Mario Cantone to Perform at Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation 'Laugh for Life' Benefit

Celebrated New York stage actor and stand-up comedian Mario Cantone will perform at the 14th annual Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) 2016 Laugh for Life fundraiser. The comedy event will be held on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, in New York City. Joy Behar, writer, actress and Emmy-Award winning talk show co-host, is the evening's Comedic emcee, with an opening act performance by actor and comedian Brad Zimmerman. WABC-TV meteorologist Amy Freeze will host the event.

New York native and Laugh for Life Co-Chair Sherri Lippman will be honored with the MMRF's Spirit of Hope Award. This award recognizes people who have inspired hope and shown extraordinary commitment to the MMRF and its mission. For the past four years, Ms. Lippman has chaired the MMRF Laugh for Life and is also an active member of the Women's Leadership Council at Temple Israel in New York City. Her dedication to the cause is inspired by her family's history: her father passed away, and her sister, Jane, is currently battling this incurable cancer. Ms. Lippman is grateful for the support of her family her husband of more than 40 years, Howie, her three beautiful children and four grandchildren.

The MMRF is grateful for the support of these leading pharmaceutical companies: Presenting Sponsor - Celgene Corporation and Leadership Circle Sponsors - Janssen Oncology and Takeda Oncology. The MMRF is one of the leading cancer research organizations worldwide. This groundbreaking foundation has combined the most successful characteristics of a Fortune 500 company and a scientific research lab to invent a new kind of entity, with a culture of speed, innovation, accountability and results. The MMRF's Precision Medicine Model is the only end-to-end system in cancer research today and is leading the way in developing the next generation of treatments and ultimately finding a cure.

The MMRF Laugh for Life is a premier New York comedy event attended by over 700 supporters including patients, family members, healthcare leaders and business executives. For more information, please visit: www.themmrf.org/laugh. To reserve a table or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please email events@themmrf.org or call 888-292-8488.

About Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cell. It is the second most common blood cancer. An estimated 26,850 adults (14,090 men and 12,760 women) in the United States were diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and an estimated 11,240 people were predicted to die from the disease. The five-year survival rate for MM is approximately 47%, versus 31% in 1999.

About the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)

The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) was established in 1998 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization by twin sisters Karen Andrews and Kathy Giusti, soon after Kathy's diagnosis with multiple myeloma. The mission of the MMRF is to relentlessly pursue innovative means that accelerate the development of next-generation multiple myeloma treatments to extend the lives of patients and lead to a cure. As the world's number-one private funder of multiple myeloma research, the MMRF has raised $300 million since its inception and directs nearly 90% of total budget to research and related programming. As a result, the MMRF has been awarded Charity Navigator's coveted four-star rating for 12 years, the highest designation for outstanding fiscal responsibility and exceptional efficiency.