About CMLSg/postal address

CMLSupport.org.uk is an online patient support group which was set up in 1999 after a fortuitous meeting between two patients who were both diagnosed with PH+ Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia. Sandy Craine and Elizabeth Rees were diagnosed within months of each other and were being treated at Hammersmith Hospital Haematology Department in London, UK.

In August 1999 Sandy had travelled to Portland, Oregon in the USA to take part in phase ll trials of a new drug therapy for Ph+ CML. The drug, then called STI 571 later to become known as Glivec, (Gleevec -US) represented a revolutionary approach to cancer therapy and was showing great promise in its ability to control the escalating blood counts typical of CML patients.

However, more importantly, trial patients were showing signs of significant cytogenetic remissions of an order unknown with previous drug therapies. Online patient support groups based in the US were buzzing with excitement at the data coming out of the trials. News of this exciting step forward in cancer treatment spread fast. This was the beginning of the internet age which represented a way forward for patients eager to access the best available therapy.

As the first patient from a European country to get access to this revolutionary treatment, Sandy Craine wanted to share information about this drug with other patients in the UK. Elizabeth had reservations about her own therapy options and both vowed to try their hardest to reach out to as many CML patients as possible. Sandy produced a Newsletter which focussed on the new drug therapy and Elizabeth persuaded the reception at the Hammersmith clinic to hand this out to all their CML patients. This was a small beginning but fortunately a link with another UK patient, who's expertise was web based, was more than willing to help and in April 2000 CMLsupport.org.uk went online. We now have over 1200 registered users, with another 4-5000 visits per month from individuals based all over the world.

CML Support Group maintains links with other patient groups worldwide and is a UK registered charity with a Board of five Trustees.

Charity Registration Number 1114037

Privacy Policy

Funding

Individuals wishing to make a donation to the CMLSgroup:

Personal Cheque:

payee CML Support Group

or

Electronic Transfer:

Bank:                     HSBC

Account Name:     Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia Support Group

Account Number:  61474529      

Sortcode:   40-04-37

International Electronic Transfers:

IBAN:                     GB75MIDL400043761474529  

BIC:                        MIDGB2141K   

Contact us

e: cmlsupportgroup@gmail.com

p: PO Box 56213,  London, N4 4WF. UK