New Myeloma Meetups: Education and Support for the African American Myeloma Community

The Myeloma Crowd will expand its new Meetups program to include in-person myeloma patient education meetings called Myeloma Meetups: Education and Support for the African American Myeloma Community.

The first two programs will be held in Detroit, MI on Saturday, September 15 and Louisville, KY on Saturday, October 6.

The Myeloma Crowd is working with churches and community-based groups to spread the word and inform patients, caregivers, family members, and others with an interest in myeloma.

These four hour meetings will consist of three parts: an overview of myeloma diagnosis and treatment issues presented by two experts, a session on navigating the finances of a myeloma diagnosis led by a financial advisor who counsels cancer patients, and a demonstration of the Myeloma Crowd’s new software program for patients, HealthTree, which helps patients to better understand their own disease and have more informed discussions with their physicians and nurses.

Approximately 125,000 Americans are living with myeloma right now.  It is estimated that 20-30% of them are African American.

While the myeloma incidence rate for all males and females is 8.4 and 5.3 per 100,000, respectively, the corresponding incidence rates for African American males and females is 15.9 and 11.6.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that African American patients and their attending physicians are less likely to consult with myeloma specialists.  A recent University of North Carolina study found that patients who are treated by a myeloma specialist within a year of their diagnosis live 39% longer than their peers who are not.

The purpose of Myeloma Meetups: Education and Support for the African American Myeloma Community is to raise awareness about the disease to improve patients’ outcomes and quality of life.

To register and learn more about the Detroit Meetup, click here:

Detroit Meetup Registration

To register and learn more about the Louisville Meetup, click here:

Louisville Meetup Registration

Special thanks to our Myeloma Meetups sponsors: Amgen, Takeda Oncology, Celgene and Sanofi.