TORONTO AND DISTRICT MULTIPLE MYELOMA SUPPORT GROUP
Who We Are
The Toronto & District Multiple Myeloma Support Group is comprised of myeloma patients, their caregivers, families, and friends. It grew out of a need for information and support in dealing with this rare cancer.
Our group welcomes patients and their spouses, caregivers, loved ones, significant others, family members and friends to join us as we share support, comfort, information and friendship in a relaxed, informal and confidential environment.
What We Do
The main purpose of the Group is to offer myeloma patients and their loved ones the support and information needed to help them live longer, stronger lives.
The support group provides the following 4 services:
1) In Person and Virtual Meetings
We have an in-person meeting every second month that often has a guest speaker knowledgeable in myeloma, in associated health conditions, or on issues affecting myeloma patients.
We also host "Share and Care" virtual meetings, made up of patients and caregivers. These meetings are an opportunity to share our experiences in the myeloma journey.
Both forms of meetings inform us about advances in treatments, emerging therapies, managing side effects, and other aspects of living with myeloma. While these meetings are largely informational in nature, they are opportunities to talk informally with other myeloma patients and their families, and to share experiences.
Meeting details are provided under the "Meetings" tab of this website.
We produce a video of the guest speaker presentation at most meetings, for the benefit of the Canadian myeloma community. Videos of past meetings are found on the Myeloma Canada youtube channel website at: https://www.youtube.com/user/myelomacanada/videos.
The Toronto & District Multiple Myeloma Support Group is comprised of myeloma patients, their caregivers, families, and friends. It grew out of a need for information and support in dealing with this rare cancer.
Our group welcomes patients and their spouses, caregivers, loved ones, significant others, family members and friends to join us as we share support, comfort, information and friendship in a relaxed, informal and confidential environment.
What We Do
The main purpose of the Group is to offer myeloma patients and their loved ones the support and information needed to help them live longer, stronger lives.
The support group provides the following 4 services:
1) In Person and Virtual Meetings
We have an in-person meeting every second month that often has a guest speaker knowledgeable in myeloma, in associated health conditions, or on issues affecting myeloma patients.
We also host "Share and Care" virtual meetings, made up of patients and caregivers. These meetings are an opportunity to share our experiences in the myeloma journey.
Both forms of meetings inform us about advances in treatments, emerging therapies, managing side effects, and other aspects of living with myeloma. While these meetings are largely informational in nature, they are opportunities to talk informally with other myeloma patients and their families, and to share experiences.
Meeting details are provided under the "Meetings" tab of this website.
We produce a video of the guest speaker presentation at most meetings, for the benefit of the Canadian myeloma community. Videos of past meetings are found on the Myeloma Canada youtube channel website at: https://www.youtube.com/user/myelomacanada/videos.
2) Newsletters and our Brochure
We publish a newsletter every second month which provides information on meetings, usually a transcript of the last meeting, a description of developments in the myeloma community, and a description of myeloma related events in the Toronto area.
Please contact anyone listed under “Contacts” if you wish to be added to the newsletter distribution list. A copy of the latest newsletter is provided here. In addition, you can find archived newsletters on the " Contacts, Archived Newsletters and Links" page of this website. Also, here's a copy of our brochure in pdf format, ready for downloading and printing.
We publish a newsletter every second month which provides information on meetings, usually a transcript of the last meeting, a description of developments in the myeloma community, and a description of myeloma related events in the Toronto area.
Please contact anyone listed under “Contacts” if you wish to be added to the newsletter distribution list. A copy of the latest newsletter is provided here. In addition, you can find archived newsletters on the " Contacts, Archived Newsletters and Links" page of this website. Also, here's a copy of our brochure in pdf format, ready for downloading and printing.
| November 2023 Newsletter |
| Toronto and District Support Group Brochure |
Opportunity to speak with other patients and caregivers
Some patients benefit from speaking one-on-one with another myeloma patient who has navigated the myeloma journey for some time and is willing to share their experience. Click on the “Contacts and Links” tab for a listing of patients or caregivers who would be pleased to speak with you, answer questions, and help you source additional information.
4) Information
We offer printed information material at our meetings. We also work closely with Myeloma Canada (www.myeloma.ca). Their website contains a wealth of information. It also contains the Myeloma Patient Handbook, an excellent overview of the disease and treatments, linked here:
https://www.myelomacanada.ca/pixms/uploads/serve/ckeditor/myeloma_canada_patient_handbook_10_2017-2.pdf
The "Contacts, Links and Archived Newsletters" page of this website also contains information on other valuable sources of information and support.
Canadian Myeloma Research Group(CMRG) Seminars
Dr Donna Reece, Chief Medical Officer of CMRG is leading a series of seminars that will be of great interest to myeloma patients. The next seminar takes place on October 12 from 5-6 pm and can be signed up for by following this link:
Seminar 2: Lab Results and Imaging Studies: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMuc-GvrjkiHtSVNGR_EILk_E3FPgSJMP-c
The following is Dr Reece's description of the seminars and their value to myeloma patients:
"Since it is critical to arm our patients with as much information as possible, I am excited to spearhead a CMRG Research Educational Webinar Series for patients and other stakeholders. While this will start with” Myeloma Basics", it will later provide up-to-date research information on Canadian trials, including CMRG ones, and details of the emerging—but limited--drug access programs from some Pharma companies. It looks like it will be many months (even years) before the new immune platforms will be funded via provincial algorithms; I am also concerned about obtaining eventual funding for all the new approaches so they can be given in sequence. There is a lot to discuss.
We are fortunate that both Suzanne Rowland (Myeloma Nurse Practitioner who just retired from Princess Margaret) and Ledia Mataj (our CMRG administrator who is also a physiotherapist) will also be offering their unique perspectives during this series. And there will be time to take questions."
Some patients benefit from speaking one-on-one with another myeloma patient who has navigated the myeloma journey for some time and is willing to share their experience. Click on the “Contacts and Links” tab for a listing of patients or caregivers who would be pleased to speak with you, answer questions, and help you source additional information.
4) Information
We offer printed information material at our meetings. We also work closely with Myeloma Canada (www.myeloma.ca). Their website contains a wealth of information. It also contains the Myeloma Patient Handbook, an excellent overview of the disease and treatments, linked here:
https://www.myelomacanada.ca/pixms/uploads/serve/ckeditor/myeloma_canada_patient_handbook_10_2017-2.pdf
The "Contacts, Links and Archived Newsletters" page of this website also contains information on other valuable sources of information and support.
Canadian Myeloma Research Group(CMRG) Seminars
Dr Donna Reece, Chief Medical Officer of CMRG is leading a series of seminars that will be of great interest to myeloma patients. The next seminar takes place on October 12 from 5-6 pm and can be signed up for by following this link:
Seminar 2: Lab Results and Imaging Studies: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMuc-GvrjkiHtSVNGR_EILk_E3FPgSJMP-c
The following is Dr Reece's description of the seminars and their value to myeloma patients:
"Since it is critical to arm our patients with as much information as possible, I am excited to spearhead a CMRG Research Educational Webinar Series for patients and other stakeholders. While this will start with” Myeloma Basics", it will later provide up-to-date research information on Canadian trials, including CMRG ones, and details of the emerging—but limited--drug access programs from some Pharma companies. It looks like it will be many months (even years) before the new immune platforms will be funded via provincial algorithms; I am also concerned about obtaining eventual funding for all the new approaches so they can be given in sequence. There is a lot to discuss.
We are fortunate that both Suzanne Rowland (Myeloma Nurse Practitioner who just retired from Princess Margaret) and Ledia Mataj (our CMRG administrator who is also a physiotherapist) will also be offering their unique perspectives during this series. And there will be time to take questions."
| CMRG Seminar Series |