As I write this, the Multiple Myeloma Marches have finished for another year. With the completion of the marches across the country, it is wonderful to see the $850,000 target surpassed. For patients, this represents not only more money for research but hope for the future. 

The Patient Advisory Council (PAC) is expanding for the first time in many years and is increasing its patient focus in Quebec by adding a second representative for the province. We are currently working our way through the Myeloma Canada Board approvals process and hope to be able to formally announce the new representative in the near future.

At that point, PAC will better represent the country with two representatives for the Western region, two for Ontario, two for Quebec, and one for Atlantic Canada. 

This column is our third since starting to write about PAC’s activities in Myeloma Canada’s monthly e-newsletter and we would love to hear from you! Please forward any comments, questions, and suggestions to the Chair, Patient Advisory Council, and we will try to address them in future editions of our column. 

Glenn

helene-glenn@rogers.com

...from Quebec

Hi everyone! I am very excited to write to you about what’s going on in the beautiful province of Quebec. 

Montreal’s in-person support group is back, thanks to Estelle Simo. The next get-together is Wednesday, November 27 at 6:30 pm and it will be taking place in a lovely room at the Jacques-Cantin building (5151 Boulevard de l’Assomption in Montreal) beside Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital. A pharmacist will be present from Larivière & Massicotte Pharmaciennes to explain their role in caring for myeloma patients. Free parking is available for two hours just beside the building. Come and join us!

Every three months we have a Zoom get together with all the support group leaders in Quebec. We share what’s happening in the community, our positive moments and our harder ones. I cherish these calls because having been a support group leader I know the comfort in speaking with other leaders who have been through some of the same experiences. Exchanging ideas with others is so helpful. 

In the myeloma community, we’re here to support and learn from one another. If you’ve done something amazing, maybe we can do it too! Please feel free to share some of your great ideas with us. We can only applaud and thank you deeply!  

And finally, thank you to Patricia Celestin National Community Fundraising Lead at Myeloma Canada for organizing our first ever march in Montreal-Montreal City Center at Frédéric-Back Park on October 6. The huge park was full of balloons and wonderful people. The children rapidly showed us that they were best at getting the balloons blown up and soon there were balloons everywhere. It felt like a big party! 

Thanks for reading, and remember, PAC is here to make sure all our voices are heard by the Myeloma Canada Board of Directors and the Myeloma Canada team who work so hard and are so devoted to the myeloma cause. Our feedback, in every sense, is their best energizer!

Never hesitate to reach out to us! 

Manon Veilleux 

veilleux.manon@videotron.ca