THUNDER BAY - For Leah Vanderwey and her husband Jerry, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma seven years ago, life has not been the same since, but they are hoping to draw more attention to this common, yet relatively unknown form of cancer.
“It changes the way you live your life, it creates a new normal for our family because it’s always there, even if it is quiet,” Leah Vanderwey said. “It will come back. We don’t know when.”
More than 30 people gathered at Prince Arthur’s Landing for the 3rd Annual Multiple Myeloma March on Saturday.
The goal of the march is to continue to raise awareness about multiple myeloma and raise money for research to develop new and innovative treatments.
“Myeloma is one of the unknown ones, yet eight Canadians every day are diagnosed every day with myeloma,” Vanderwey said. “The other piece that goes with myeloma is there are lots of people in Northwestern Ontario who have myeloma.”
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cells responsible for producing antibodies. It can eventually spread to the bones and bone marrow.
“It is blood cancer and travels to different parts of the body and impacts the bones,” Vanderwey said. “It’s a treatable cancer, but it is not curable. There are no survivors of multiple myeloma.”
But there have been a lot of advancements in treatment over the years, Vanderwey added, with the life expectancy continually going up.
“As of 2000, somebody diagnosed with multiple myeloma would have on average three to five years to live,” she said. “Now that average has doubled and continues to double. Clinical research is very important, so there is always those pieces on the horizon.”
Marches were taking place in 28 communities across the country, with all the money raised going toward multiple myeloma research.
Vanderwey said it is always encouraging to see so much support from the community and she is hopeful the money raised will continue to lead to new treatments and continue to increase the life expectancy for those diagnosed.
“We were hoping for $5,000 just locally,” she said. “At this point we are at $1,600 and any little bit helps.”
