Top Takeaways from the Facebook Live Q&A on Myeloma and Nutrition with Dr. Urvi A. Shah  

In this week's blog, the International Myeloma Foundation highlights top takeaways from Dr. Urvi A. Shah's Facebook Live Q&A during this year's March Myeloma Action Month. Top questions and answers on topics ranging from supplements, the gut microbiome, the NUTRIVENTION study, as well as sugar intake and sugar substitutes were discussed during the live Q&A. Watch the video in its entirety here.

The IMF’s Nurse Leadership Board Publishes “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Multiple Myeloma: A Call to Action” in JADPRO

The IMF Nurse Leadership Board's latest publication, “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Multiple Myeloma: A Call to Action.” in JADPRO (Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology) sheds light on the critical issue of health-care inequities in multiple myeloma treatment. Authored by Rebecca Lu, MSN, FNP-C; Joseph D. Tariman, PhD, MBA, ANP-BC, FAAN; Donna Catamero, ANP-BC, OCN, CCRC; Michaela Hillengass, RN, CPT, ACSM; and Kimberly Noonan, DNP, ANP-BC, AOCN®; the article explores strategies for overcoming underrepresentation, rooted in improved education and enhanced treatment access.

Take Part in This Year’s Patient and Family Seminar in Los Angeles from 8/16-8/17

The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) is excited to announce that the 2024 Patient and Family Seminar will take place on August 16-17, 2024, in Los Angeles, CA. The seminar is FREE, but in-person seating is LIMITED. The event’s keynote speaker Rafael Fonseca, MD, Hematologist, Director for Innovation and Transformational Relationships, and Professor of Medicine (Mayo Clinic —Phoenix, AZ) will present on “What is the Future of Myeloma?"

Other esteemed members of the myeloma community who will speak at this seminar include the following: IMF President & CEO, and 28-year myeloma patient Yelak Biru; Sagar Lonial, MD (Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University — Atlanta, GA); Kansas City Area Myeloma Support Group Leader Wendy Thomas, RN, MSN, CHPN (Bloch Cancer Care Pavilion, University of Kansas Health System — Kansas City, MO); IMF InfoLine Advisor Teresa Miceli, RN, BSN, OCN (Mayo Clinic — Rochester, MN); Urvi Shah, MD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — New York, NY); Angela Dispenzieri, MD (Mayo Clinic — Rochester, MN); Robert Vescio, MD (Cedars-Sinai — Los Angeles, CA); IMF Chief Medical Officer Joseph Mikhael, MD, M.Ed., FRCPC, FACP (TGen, City of Hope — Phoenix, AZ); IMF Nurse Leadership Board member Tiffany Richards, MS, ANP, AOCN, (MD Anderson — Houston, TX); Triage Center’s Erin Bair, Esq.; IMF Director of Public Policy and Advocacy Danielle Doheny; and IMF Vice President of Philanthropy Sylvia Dsouza. You don’t want to miss this event that gathers top practitioners and educators in the field of myeloma under one roof!

Support the Fundraisers Who Have Committed to an Adventure of a Lifetime to Find a Cure for Myeloma. Can You Help Them Reach Their Goals?

The Iceland Cycling Expedition (ICE) is a fundraising bike tour taking place in beautiful Iceland with a team of twelve cyclists. From August 29, 2024, to September 3, 2024, 12 intrepid individuals will embark on an adventure across Iceland to support the Black Swan Research Initiative®, including the iStopMM Research Project in Iceland. Visit the Donate button below to give to an individual cyclist on the ride. By giving to a cyclist, you will support the thrill of adventure while being an agent for change.

Apply for a 2025 Brian D. Novis Research Grant by August 26, 2024

The International Myeloma Foundation funds the Brian D. Novis Research Grants which are provided through private donations. The IMF awards these grants to researchers working in the field of multiple myeloma and related disorders including smoldering myeloma, MGUS (monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance), and immunoglobulin-derived amyloidosis. This year's awards will be $50,000 each for the junior grant and $80,000 for the senior grant. Applicants must complete and return the application package to the IMF no later than August 26, 2024.

Around the Web: Myeloma News

To keep you abreast of the most recent myeloma research findings, “The Myeloma Minute” features links to top myeloma content around the web. According to this press release from GSK, the European Medicines Association (EMA) “has accepted the marketing authorization application (MAA) for Blenrep (belantamab mafodotin) in combination with bortezomib plus dexamethasone (BorDex) or pomalidomide plus dexamethasone (PomDex) as a treatment for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.”

Research shows a simple blood test that measures the number of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell in the body, may predict whether people who have relapsed multiple myeloma could respond well to CAR T-cell therapy. Read more in the article “Absolute lymphocyte count after BCMA CAR-T therapy is a predictor of response and outcomes in relapsed multiple myeloma” from Blood Advances.

Each month, the IMF’s team of medical editors summarizes the most fascinating studies about myeloma. Here is the most recent edition: June 2024 – Myeloma News from the Journals. As always, we invite you to visit the IMF Newsroom for the latest myeloma news.