THUNDER BAY – LIVING – The 1st edition of the Thunder Bay Multiple Myeloma March, Myeloma Canada’s signature fundraiser, will be held on Friday, October 13 at the Intercity Shopping Centre. Rolland Manning and his wife will lead the 5 km walk/run which raises funds and awareness about multiple myeloma, an incurable form of cancer affecting the plasma cells in the bone marrow.
About three years ago, Liz started finding her regular walks more challenging and complained of increasing back pain. She attributed the pain to osteoporosis, for which she had received treatment for years, and the natural pains of aging. No treatment seemed to help.
When she was hospitalized in 2016, doctors discovered several compression fractures, for which she later went through rehab. After her gerontologist got involved to press for more blood work, she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Liz was 77.
Her husband, Rolland Manning was taken aback. Neither he nor Liz had even heard of the relatively unknown form of cancer. He soon learned they weren’t alone; not many of his friends and family had heard of it either, and some mistook it for skin cancer.
“There is such a lack of awareness about myeloma,” says Rolland. “I’ve made it a personal undertaking to get the word out about it so more people are diagnosed more quickly and more research is done to find a cure.”
One of the ways he is raising awareness is by supporting Myeloma Canada’s efforts and hosting the first-ever Multiple Myeloma March in Thunder Bay. Myeloma Canada is a non-profit charitable organization created by, and for people living with multiple myeloma. Since last year, Myeloma Canada has dedicated funds raised through its Multiple Myeloma March to the Myeloma Canada Research Network (MCRN)—a platform which brings together world-class myeloma researchers in 24 centres across nine provinces. The MCRN develops and supports Canadian-designed clinical trials nationwide, and collects data for its innovative national database.
“The MCRN, which was born out of a patient organization, has become indispensable to conducting good quality research in Canada that is not primarily industry-driven,” says Dr. Donna Reece, Director of Program for Multiple Myeloma and Related Diseases, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. “Patients living with multiple myeloma usually eventually progress through the multiple standard therapies that are available, which is why offering accelerated access to innovative –and in some instances, breakthrough–treatment options not currently reimbursed by any public health plan in Canada is so crucial.”
Every day, eight Canadians are diagnosed with multiple myeloma with an average diagnosis in the mid-sixties. “Despite a growing prevalence, myeloma remains relatively unknown,” says Aldo Del Col, Co-founder, and Chairman, Myeloma Canada. “This is why there is an even greater need for early awareness programs to promote timely diagnosis.”
The Multiple Myeloma March will be held during the month of September in 17 communities across the country.
Join Rolland and his wife Liz at the first-ever Thunder Bay Multiple Myeloma March on Friday, October 13, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Intercity Shopping Centre. The organizers have set the fundraising goal at $10,000.
About Myeloma Canada
Myeloma Canada is a non-profit, charitable organization created by, and for people living with multiple myeloma, a relatively unknown cancer of the plasma cells. Exclusively devoted to the Canadian myeloma community, they have been making myeloma matter since 2005.
As a patient-driven, patient-focused grassroots organization, Myeloma Canada is dedicated to accelerating access to game-changing therapies for Canadians living with myeloma. Myeloma Canada drives collaborative efforts to unify the voice of the community to effectively shape the Canadian treatment landscape by improving patient outcomes at an unprecedented pace.
Empowerment of patients and caregivers through educational programs advances the understanding, treatment and management of the disease; moreover, early awareness programs promote timely diagnosis.
The Myeloma Canada Research Network (MCRN) is the first and only platform that fuses national scientific research and advocacy. The MCRN develops and supports Canadian-designed clinical trials nationwide, and collects data for its innovative national database, a key stepping stone in our search for a cure.
Myeloma Canada ensures the patient voice is heard by actively engaging the community to take action at all levels, from clinical trial design to patient care. For more information about how Myeloma Canada is putting myeloma on the map please visit myeloma.ca.
