International Myeloma Foundation 14th Annual Comedy Celebration Goes Virtual In 2020, Featuring "Everybody Loves Raymond" Cast Reunion Hosted By Ray Romano On October 23 At 9 PM ET

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), celebrating their 30th anniversary as the first and largest myeloma-specific foundation in the world, today announced that Ray Romano and his "Everybody Loves Raymond" castmates will reunite for a special evening to honor co-star Peter Boyle and re-create scenes from the sitcom that ran from 1996-2005. In addition to Romano, Patricia Heaton, Brad Garrett, Monica Horan and co-creator and Executive Producer Phil Rosenthal will participate in the two-hour event, along with special guests and bonus content.

The IMF 14th Annual Comedy Celebration will take place on Friday, October 23 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. It is particularly special for the organization this year, as October marks the IMF's 30-year anniversary. To tune in to this table read and celebrate 30 years of service to the myeloma community, the event will be available to stream on IMF's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/IMFMyeloma, IMF's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/myeloma and on the organization's event website at comedy.myeloma.org.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Peter Boyle Research Fund, named for the beloved actor who died in 2006 after a four-year battle with multiple myeloma – a complex and often misdiagnosed cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. It is the second most common blood cancer in the world. Through laughter, the event honors Boyle and raises crucial funds to find a cure for myeloma. The Peter Boyle Research Fund has supported the IMF's innovative research programs since the fund's inception in 2007. For the 14^th year, Loraine Alterman Boyle serves as Event Chair for the annual IMF Comedy Celebration in honor of her late husband. Since 2007, the annual event has featured more than 50 celebrity comedians and musical performers, and raised $8 million.

For the eighth year, the event also supports the International Myeloma Foundation's signature Black Swan Research Initiative® (BSRI), a groundbreaking and collaborative global project aimed at developing the first definitive cure for myeloma. Led by a multinational consortium of leading myeloma experts, BSRI aims to treat myeloma early and aggressively through a broad range of simultaneous initiatives. One promising endeavor are the "Cure" trials, designed to achieve a dramatic benefit for patients with early disease. For additional information on BSRI, visit bsri.myeloma.org.

About the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF)
Since 1990, the International Myeloma Foundation has remained dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma patients through its four founding principles: Research, Education, Support, and Advocacy. The IMF is a world-recognized leader in myeloma research and education with a global reach of over 525,000 members in 140 countries worldwide – including patients, caregivers, family members, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Through their signature research program, the Black Swan Research Initiative® (BSRI), the IMF is on the cusp of finding a cure for a subset of myeloma patients. The IMF is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to improving lives and finding a cure. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE (2873). The global website is myeloma.org. Follow the IMF on Twitter @IMFmyeloma. 

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For additional information, please contact Kevin Burke at Extension PR, 310-405-3226 or [email protected]

SOURCE International Myeloma Foundation

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http://www.myeloma.org