Awareness Activities
Unknown. Unnoticed. Until Now.
Since its inception, Myeloma Canada has remained driven by the need to unify and strengthen the voice of the Canadian myeloma community. Over the past 13 years, Myeloma Canada has undertaken several activities to increase overall awareness to make myeloma matter.
Awareness Day
Each year, Myeloma Canada hosts an Awareness Day in provincial legislatures, to meet with elected officials and the Ministry of Health to increase awareness of the disease and share the challenges patients face living with myeloma, with the ultimate goal of advocating for provincial funding of new therapies. Since 2014, Myeloma Canada has organized Awareness Days in both Ontario, Quebec and Alberta.
Awareness Day on Parliament Hill
In 2017, Myeloma Canada Patient Advocates from across the country gathered together on Parliament Hill to meet one-on-one with Members of Parliament to not only increase awareness about myeloma at the national level and the express the need to fund important research, but also to stress the importance of improving the Canadian regulatory drug review process and affordability of new therapies, so that Canadians impacted by myeloma are able to access these new, life-saving treatments in a timely manner.
Myeloma Awareness Month
For the month of March, Myeloma Canada hosts a series of online campaigns and events aimed at increasing general awareness of multiple myeloma in the community at large, promoting early detection and diagnosis and advocating for accelerated treatment access in all Canadian provinces for overall improved patient outcomes.
Myeloma Canada invites you to join this movement and spread the word. By making myeloma matter and unifying and strengthening the voice of the Canadian myeloma community, we are putting myeloma on the map.
Canadian Association of Oncology Nurses (CANO)
Myeloma Canada attends the Canadian Association of Oncology Nurses (CANO) annual conference to disseminate information about Myeloma Canada and the resources available to myeloma patients. Oncology nurses play an integral role in patient care and are often the primary source of information. By highlighting the educational material we have available, as well as promoting the support groups across the country, our nurses will be better able to help and support their patients in their times of need.
We strive to build strong relationships with our healthcare partners, family physicians and oncology nurses, and will continue to reach out to these communities to ensure myeloma matters.
Family Medicine Conferences
The earlier myeloma is diagnosed, the sooner treatments can begin, resulting in overall improved outcomes for patients. But receiving a timely diagnosis remains a significant challenge and in the majority of cases, patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, after they suffer bone or kidney damage. Given that the presenting symptoms are often “vague” (e.g. fatigue, back pain) and most people who develop myeloma are in their mid-60’s or older, often times the appropriate follow-up or diagnostic tests are not done, thereby delaying the diagnosis. To raise awareness with family doctors, Myeloma Canada as well as patients living with myeloma attend family medicine conferences, where we meet with family doctors to increase their knowledge of myeloma and its early symptoms.
Media Outreach
In recent years, Myeloma Canada made a significant footprint in an array of mass media outlets. Through TV, radio, online newspapers, print and social media, the level of coverage and reach was unprecedented. Myeloma Canada directed a substantial amount of attention toward raising disease awareness, new Health Canada drug approvals, the Multiple Myeloma March, and the launch of the ground-breaking Myeloma Canada Research Network Canadian Multiple Myeloma Database. Media highlights included: CTV News, Global News, Best in Health Radio, The National, Radio Canada, RDI, Journal de Québec and CBC.