Charlotte Pineda

multiple myeloma coach since 2024

You are unique and so is your myeloma experience. While we have much to learn from each other; ultimately, only you can decide what’s best for you. As a Certified Professional Coach, I see myself as a partner who helps others create clarity and move forward as courageous self-advocates who make the best decisions for themselves. My vision is for each of us living with myeloma to live life to the fullest and on our own terms! In March 2023 I was hit with the news: “You have high-risk smoldering myeloma…It will likely progress to multiple myeloma within two years." Less than a year later, I learned that I had multiple myeloma. I started induction therapy which included Velcade (bortezomib), Darzalex (daratumumab), Revlimid (lenalidomide), and dexamethasone. Due to side effects, dexamethasone was reduced and then eliminated. Gratefully, I'm responding well to treatment at this time. To borrow a popular business term: myeloma means a life filled with volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). Early on, I decided not just to survive–but to thrive. I take one day at a time and credit consistent meditation and exercise for helping me through each day. In addition to being a coach, I’m a meditation and breathwork teacher. I get so much satisfaction from helping others incorporate meditation and breathwork into their lives. I don’t attempt to force myself or others to “just be positive.” Instead, I focus on hope and optimism and work hard not to beat myself up for having bad days–and sometimes weeks. It’s all about resilience. As psychologist and TED speaker, Susan David said, “Hope and optimism are different from (false) positivity. They are future-oriented and earned by a willingness to work hard and problem-solve to create a better outcome…Your feelings are valid, important, and worthy of honoring with compassion, but they are not facts or directives that get to boss you around. You can show up to them with compassion, courage, and curiosity, and then make your own choices about how you move forward.” This is where hearing the stories of others on HealthTree Foundation has helped me, and I’m honored to give back and help others as a coach. It’s not easy; but with courage, hope, and optimism, I believe we can thrive! When I’m not coaching, you'll find me spending time with family, playing with my Jack Russell Terrier, meditating, practicing yoga, learning something new, or relaxing with a good book. I look forward to speaking with you!

Randi Schwartz

multiple myeloma coach since 2020

Hi! I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma at age 47 and had an autologous SCT in August of 2016. This summer, I will be celebrating my 5 year “new” birthday -a wonderful milestone! To date, my myeloma presents free of high risk genetic markers; however, it is accompanied by the complication of light chain deposition disease which compromises kidney function. As someone who loves the outdoors & endurance sports (running, biking, hiking, triathlon) dealing with kidney issues has been a tricky piece of my puzzle while I’ve worked to re-gain parts of my pre-myeloma life. Tricky as it may be, with the support of a good team of medical professionals, family, friends, and myeloma community paired with properly educating and advocating for myself, I have been incredibly fortunate to return to many of the things I love while managing this disease. For me, the power of mindset has played a huge role in living a vibrant life while co-existing with an incurable blood cancer. As a practitioner & coach of mind body medicine (and yoga instructor) I have personally experienced how powerful our daily practices and lifestyle can be in optimizing our sense of well-being and inner peace-especially while facing the many challenges and uncertainties of a cancer diagnosis. I have had the honor of sharing these practices with many cancer patients and others dealing with adversity and have witnesses the life changing results of developing a tool box of healthy coping strategies within a “safe circle of support.” Going through a cancer diagnosis is, no doubt, scary and can feel very lonely. My hope is to help any Myeloma patient I can through their journey; emotionally, physically, spiritually and in any way I can to help empower him or her through the process. Whether they want to laugh, cry, ask questions or compare notes, I want to support myeloma patients in navigating their needs and to never feel alone in doing so.

Lisa Hatfield

multiple myeloma coach since 2024

Radiation, surgery, chemo. In that order. It was decided while we sat in a sterile room at MD Anderson with my radiation oncologist who was speaking with my neurosurgeon, while both examined the images of my spine. Damaged by myeloma. A blood cancer. I was numb. A plasmacytoma was asserting itself and growing dangerously close to my spinal cord. The debate: radiation first vs surgery first. Chemo wasn’t even on the table. My spine had to be stabilized. I wanted to talk about the cancer and all the other lesions and malignant cells in my bone marrow. But that would have to wait. That was May of 2018. We left our daughters with family, on Mother’s Day. MD Anderson asked us to commit to being there a week. We were there a month. I returned home with a walker, a lot of pain, some fear, and a chemo cocktail recipe written by my medical oncologist (who I was finally able to meet). My chemo was administered in my hometown. Kyprolis, Revlimid, and dex. Kyprolis was not approved at that time for first-line therapy, but my myeloma specialist at MDA was able to get approval for me to receive it at my local cancer center. 6 months of KRd followed, while still recovering from major spine surgery. With a short break from KRD, I had stem cells harvested. And frozen. I opted to delay autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT), as I was still recovering from surgery and did not want to be away from our kids for another extended period. Revlimid was not my friend. Following the 6 months of KRD, I continued Revlimid maintenance for 4 years until the cumulative effects altered by quality of life. (Still dealing with those, even after discontinuing Rev almost two years ago). Most recent Clonoseq bone marrow biopsy showed 572 cells per million (my daughters’ birthdays and my anniversary date used to be the most important numbers to me… this “572” has crept a little too close to the space of those important numbers…I guess that’s how myeloma is). All of my decisions have been made with the two myeloma specialists I see on a regular basis. I am a HUGE advocate for expert opinions with myeloma. And… I believe that myeloma specialists are extraordinary people (mine are incredible human beings). I love good coffee, good chocolate, good books, good conversations, and good, genuine connections. I believe that connecting with others is a critical piece in our myeloma journey and enhancing our quality of life. Not every day will be good, but every day can have hope. I hope I can be a soft but strong support for others and a giver of hope.