We've reached 22% of our Fundraising Goal!
The 2017 Multiple Myeloma March is just under one month away and we’ve made huge strides in reaching our fundraising goal across the country, but there is still lots of work to do. Committed to ensuring access to better care, Myeloma Canada’s Multiple Myeloma March will help fund clinical research and support advocacy for accelerated access to game-changing therapies for Canadian patients living with myeloma.

It is because of people like you that Myeloma Canada is able to make myeloma matter. 

To find out how we are putting myeloma on the map, view the video above.
Better Late than Never!
We're Pleased to Announce the Launch of the very first

Vancouver
We're pleased to announce the addition of a new Multiple Myeloma March to the list of March Communities. The March in Vancouver will take place on October 22, 2017! Although the venue is to be confirmed, registration for the event is now open.


We are now at a record-breaking 5 Multiple Myeloma Marches in British Columbia! Looking forward to seeing you there!

Register Now For One of the 16 Multiple Myeloma Marches, Across 7 Provinces

Because we all deserve access to new and better treatments.
Making Waves in Research and Drug Access
Daratumumab (Darzalex®) Receives an Initial Positive Recommendation for Reimbursement from the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR)
Myeloma Canada is pleased to announce that on August 3, 2017, the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR) Expert Review Committee (pERC) issued its initial recommendation to reimburse  daratumumab (Darzalex®) in combination with lenalidomide (Revlimid®) and dexamethasone or bortezomib (Velcade®) and dexamethasone for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma with good performance status who have received at least one prior therapy.   

Last March, Myeloma Canada made a patient submission to pCODR to advocate for access for daratumumab in this new indication. Although the positive recommendation is excellent news and a great first step in the reimbursement process for these two treatment regimens, the recommendation is conditional on provinces being able to negotiate a lower cost with the drug manufacturer, Janssen. This next step is undertaken by the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA), a body that operates under all provincial Ministries of Heath, and  the manufacturer. This process can take 6-9 months before a final agreement is reached and for the drug to be listed on provincial formularies, where it can then be reimbursed.   

Myeloma Canada will continue to advocate for a rapid negotiation between the respected parties, as time is of the essence for our patients.
A Second Phase III Study Shows That Carfilzomib (Kyprolis®) Significantly Improves Overall Survival in Patients with Relapsed Multiple Myeloma
On July 12, 2017, a press release was issued by Amgen regarding the final overall survival (OS) analysis from the ASPIRE clinical trial evaluating the KRd regimen of carfilzomib ( Kyprolis®) in combination with lenalidomide ( Revlimid®) and dexamethasone in relapsed myeloma patients. The ASPIRE study demonstrated a significant improvement in the key secondary endpoint of OS. The endpoint of a clinical trial is the goal of the trial; what a trial is trying to measure or find out. Typical endpoints include measurements of toxicity, response rate, and OS.

Results for the study will be presented at a major medical meeting later this year.

The Myeloma Canada Research Network (MCRN) is Trailblazing the Clinical Research Landscape with MCRN 003 – The KCd Trial
This MCRN trial is evaluating a once-weekly dosing regimen that will not only be more convenient for patients, but also be more cost-effective. The overall lower cost of this combination may help influence future provincial drug funding decisions.



An Increasing Body of Research Links Obesity to Myeloma Progression
Increasingly, many studies have shown that there may be a correlation between obesity and an increased risk of developing myeloma. In a study reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers found that overweight individuals and obesity were associated with an increased risk of transformation of MGUS to multiple myeloma.
Become a Myeloma Advocacte
Spotlight on Lorelei Dalrymple: Myeloma Patient and Chair of the Myeloma Canada Patient Advisory Council
"I am passionate about ensuring the voices of Canadian myeloma patients and caregivers are heard, and that the myeloma community continues to become knowledgeable and able to advocate for themselves and others."
Become a Myeloma Advocate
Our health care system is complex; no one would argue to the contrary. There are many key decision makers at either federal, national or provincial levels that are responsible for the healthcare services Canadians receive from coast to coast to coast. Myeloma Canada’s role is to ensure the patient voice is heard. Sharing the patient perspective is key to influence recommendations and reimbursement decisions of myeloma treatments.   
Martine Elias, Director of Access, Advocacy and Community Relations, Myeloma Canada
Myeloma Canada is seeking patients and caregivers across the country who are willing to work with Myeloma Canada to become myeloma advocates and share their story regarding their journey and experiences to the community at large.

If you are interested in learning more or how to get involved, please contact Martine Elias, Director of Access, Advocacy and Community Relations at  [email protected]
Do All of Your Back-to-School Shopping Online and Support Myeloma Canada While You’re at it. It won’t Cost a Penny More!
Introducing a new way to shop online and support your favourite cause with iGive.com! All you have to do is sign-up for free and start shopping. Here’s how it works*:
1. Visit our page on iGive.com and fill out the requires fields by registering here.

2. To begin supporting Myeloma Canada click on “install now” to get the iGive Button” in your internet browser.


3. A window will pop up asking you to allow the download. Click “allow”, then click “install”.


4. You should see a tiny button that looks like a seed in your browser. See image to the right for an visual. Go ahead and click on the seed to see the menu (if you don't see the seed, you may need to make your browser's command bar visible from the "view" menu).

 

5. Click on “iGive Store List” to view all the participating retailers and start shopping.


It’s as simple as that. Back-to-school shopping never
felt so good!

*Please note that the although we are providing these instructions in French, the iGive.com service is an English-only platform. We apologize for this inconvenience.
In the Community

Find out what’s happening in the community with InfoSessions, softball tournaments, triathlons, bootcamp fundraisers and more!