John Legend to Perform at MMRF Annual Fall Gala to Benefit Cancer Research

Oscar- and Grammy-Award Winning Singer and Songwriter, John Legend will perform at the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) Annual Fall Gala on Saturday, October 24, 2015 in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.

The evening's Courage and Commitment honoree is Professor Elie Wiesel, Nobel Laureate, and the Wiesel Family. Mr. Wiesel is a renowned author and the President of The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. He has been awarded more than 100 honorary degrees, and is the recipient of the esteemed Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Nobel Prize for Peace. Acceptance remarks will be delivered by Mr. Wiesel's son, Elisha Wiesel.

Karen E. Andrews, MMRF Co-Founder and a current member of the MMRF Board of Directors, will be honored with the Spirit of Hope Award. Ms. Andrews has been a steadfast champion of accelerating cancer research and has helped the MMRF to become one of the leading research foundations in the nation, if not the world. A Greenwich, CT resident, Ms. Andrews also serves as the Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the March of Dimes.

Both awards are the highest accolade presented by the Foundation in recognition of extraordinary contributions by the honorees to inspire hope through his or her life's work.

The evening's Mistress of Ceremonies is Bonnie Hunt, Actress, Director, Producer and Writer and MMRF Honorary Board of Directors. Presenting sponsors include: Takeda Oncology and Janssen Biotech, Inc. Funds raised through this premier event will benefit the groundbreaking cancer research models of the MMRF, which are aimed at accelerating the development of new treatments to extend the lives of myeloma patients and find a cure for multiple myeloma, the second most prevalent blood cancer.

The MMRF Fall Gala is the largest charity event in Fairfield County, CT and is attended by over 1,200 of the nation's most prominent celebrities, business executives and health care professionals. For more information about the MMRF Annual Fall Gala, please visit: www.themmrf.org/FallGalaTickets. To reserve a table or inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please email mmrf@benefitoffice.org or call 888-584-5463.

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 will be diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015 and an estimated 11,240 people are predicted to die from the disease.

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.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos