Understanding Mass Spectrometry Testing for Nonsecretory Myeloma Patients

Audrey joined the HealthTree Foundation as the Myeloma Community Program Director in 2020. While not knowing much about myeloma at the start, she has since worked hard to educate herself, empathize and learn from others' experiences. She loves this job. Audrey is passionate about serving others, loves learning, and enjoys a nice mug of hot chocolate no matter the weather.

In the 20 years since her diagnosis Vicki has learned a lot about fighting myeloma. In her own words, "When I was diagnosed it felt like I was the only one in the world with this disease. After always having been a bit of a loner, suddenly I yearned for someone to talk to that understood what I was going through. Now I want to be that someone for other myeloma patients and caregivers". Vicki has been on just about every chemo regimen and has had a stem cell transplant. Every drug regimen has worked against her Myeloma but she has never been in complete remission. She recently became a nonsecretor and is learning to deal with this new diagnosis. "When I was diagnosed in 2004 it made me sad to think I would never know what it was like to grow old. Now when I look in the mirror and see all the wrinkles, I’m overjoyed!"

Faith Davies, MBBCh, MRCP, MD, FRCPath, is a member of the faculty of the Department of Medicine at New York University Langone Health and Director of the Clinical Myeloma Program at the Perlmutter Cancer Center. She is recognized internationally for her focus on innovative targeted molecular therapies and her expertise in the treatment of relapsed refractory disease. Her focus is on the biology and treatment of myeloma with an emphasis on potential new drugs and new genetic technologies and their applications to myeloma. Her laboratory work is aimed at identifying biologically based therapeutic targets in myeloma that are amenable to small molecule interventions and translating those laboratory findings into individualized treatment in the clinical setting. Prior to joining NYU Langone Health, Dr. Davies was Deputy Director of the Myeloma Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). She also served as Professor of Medicine and Director of the Phase I Clinical Trials Program for both the Myeloma Institute and the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. Dr. Davies came to UAMS in 2014 from the Institute of Cancer Research and the Royal Marsden Hospital, both in London. She earned her medical degree from the College of Medicine, University of Wales. She completed her general medical training in Cardiff and Birmingham and hematology specialty training in Leeds and London.