Looking Forward: Progress and the Patient Experience in Black Myeloma Care
4th Annual Black History Month Virtual Roundtable
Now in its fourth year, this Black History Month roundtable examines how advances in multiple myeloma care are being experienced by Black patients and families.
Building on prior discussions of novel therapies, this year’s conversation focuses on care delivery, patient experience, and access to treatment, connecting medical innovation to real-world care.
Join us for a thoughtful Black History Month conversation led by leading myeloma specialists, focused on learning, reflection, and what’s needed to move care forward.
Valarie introduces the agenda of the event and our featured speakers Dr. Brandon Blue, Dr. Monique Hartley-Brown and Dr. Eden Biltibo
Our guests examine how advances in multiple myeloma care are being experienced by Black patients and families.
Type your questions in the chat and we will answer them!
Valarie Traynham
Valarie embarked on her myeloma journey back in 2015, and ever since she's been on a mission. As a resilient myeloma thriver, her passion lies in not just navigating her own path but also in illuminating the journey for others. With a steadfast commitment to understanding the intricacies of the disease, she champions education, shedding light on health inequities that often lurk in the shadows. Driven by a profound belief in fairness, Valarie tirelessly advocates for equitable access to top-tier healthcare, clinical trials, and tailored treatments. Her journey as a beacon of knowledge and support began when she assumed the role of a support group leader. Today, she continues to extend her hand as a myeloma coach, mentor angel, and the guiding force behind the Black Myeloma Health Community. Valarie's voice echoes far and wide as she fearlessly confronts the disparities faced by myeloma patients. Through collaborative efforts with healthcare providers, she strives to forge pathways to solutions, ensuring that every individual receives the care they deserve. Join Valarie on her journey of empowerment and advocacy as she lights the way toward a brighter, more equitable future in myeloma care.
Eden Biltibo, MD, MS
Dr. Biltibo received her medical degree from Gondar University School of Medicine in Ethiopia, and her postdoctoral training includes residency and chief residency at Meharry Medical College, a master’s in Clinical and Translational Science at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and a hematology/oncology fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Influenced by her own experiences, Dr. Biltibo is passionate about developing strategies to bridge health care disparities in multiple myeloma care. Her focus is on the equitable use of immunotherapeutics in myeloma and on improving racial diversity of clinical trial participants. She is a recipient of the 2022 American Society of Hematology Inclusion Pathway Award, the 2022 Robert A. Winn Excellence in Clinical Trials Career Development Award, and a 2023 Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation Research Scholars Award. Currently, Dr. Biltibo is an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
Brandon Blue, MD
Brandon Blue, MD Assistant Member, Malignant Hematology Department H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute Dr. Blue is an Assistant Member and Clinical Instructor in the Department of Malignant Hematology at Moffitt Cancer Center. He earned his MD from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN. He completed an Internal Medicine Residency in the Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine and a Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at St. Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Blue completed a Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy Fellowship at Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Blue’s clinical interests include treatment of plasma cell disorders and evaluation of patients pre and post stem cell and bone marrow transplant. His research interests include reducing health disparities and improving health outcomes for plasma cell dyscrasias.
Monique Hartley-Brown, MD
Dr. Hartley-Brown is an emerging leader in the field of Multiple Myeloma. She is an Associate Physician at Harvard Medical School and Assistant Professor & Medical Oncologist who specializes in treating patients with multiple myeloma. She practices clinical care at the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Multiple myeloma is an incurable cancer that affects Black Americans approximately twice more than Caucasians. Dr. Hartley-Brown has written several publications and has been a clinical research investigator for numerous clinical studies that has contributed to the advancement of clinical care for patients with multiple myeloma and plasma cell dyscrasias. As a Black female physician, she is dedicated to ensuring that the care for the myeloma community is equitable and affords all patients with myeloma an optimal level of care regardless of background, race or socioeconomic status.