Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, known for his unblockable signature "sky hook" shot, has announced that he was diagnosed late last year with a rare type of blood cancer known as Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML). Kareem's cancer was diagnosed in November 2008 when a blood level test revealed an abnormally high white blood cell count, which is an initial indicator of the disease. Ph+CML is a cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow; approximately 5,000 new cases are expected to be diagnosed this year. Until a few years ago, a diagnosis of Ph+CML could mean a patient had only a few years or months left to live. Because of new treatments, it is now considered a serious, but manageable cancer for many. Kareem is being treated with a medicine that specifically targets the abnormal protein, known as Bcr-Abl, which causes this leukemia. Today, Kareem continues to live a very full life and is feeling good about the future. Now, he is partnering with Novartis Oncology and has a message for fellow patients with Ph+CML- work closely with your doctors and take all the necessary steps to actively manage your disease for the best possible outcomes. For more information, Kareem is encouraging fellow patients with Ph+CML and their loved ones to visit http://www.cmlalliance.com/ and http://www.cmlearth.com/. CML Alliance offers helpful disease education, information about how treatments work to fight this cancer, the testing that is done to monitor treatment response, and information on reimbursement support. CML Earth is a unique interactive social networking website that allows Ph+CML patients to connect with one another across the globe. SATELLITE FEEDS: Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 10:15 AM - 10:30 AM ET 1:15 PM - 1:30 PM ET Galaxy 19 AMC 3 C-Band C-Band Transponder 20 Transponder 3 Downlink Freq. 4100 Horizontal Downlink Freq. 3760 Horizontal NEWS: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Breaks Silence on Being Diagnosed with Rare Blood Cancer FORMAT: B-roll and Soundbites ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Video, contact information and more available at: http://multivu.prnewswire.com/broadcast/41103/consumer.html SOUNDBITES: * Kareem Abdul-Jabbar * Dr. Michael Schuster, NY Presbyterian /Cornell Weill Medical Center B-ROLL INCLUDES: * lifestyle footage of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar * exterior shot of Novartis headquarters * for NBA footage of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, please contact Joy Dellapina at the NBA: 201 974 6604 VIDEO PROVIDED BY: Novartis Contact: FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL: MultiVu Media Relations, 1-800-653-5313 EXT. 3 http://multivu.prnewswire.com/broadcast/41103/press.htmlDATASOURCE: Novartis CONTACT: FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION OR HARD COPY, PLEASE CALL: MultiVu Media Relations, 1-800-653-5313 EXT. 3 Web site: http://www.cmlalliance.com/

Copyright