregivers learn about WM.
On-going updates about WM and the IWMF on www.iwmf.com and through the quarterly Torch newsletter and NEWS releases.
Peer support from a world-wide network of patient groups and an online discussion forum.
Information for medical professionals who have limited experience with this rare disease.
Research funding directed to better treatments and the search for a cure.