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CMLS Group celebrate 13 years online

It was in April 2000 that we launched this website, replacing the newsletter I had written for patients at the CML outpatients clinic at Hammersmith Hospital London, on my return from the phase ll trial in the US.
I was so amazed that I had survived what was a dire prognosis that I had wanted to reach as many people as possible with the news that STI571 (imatinib) was continuing to amaze doctors and patients enrolled on the phase l and ll trials in the US, so much so that expanded access trials were to be set up in UK and Europe.
From this small beginning, over 13 years ago, we have seen an amazing transformation in the prognosis of CML.
I hope that we will see a cure for CML within the next 5 to 10 years, and that everyone diagnosed with Ph+CML will be able to access the right therapy as well as effective monitoring by RT Q-PCR, no matter where they live or who they are.

Sandy

Many, many thanks for this site. It has helped me and so many other people over the years and enabled us to 'speak' to other cml people and learn from their experiences. Bet you didn't think all those years ago that it would be so successful!
K

Sandy, you are doing such a wonderful job. At diagnosis, I felt very lonely and scared, as I am sure did lots of other people. However, reading all the information and chat on this site made me aware of how many other people were in the same boat - and most of them doing very well. It is still a great comfort, over 3 years on, and I wish you all the very best in the future. Keep up the good work!
Olivia

And all involved for all you so for all of us. Alot of hard work and efforts. Heres to the next 13 years and as you say a cure.

Nigel

By coincidence I was diagnosed on 28th March 2000.
Looking for answers, the first web site I found was Jerry Mayfield's 'New CML Drug.com' quickly followed by this one. The information, help and reassurance I received assisted me to cope with those early months.
Many thanks for the information I found on this site I was excepted on to one of the first UK STI-571 trials, later to named Glivec.
I thought, if was going to get CML, I couldn't have picked a better time.
Most of the time it hard believe that life can be so good after been given that death sentence 13 years ago.
Thank you all again for keeping this marvellous support site running.

Thanks Sandy for the information and hope for the future that this site gave me when I was first diagnosed in 2003 and thought that I had been given an early death sentence. This site is still a mine of information, so Many Thanks, Pam

Thank you Sandy for bringing the members of this site the support that was necessary to get through the first couple of months after diagnosis. In my case anyway.
I watched in awe as the successes of Gleevec were recorded here. Boy it gave me hope when prayers was all I had.
As you may recall I was diagnosed in July 2003 and was first on Roferon A for a few months. Man was that a bad ride. Then I changed Doctors and was started on Gleevec, 400mg per day. The rest of my story is a fairy tale.
At the end of April 2013 I will have been off all treatment for 4 years. Dr Mohan was a true pioneer with the STIM trials and my inspiration.
Dr Brian Druker my biggest hero to date - Amen!
My Haematologist, Dr David Brittain my best friend.
To all my fellow Brothers and Sisters, I wish you the good fortune I have enjoyed and I trust my story gives you the strength to fight CML with all your might. Remain positive at all times.
I am not sure if this fact still goes unchallenged, but Dr Ross in Australia advised me a while back that he had not heard of a recurrence of CML after being off a TKI for longer than 3 years.
BTW. I made a pact with my CML many years ago. If you win the battle and I die, you die as well. So far it seems as the truce is holding.
Best wishes from South Africa.