What is a Myeloma Specialist and Should I Get a Second Opinion?

Your team is critical to your care! Some of the most important and consequential decisions happen when you get the right people around you. You need experts in myeloma, mental health, finances, and other aspects of navigating your care. HealthTree University is here to help! Watch patient experts and health professionals explain all they’ve learned about assembling your myeloma team.
Below are some video excerpts from our HealthTree University curriculum to help you learn more about these important areas of your disease.
If you register in HealthTree to use HealthTree University (where you can watch these same videos), you can save and keep track of your progress, get points for answering quiz questions, bookmark videos, take notes, earn prizes [COMING SOON], and get access to all the other features of HealthTree.
4.01 - What is a myeloma specialist, why do I need one, and how do I find one?
Featuring:
- Jack Aiello, Patient Advocate
- Gary Petersen, Patient Advocate
- Jenny Ahlstrom, President and Founder of the Myeloma Crowd
- Gareth Morgan, MD, PhD NYU Langone Health
4.02 - How and why should I obtain a second opinion?
Featuring:
- Jack Aiello, Patient Advocate
- Jenny Ahlstrom, President and Founder of the Myeloma Crowd
- Gary Petersen, Patient Advocate
- Jim Omel, MD, Patient Advocate
- Clarence Camptbell, Myeloma Patient
4.03 - How do I navigate myeloma with good mental health?
Featuring:
- Christina Bach, MBE, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW of University of Pennsylvania
4.04 - In addition to your myeloma specialist what other healthcare professionals should you consider adding to your healthcare team?
Featuring:
- Jack Aiello, Patient Advocate
- Diahanna Vallentine, BCPA of Critical Care Consulting
- Jim Omel, MD, Patient Advocate
4.05 - Physical therapy with myeloma
Featuring:
- Beth Travis PT, MS, Cert MDT
4.06 - What is a navigator, and who has them?
Featuring:
- Christina Bach, MBE, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW of University of Pennsylvania
4.07 - What is palliative care and how does it differ from hospice care?
Featuring:
- Craig Hofmeister, MD, MPH of Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
- Christina Bach, MBE, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW of University of Pennsylvania
Want more?
We have over 200 HealthTree University videos online at university.healthtree.org! Learn the basics (and the not-so-basics) of myeloma from some of the top myeloma doctors in the world!
Other HealthTree University Classes:
- Myeloma Basics Part 1
- Myeloma Basics Part 2
- Myeloma Basics Part 3
- Building Your HealthCare Team
- Becoming an Empowered Patient
- Starting Myeloma Treatment
- Autologous Stem Cell Transplant (ASCT)
- Precursor Conditions
- Relapsed and Refractory MM Treatment
- Myeloma Bone Disease
- Testing, Monitoring MM Markers
- [BETA] Multiple Myeloma Genetics and Precision Medicine
- Classes of Myeloma Drugs
- [BETA] COVID-19 and Multiple Myeloma
Your team is critical to your care! Some of the most important and consequential decisions happen when you get the right people around you. You need experts in myeloma, mental health, finances, and other aspects of navigating your care. HealthTree University is here to help! Watch patient experts and health professionals explain all they’ve learned about assembling your myeloma team.
Below are some video excerpts from our HealthTree University curriculum to help you learn more about these important areas of your disease.
If you register in HealthTree to use HealthTree University (where you can watch these same videos), you can save and keep track of your progress, get points for answering quiz questions, bookmark videos, take notes, earn prizes [COMING SOON], and get access to all the other features of HealthTree.
4.01 - What is a myeloma specialist, why do I need one, and how do I find one?
Featuring:
- Jack Aiello, Patient Advocate
- Gary Petersen, Patient Advocate
- Jenny Ahlstrom, President and Founder of the Myeloma Crowd
- Gareth Morgan, MD, PhD NYU Langone Health
4.02 - How and why should I obtain a second opinion?
Featuring:
- Jack Aiello, Patient Advocate
- Jenny Ahlstrom, President and Founder of the Myeloma Crowd
- Gary Petersen, Patient Advocate
- Jim Omel, MD, Patient Advocate
- Clarence Camptbell, Myeloma Patient
4.03 - How do I navigate myeloma with good mental health?
Featuring:
- Christina Bach, MBE, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW of University of Pennsylvania
4.04 - In addition to your myeloma specialist what other healthcare professionals should you consider adding to your healthcare team?
Featuring:
- Jack Aiello, Patient Advocate
- Diahanna Vallentine, BCPA of Critical Care Consulting
- Jim Omel, MD, Patient Advocate
4.05 - Physical therapy with myeloma
Featuring:
- Beth Travis PT, MS, Cert MDT
4.06 - What is a navigator, and who has them?
Featuring:
- Christina Bach, MBE, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW of University of Pennsylvania
4.07 - What is palliative care and how does it differ from hospice care?
Featuring:
- Craig Hofmeister, MD, MPH of Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University
- Christina Bach, MBE, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C, FAOSW of University of Pennsylvania
Want more?
We have over 200 HealthTree University videos online at university.healthtree.org! Learn the basics (and the not-so-basics) of myeloma from some of the top myeloma doctors in the world!
Other HealthTree University Classes:
- Myeloma Basics Part 1
- Myeloma Basics Part 2
- Myeloma Basics Part 3
- Building Your HealthCare Team
- Becoming an Empowered Patient
- Starting Myeloma Treatment
- Autologous Stem Cell Transplant (ASCT)
- Precursor Conditions
- Relapsed and Refractory MM Treatment
- Myeloma Bone Disease
- Testing, Monitoring MM Markers
- [BETA] Multiple Myeloma Genetics and Precision Medicine
- Classes of Myeloma Drugs
- [BETA] COVID-19 and Multiple Myeloma

about the author
Cynthia Chmielewski
Cynthia (Cindy) Chmielewski is a professional educator and myeloma advocate. As a former teacher, she now teaches myeloma patients how to advocate for themselves as the Director of HealthTree University. You can follow her on Twitter @myelomateacher
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