Blood Cancer Awareness Month is an opportunity to #kNOwMyeloma
Event held each September to raise funds for myeloma, lymphoma, leukemia
Supporters are gearing up to learn, educate, and fundraise in observance of Blood Cancer Awareness Month, which is held each September to increase awareness of all types of blood cancer, including myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia.
The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) will revive its #kNOwMyeloma educational campaign, which focuses on the question, “Do You Know Myeloma?” As in past years, the campaign seeks to motivate supporters to educate themselves about multiple myeloma, the second most common type of blood cancer, and share what they’ve learned on social media.
The foundation has two main goals with the initiative — for the general public and affected families to KNOW myeloma, and for there to be NO myeloma in the future. Participants are encouraged to download items from IMF’s social media tool kit, including infographics available in several languages, and share them on social media with the hashtag #kNOwMyeloma.
“At the IMF, we believe that knowledge is power and shared knowledge builds a resilient and hopeful community,” the IMF states in a press release announcing this year’s initiative. “No gesture for Blood Cancer Awareness Month is too small. All actions add to the campaign’s momentum, its ability to impact those living with blood cancers, and to raise funds toward prevention and a cure for multiple myeloma.”
Blood cancers account for about 10% of all newly diagnosed cancers in the U.S. each year. A person in the U.S. is diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma every three minutes.
Marking Blood Cancer Awareness Month
Blood Cancer Awareness Month was officially designated by Congress in 2010 to help facilitate earlier diagnoses, encourage policymakers to prioritize the disease, and help those affected by blood cancer feel heard.
IMF’s efforts are focused on multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that starts in plasma cells, white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight off infection and disease.
During the campaign, those affected by myeloma are asked to share a video that answers the questions, “What do you know about myeloma?” and “What advice do you have for the myeloma community?” The videos will be posted on IMF’s Blood Cancer Awareness Month webpage, where supporters can also find a host of other resources, including information about IMF-led initiatives to improve myeloma research, education, support, and advocacy.
Among its many ongoing initiatives are efforts to raise awareness about the high incidence of myeloma among those of African descent and to advocate for early detection and diagnosis of myeloma in African Americans through its M-Power Project.
All events throughout awareness month can also be found on the webpage, including educational Facebook live events, where participants will be able to ask experts about myeloma. These are:
- Sept. 3: “Ask Me About Myeloma and Nutrition” with Urvi Shaw, MD, 7 p.m. EST
- Sept. 13: “Ask the Experts” with Joseph Mikhael, MD, and S. Vincent Rajkumar, MD, 1:15 p.m. EST
- Sept. 18: “Ask Me Anything with the IMF Nurse Leadership Board Members,” with Beth Faiman, PhD, Donna Catamero, and Tiffany Richards, PhD, 7 p.m. EST.
IMF also sponsored the Iceland Cycling Expedition, which ended Tuesday, wherein 12 people who’d been raising funds for IMF research took part in a six-day, five-night biking tour around Iceland.
Several other fundraising walks and events can be found on the event webpage.
On Sept. 12-15, IMF will host its 25th annual Support Group Leaders Summit, where patients and caregivers gather to share their stories and experiences in recognition of the impact of supporting a myeloma journey. This year’s summit will be in San Antonio and can be supported with a donation on the IMF website.
IMF is also highlighting other resources for the myeloma community, including informational materials, its InfoLine phone line, caregiver resources, and IMF support groups.
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