On September 25, 2022, at 10 a.m. at the Cobourg Lions/Lioness Pavilion, Melissa Smith, will be rallying over two dozen family members and friends to walk with her at the 4th annual Cobourg Multiple Myeloma March.
This 5 km walk/run helps raise awareness and funds for myeloma, a little-known and incurable blood cancer that affects 11 Canadians every day. While myeloma is the second most common form of blood cancer, few people have ever heard of it.
Melissa was diagnosed with this cancer four months ago.
Rather than feel overwhelmed by this devastating news, Melissa decided to do something to help others living with myeloma and push for more research.
True to her optimistic and determined nature, Melissa put together a team for the March, The Baltimore John’s Blood Brothers. They have already raised over $16,000, surpassing their March’s fundraising objective of $10,000.
“I didn’t expect the outpouring of support. My friends, colleagues and family were all ready to donate funds for the cause. I even had colleagues reach out to offer blood or bone marrow donation if I needed it,” says Melissa.
The Cobourg Multiple Myeloma March is one of 34+ communities across the country participating in Myeloma Canada’s 14th annual nation-wide event.
Every day, 11 Canadians are diagnosed with myeloma, an incurable blood cancer
On May 19, 2022, Smith, received a life-changing diagnosis. Following a year of debilitating pain that had affected her from ribs to sternum, Melissa was told she had multiple myeloma, a little-known and incurable blood cancer. She was only 47 years old.
“Last summer, I fell from a roof shed while doing yard work. A year later I was still in horrible pain. Every time I went to the hospital to find out what was causing the excruciating pain in my ribs and ask for relief, they said it was just a fracture, and that it still needed time to heal,” says Melissa. “I finally reached a breaking point. I sat in the emergency room of my local hospital and said I wouldn’t leave until I got a CT scan. When I finally did get it, the scan showed abnormal lesions across my spine.”
Every day, 11 Canadians are diagnosed with multiple myeloma, the second most common form of blood cancer, yet sadly few people have ever heard of it. The reality is that the number of Canadians living with myeloma rises every year, underlining the urgent need for greater investment in, and access to, life-saving treatments and care.
Melissa, who lives on a farm in Baltimore, is currently halfway through a 16-round chemotherapy treatment that she started on June 1. She is relieved that her hematologist found a way for her to receive weekly treatments closer to home; otherwise she would have had to make arrangements for someone to drive her 45 minutes each way to the clinic in Oshawa.
For over 13 years, Melissa has lived in a rural area. She realized that if ever she faced health issues, getting the care she needed might be a problem. “You know, I am a glass half-full kind of person,” says Melissa jokingly. “Still, I’m very thankful that my doctor helped me access the treatments I need, regardless of where I live. Chemo days take a toll on your body. Driving 65 km back and forth to Oshawa would have been extremely hard if not near impossible for me.”
Melissa hopes to be eligible for a stem cell transplant when her condition stabilizes. If she is approved for the procedure, she will have no choice but to temporarily relocate to Toronto.
“Fifty percent of Canadians with myeloma who live in a rural community have difficulty accessing specialists, clinical trials and much-needed treatments,” says Martine Elias, Executive Director of Myeloma Canada. “As a result, these patients and their families have to deal with both the traumatic impact of living with myeloma as well as the severe financial and emotional burden of having to travel to another treatment centre.”
Myeloma Canada’s Multiple Myeloma March is a vital nation-wide event that raises money and awareness for the disease, while bringing local communities closer together in support of one another. Without the funds raised at each of these essential Marches, important investments in myeloma research and drug access would be compromised.
That’s why Melissa and her team, The Baltimore John’s Blood Brothers, are lacing-up and participating at the 4th annual Cobourg Multiple Myeloma March on September 25, 2022, at 10 a.m. at the Cobourg Lions/Lioness Pavilion. The 5 km walk/run helps raise awareness and funds for this incurable cancer, as well as better access to life-saving treatments and care. True to her optimistic and determined nature, in just one month Melissa and her team have already raised over $11,000, surpassing their March’s fundraising objective of $10,000.
About the Multiple Myeloma March
The Cobourg Multiple Myeloma March is one of 34+ communities across the country participating in Myeloma Canada’s 14th annual nation-wide event. For Canadians not located near a physical March or who wish to participate on their own, there is also a Virtual March option. Myeloma Canada’s national Multiple Myeloma March objective is to raise $750,000. For more information, visit: myelomamarch.ca.
About Myeloma
Multiple myeloma, also known as myeloma, is the second most common form of blood cancer. Myeloma affects a type of immune cell called the plasma cell, found in the bone marrow. Every day, 11 Canadians are diagnosed, yet in spite of its growing prevalence, the disease remains relatively unknown. While there is currently no cure, people with myeloma are living longer and better lives, thanks to recent breakthroughs in treatment. To find a cure, more funding and research are required.
About Myeloma Canada
Myeloma Canada is the only national charitable organization created by, and for, Canadians impacted by multiple myeloma. The organization is driven to improve the lives of those affected by myeloma by empowering the community through awareness, education, and advocacy programs, and supporting research to find a cure. Since its founding in 2005, Myeloma Canada has been making myeloma matter.
To learn more, or to donate, please visit: www.myeloma.ca.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
