We all want to find a cure for multiple myeloma, and quickly. That's where the Myeloma Crowd Research Initiative (MCRI) comes in. MCRI is a new approach to funding cancer research that combines the skill and knowledge of leading myeloma specialists with the patient perspective and supportive patient social communities. Together, we will select and fund promising research projects in myeloma. The goal of the MCRI is to find and fund a cure for multiple myeloma. To date, we have received 10 top-notch proposals that could potentially be curative for high-risk disease (and as patients relapse and disease progresses, every myeloma will become high risk!). The MCRI radio show is in the process of interviewing each doctor about their proposal, and in July, a panel of experts will select the top proposals to fund. We will keep you posted.  Our fundraising efforts will begin in earnest this summer and we will keep you updated on how you can help in this critically important endeavor. In the meantime, this is what we need you to do: Set up your personal Team Page. We don't need you to raise funds yet, or to communicate to your network of friends, family and supporters-- that will all come later this summer. Setting up your team (and that's all we need you to do today) takes just a few minutes and is super easy. To do this:

• Click here or go to www.myelomacrowd.org and look for the colorful box at the top of the page that says BUILD A TEAM TODAY.
• Once you're there, select the blue box on the left side of the page that says BUILD A TEAM and create your login. Here you can also customize your page by adding a photo, your story, or anything else. You will also select your fundraising goal. Consider making it a stretch goal. There are great incentives for teams that earn $5,000 or higher, including TUMI luggage, a Tiffany necklace, and even an Apple laptop computer.

That's it- you're done! Please consider building your team today. It should take you no more than 10 minutes. In order for us to have a successful fundraising launch this summer (we will wait to launch when the MCRI has selected its projects), we must have many teams ready to go. Together, we can find a cure for myeloma. It is possible, it is out there, we need your help.