Dr. Castro on HDMP+ Obinutuzumab and Many Chances to Learn and Share About Our CLL

The CLL Society can keep me too busy at times.
Here's why.
Summer has flown by and we’re preparing for a very busy and educational fall, especially with the next issue of The CLL Tribune.
Just a reminder, if you have a question for our Ask The Doctor section, you can submit it here. http://www.cllsociety.org/newsletter/ask-tell-questions-suggestions/
No question is too silly to ask and you can be sure others have the same questions.  This week in the Conference Coverage section, we’ve posted an interview with Dr. Januario Castro out of UCSD where we discussed the results of his trial studying HDMP + obinutuzumab in both untreated and relapsed refractory CLL. You can view that interview from ASH 2015 here. http://cllsociety.org/2016/08/castro-hdmp-obinutuzumab-cll/ 
We are pleased to announce that a new CLL Patient and Caregiver Support and Education Group will be starting in partnership with the Levine Cancer Institute – Morehead in Charlotte, North Carolina. The first meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 18th at 6:30 PM. Patients and family caregivers are welcome. 

Find out more about dates and registration here:

http://cllsociety.org/docs/CLL%20Patient%20Caregiver%20Support%20Group%20Levine%20Cancer%20Center.pdf. 

This will be a great group, so if you live near Charlotte, please try to attend. 

From time to time, we will make you aware of in-person meetings coming up for those of us affected by CLL and lymphoma, specifically:

·   Monday, September 12^that 6 PM at The Westin Seattle in Seattle, WA: The Lymphoma Research Foundation will be hosting Updates on Lymphoma and Treatment Options as part of their Ask the Doctor series. John Pagel from The Swedish Cancer Institute is the featured speaker. Dinner will be served and there is no charge to attend. You can find out more information and register here. http://www.lymphoma.org/site/pp.asp?c=bkLTKaOQLmK8E&b=9418923

·   Monday, September 19^that 10 AM at The Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow, Scotland: The CLL Support Association (CLLSA) is hosting a 2016 Glasgow Members Conference. Dr. Alison McCaig a consultant in the haematology department of the Royal Alexandra Hospital will be the featured speaker. Lunch and refreshments will be served and there is no charge to attend for members. You can find out more information and register here. http://www.cllsupport.org.uk/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=33
·   Wednesday, September 21st at 6 PM at the New York Marriott East Side in New York City: The Lymphoma Research Foundation will be hosting Updates on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia / Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma as part of their Ask the Doctor series. Rick Furman from New York Presbyterian – Weill Cornell Medical (also part of the CLL Society Medical Advisory Board) is the featured speaker.Dinner will be served and there is no charge to attend. You can find out more information and register here. http://www.lymphoma.org/site/pp.asp?c=bkLTKaOQLmK8E&b=9419387
·   Saturday, October 8^that 9 AM at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society will be hosting their New York/New Jersey Metropolitan Area Blood Cancer Conference. Dr. Anthony Mato from the Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA will be speaking during the CLL breakout session. Breakfast and lunch will be served and there is no charge to attend. Parking is also complimentary. You can find out more information and register here. https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/nynjbcc/443564/

The CLL Society has become aware of a series of unbranded patient meetings coming up in September and October (with a few more to come in November and December). CLL patients will share their personal stories, and local CLL experts will be providing a talk on the basics of CLL. A complimentary meal will be provided and parking is free. You are welcome to bring a guest. One member of the CLL Society will be at each meeting to show a brief video and give a talk about the impact support and education groups have had on their CLL journey. We will provide practical tips and support for setting up a local CLL group and will stay afterwards to meet with attendees who may be interested in participating in a support group in those areas. We look forward to meeting you there. The first 10 confirmed meetings are:

·   Tuesday, September 6^thin Rosemont, IL. More details in the flyer. Access it here. http://cllsociety.org/docs/CLL_Flyer_RosemontIL.pdf·   Tuesday, September 13^thin Orlando, FL. More details in the flyer. Access it here. http://cllsociety.org/docs/BCO_LPOP_CLL_Flyer_Orlando_081716.pdf·   Saturday, September 17^thin Long Island, NY. More details in the flyer. Access it here. http://cllsociety.org/docs/BCO_LPOP_CLL_EventFlyer_LongIslandNY_081816.pdf·   Wednesday, September 21^stin Madison, WI. More details in the flyer. Access it here. http://cllsociety.org/docs/CLL_Flyer_MadisonWI.pdf·   Saturday, September 24^thin Framingham, MA. More details in the flyer. Access it here. http://cllsociety.org/docs/BCO_LPOP_CLL_EventFlyer_FarminghamMA_082216.pdf·   Thursday, September 29^thin Portland, OR. More details in the flyer. Access it here. http://cllsociety.org/docs/BCO_LPOP_CLL_EventFlyer_PortlandOR_082416.pdf·   Tuesday, October 4^th in Phoenix, AZ. More details in the flyer. Access it here. http://cllsociety.org/docs/BCO_LPOP_CLL_EventFlyer_PhoenixAZ_082216.pdf·   Thursday, October 6^th in Park Ridge, NJ. More details in the flyer. Access it here. http://cllsociety.org/docs/BCO_LPOP_CLL_EventFlyer_HackensackNJ_082416.pdfI'll be at this one in NJ!·   Tuesday, October 11^th in Bloomington, MN. More details in the flyer. Access it here. http://cllsociety.org/docs/Minneapolis,%20MN%20BCO%20Flyer.pdf·   Tuesday, October 25^th in Golden, CO. More details in the flyer. Access it here. http://cllsociety.org/docs/BCO_LPOP_CLL_EventFlyer_DenverCO_082216.pdfI am off next week to Portugal to speak at the the European School of Hematology's  2nd International Conference on New Concepts in B-Cell Malignancies in front of about 400 hematologists where I will be discussing the American challenges on ensuring that the breakthroughs in therapies reach the patients that need them.
In the meantime….

Stay strong.

We are all in this together.
Brian Koffman, MD8/30/16
http://cllsociety.org
If you want a personal response, or just want to stay in touch, please email me at bkoffmanMD@gmail.com. I have no other way of contacting. Thanks. Stay strong. After all, we are all in this together. And please visit our website: http://cllsociety.org for the latest news and information.