Impressions from Climb for a Cure Mount Kilimanjaro participants

"We have made great progress over the past two decades but we can't sit back and say the job is done when so many CML patients are still not receiving the best drug for them, and so few are achieving treatment-free-remission. With the Climb for a Cure Mount Kilimanjaro 2019 we wanted to do something a bit out of our comfort zone to celebrate 10 years of work by the iCMLf and to mark a new phase ...

"Researchers, patients, patient advocates, physicians and supporters of the Foundation joined us on the Climb for a Cure Mount Kilimanjaro 2019. For me this represents the whole CML community. It's how the community works together and responds together" (Nicola Evans, Chief Executive of the iCMLf)

"I spend my days treating patients with CML and we can treat them sucessfully, but the rest of the world is not like that. We have a bigger obligation to patients in other parts of the world that don't have what we have. I like this focus of the iCMLf" (Kendra Sweet - researcher and hematologist from the US)

"I pledged to do this for me and for all CML patients in Nigeria. CML is not known in Nigeria, the government doesn't know we exist because this is a rare cancer. What I really want to do is to make a change. It might not be possible in a lifetime but at least I will give it a try. It's better than not trying. From there I'll see what happens"(Andy Ojelabi - CML patient from Nigeria)

"The most amazing experience I've ever had, not only about climbing Kilimanjaro, but making this as a group and sharing our experiences" (Katia Pagnano - researcher and hematologist from Brazil)

"The perfect way to meet new friends, discover new places and challenge myself while supporting a noble cause. I would have never dreamed of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. If I can do this, CML researchers can find a cure for CML" (Rihab Nasr - researcher and hematologist from Lebanon)

"Patients do this mountain climbing every day if they have the diagnosis. I wanted to show my small tribute to their daily struggle" (Vamsi Kota - researcher and hematologist from the US)

Climb for a cure 2019 - Ayla, Conny and Yunus Borowczak

"Thanks to effective medication, CML has changed from a fatal to a chronic disease. This is a great achievement and gives CML patients hope. But this is not enough – more can be done!Our children need a healing therapy! This is our highest priority as a family and we want to reach the top and achieve a cure for CML."(Conny Borowczak with her daugher Ayla and her son Yunus - a CML patient)

Climb the Annapurna Base Camp and Raise Vital Funds to Help Find a Cure for CML.

By supporting the iCMLf Climb for a Cure Annapurna 2023, you’ll provide the iCMLf with funds to get closer to a cure. Show your support through climbing! You can be part of the team and we can raise funds together and spread the word about climbing for a cure and making Annapurna 2023 our most successful climb yet.

The iCMLf Genomics Alliance - Investigating clonal hierarchy in CML

The iCMLf Genomics Alliance is now partnering with the HARMONY Big Data platform to analyse genetic data from thousands of CML patients. A novel iCMLf Genomics Alliance research project, led by Professor Thomas Ernst (University Hospital Jena, Germany) will study the role of genetic aberrations in the disease course of CML.

'A goal of the iCMLf Genomics Alliance is to pool mutatational data through a shared database. This will enhance statistical power in order to understand the impact of genomic variation on treatment response for patients with CML' (Sue Branford – Chair of the iCMLf Genomics Alliance)

The iCMLf is leading the way to bring the CML community together to contribute genomic and clinical data to the HARMONY Plus database and use ‘Big Data’ to answer key questions in CML. The first project aims to elucidate the hierarchy of genomic events that underlie the disease course in CML. Sites from Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, UK and USA are currently entering data for the project.

We welcome further interest from groups to contribute data, or ideas for future analysis.

The iCMLf TFR Alliance - Optimising Treatment Free Remission

While a cure for CML remains the ultimate goal, treatment free remission (TFR) is often the treatment target for those on TKI therapy. Still, with around 50-60% of people achieving sustained TFR there is much room for improvement.
The iCMLf TFR Alliance has now evolved into a global network of 41 collaborators from 21 countries aiming to enhance successful TFR attempts for people with CML.

In 2021 the TFR Alliance began the process to establish an International TFR Registry that will be an optimal way to study clinically (and pharmaco-economically) important research questions on treatment-free remission.

To set up the registry, initial seed funding from the iCMLf was awarded to the Swedish CML Registry Group following a call for proposals. In August, a first meeting was held to define priorities for the TFR Registry and a survey to define the registry parameters and outcomes was sent out to the community. We meet in February to finalise the registry priorities and move into set up phase.

Learn more about the TFR Registry and how to get involved...

Mount Kilimanjaro has been climbed. CML can be cured.

IMG 20191104 WA0002 Mount Kilimanjaro has been climbed! In 2019 the iCMLf undertook a unique charity challenge to raise funds for the iCMLf CURE CONSORTIUM The funds raised will play an integral role in getting closer to a cure for CML. An amazing team of 26 climbers – researchers, doctors, patients and supporters from all over the world raised over $300,000 for the work of the Foundation. From 26 October to 3 November the Climb for a cure team sucessfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. The youngest climber was 18 years old, a CML patient from Germany.

$304,464 total funds raised by the Climb for a Cure team

26 participants from all over the world including Africa, Australia, Europe, Middle East, South America and USA

Click here to see our Climb for a Cure Mount Kilimanjaro video

Concerted global effort working towards a cure for CML

"There are currently estimated to be over 800,000 CML patients globally. CML is predicted to become the most prevalent leukaemia by 2040 when there are projected to be over 3 million patients worldwide. A concerted global effort working towards a cure is imperative.
The iCMLf is uniquely positioned to drive this effort.”
(Tim Hughes, iCMLf Chairman)

With the increasing prevalence of CML a concerted global effort working towards a cure is imperative. As a global organisation led by clinicians and researchers at the forefront of this disease, the iCMLf is uniquely positioned to do this. The iCMLf is increasingly turning to global priorities through precision medicine approaches aiming to improve outcomes for patients with CML.

The iCMLf will drive this effort by bringing interested parties together on specific projects under the banner of 'cure'. The Foundation has formed a CURE CONSORTIUM to focus our efforts working towards a cure for CML. Specifically, we plan to build multicentre global research collaborations to accelerate the development of more effective and safer treatment strategies with the view that these will lead to a cure.

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The iCMLf Climb for a Cure Mount Kilimanjaro 2019 Diary

Follow us on our way to the summit and experience with us all the challenges and wonderful experiences along the way

Our Climb for a Cure Mount Kilimanjaro video perfectly illustrates what the Climb for a Cure 2019 means to all of us, but especially for patients with CML.
Click here to see the video.

Developing a genome-based risk-calculator for newly diagnosed CML patients

The iCMLf has formed a Genomics Alliance to develop a genome-based risk calculator for newly diagnosed CML patients. The Alliance aims to harness the wealth of genomic information that is generated in local CML research projects by building a platform to facilitate data assimilation and sample exchanges. Combining many data sets and facilitating global collaborative studies will enable us to develop a baseline predictor of adverse outcomes.

Maximising achievement of TFR while minimising failed TFR attempts and other negative outcomes

The iCMLf also formed a second Alliance under the banner of CURE - the iCMLf Treatment-Free-Remission (TFR) Alliance. The mission of the iCMLf TFR Alliance is to maximise achievement of TFR while minimising failed TFR attempts and other negative outcomes.

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Registered Address: International CML Foundation - 20 Eversley Road - Bexhill-On-Sea, East Sussex, TN40 1HE - UK