A Story of Hope with Myeloma Patient James (Jim) Bond
Join Jim and Kathleen Bond as they share their story of hope. Jim is a veteran myeloma patient who has had 4 stem cell transplants. He accredits his active lifestyle as a true lifesaver. This feel-good story is sure to improve your day and inspire your own fight against myeloma.
Audrey Burton-Bethke
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.
Jim Bond
Jim and Kathleen live near Cleveland, Ohio, where Kathleen and he celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year. They have 2 sons and 3 grandchildren. Jim is a retired Ernst & Young (EY) partner, and Kathleen is a former American Cancer Society National Board Member, and active ACS volunteer leader, and caregiver for Jim’s multiple myeloma and leukemia cancers. University Hospitals of Cleveland and Dana Farber Cancer in Boston treat Jim. They advocate for cancer patients and have shared their survival stories in 40 US states, and in DC at the National Science Foundation. They also shared their story with groups in New Zealand, Spain, Japan, and Canada. Their story is the subject of Jim’s book, The Man in the Arena: Surviving Multiple Myeloma Since 1992. All profit goes to charity. Jim and his wife Kathleen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year. They live in greater Cleveland, Ohio, and have 2 grown sons and 3 grandchildren.
Nico Cheek-O'Donnell
Nico joined the Multiple Myeloma Program at Huntsman Cancer Institute in 2016, as its licensed clinical social worker. Before that, he was a social worker with Intermountain, primarily at LDS Hospital on their inpatient behavioral unit. He earned his Master of Social Work degree at the University of Utah. Originally from New York & Boston, Nico earned undergraduate degrees in Psychology & Theatre from Carleton College in Minnesota. He earned most of his very modest living as a stage actor in Minneapolis and Seattle for eight years, before moving to Utah in 2006. More recently, Nico has used role-play to help train physicians how to navigate especially difficult patient conversations – and to entertain his 13 & 9-year-old kids.