Brad’s Ride with Multiple Myeloma: Hardwired for Endurance

In December 2016, at 51 years old, Brad received life-changing news: he was diagnosed with IgM Lambda Myeloma, a rare form of multiple myeloma. Myeloma was a word he had never even heard before. The only words that stuck in his mind were “cancer” and “incurable,” which hit him like a gut punch. 

Thankfully, his wife, Maria, was there to listen as the doctor explained more while Brad struggled to process the overwhelming reality. Despite his alarmingly high IgM levels, Brad was fortunate—there was no organ damage or bone lesions.

As a dedicated cyclist for over three decades, Brad noticed something unusual that summer. His long bike rides, part of his regular training for century rides, felt more challenging than usual. The rides took longer, and though he felt fine off the bike, something felt slightly off during exertion. This change led him to schedule a routine physical with his doctor—a decision that ultimately uncovered his myeloma diagnosis.

Initially, Brad was down for a few days, grappling with this curveball life had thrown at him. But soon, he realized that he had a choice: he could wallow in self-pity, or he could muster the strength to fight for his health. 

Drawing on the mindset he'd developed as a cyclist, using mind against matter, Brad chose to fight. 

As he puts it, “Fighting myeloma is an endurance event, and as a longtime cyclist, my body is hardwired for endurance. I simply made the decision that I was going to out-endurance this thing.”

Milestones and Setbacks with Myeloma

That isn’t to say that the ride has been sunshine and roses. Whether it’s the infamous dexamethasone crash or the cytokine storm (cytokine release syndrome) he had to fight after his CAR T-cell therapy, Brad has had his share of milestones and setbacks. 

After the first year of treatment, tests revealed that Brad had developed both a 17p deletion and a 1q amplification, which placed him in an ultra high-risk category. His stem cell transplant, which had several grueling side effects and complications, brought him only a partial response. 

Since then, Brad has been through several lines of therapy, including an aggressive 5-drug regimen that saw him swallowing up to 26 pills in one day, paired with weekly subcutaneous injections. He even ended up having to bring pills with him on his bike ride in Paris, swallowing 8 venetoclax capsules with his lunch each day. 

After two years on the five-drug combination therapy, Brad’s treatment began to fail, leading him to pursue CAR-T therapy in August 2023. This decision proved to be a game-changer, as Brad achieved Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) negativity for the first time in his battle with myeloma.

While CAR-T brought its own challenges—hospital stays with dangerously high fevers, joint pain, and even the onset of tremors long after the CAR-T occurred—Brad’s endurance and resilience, learned on the bike, have carried him through. He has continued to test negative for MRD at both his six-month and one-year checkups, giving him a deep sense of relief and victory. He is monitored monthly.

Adapting a quote from a former pro cyclist, Brad says, “Fighting cancer is like fighting a gorilla; you don’t stop when you get tired, you stop when the gorilla gets tired.” 

Having an Outside Focus

As a full-time architect, Brad stays busy, which helps keep his mind focused on more than just the myeloma. Another escape and sanctuary continues to be his bike. In fact, just three weeks after his stem cell transplant (SCT), Brad was back on his bike, pedaling in his basement, feeling a sense of normalcy return with every light ride. He still prioritizes cycling, having just returned from a cycling vacation in Spain a few weeks ago.

London to Paris

One of Brad’s most memorable experiences was participating in the Myeloma UK London to Paris charity bike rides in 2019 and 2022, benefitting myeloma research. These 500-kilometer, four-day rides from London to Paris were truly bucket-list moments. Brad even made it onto the Sunday Today Show’s Sunday Mug Shots segment, a photo of him, his wife Maria, and his daughter Rachel proudly displayed in front of the Eiffel Tower after the 2022 ride. Brad reflects fondly on these achievements, grateful to have been able to continue doing what he loves, even while managing a complex disease like myeloma.

Brad’s Advice to the Myeloma Community

After nearly eight years of battling high-risk multiple myeloma, Brad has several pieces of advice for others facing the disease:

1. Be resilient: There will be hard days, but you have to pick yourself up and keep moving forward. Every time. No matter what. 

2. Celebrate small victories: Whether it’s a good test result or reaching another anniversary of your diagnosis, these moments lift your spirits and remind you to keep going.

3. Stay active: For Brad, fitness has been key to his journey. Staying strong and active helped him endure the tough treatments and, to this day, gives him a sense of control over his body.

4. Arm yourself with knowledge: Learn everything you can about myeloma—treatments, clinical trials, and what your blood numbers mean. Knowledge is power and will help you have informed conversations with your care team.

5. Be your own advocate: Don’t shy away from asking questions. You know your body better than anyone, and your voice matters when it comes to your treatment.

Brad’s journey with myeloma hasn’t been easy, but his family, determination, mindset, and love for cycling have carried him through.

“I want other myeloma patients to know that you can live a high quality of life with this disease,” Brad shares, “I’ve been able to do a lot of amazing things since my diagnosis as I’ve endeavored never to let [myeloma] hold me back.”

For more inspirational myeloma patient and caregiver experiences, read here: Myeloma Stories and Experiences

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