Our Monthly Meetings
The Connecticut Multiple Myeloma Fighters Information Group meets on most second Tuesdays of the month from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center, 1st floor conference room, 1075 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, CT 06708. For more information, please contact Michael or Robin Tuohy at 203-206-3536 or by E-Mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
You are not alone. The Connecticut Multiple Myeloma Fighters Information Group is part of a network of worldwide myeloma specific support groups affiliated with the International Myeloma Foundation (www.myeloma.org). Myeloma can very often be treated successfully, and many patients live long and productive lives after being diagnosed. We encourage you to learn as much as possible and to seek the best care possible.
At our meetings, patients, caregivers and friends share their knowledge and experiences on treatments, coping with side effects, medical insurance, participation in clinical trials, new scientific and clinical research and provide mutual support and encouragement.
We also invite experts to join us and share their knowledge. Call, email or mail to get on our email/phone list so you can receive the meeting announcements. You can also view the details of our next support group meeting, get driving directions, etc. here on our web site.
____________________________________________________
Meeting Cancellation Notice
In the event that we need to cancel a meeting due to inclement weather, we will send out an e-mail blast by 3:00 PM on the day of the meeting.
For members without e-mail, if you plan to attend a meeting and are not sure if it is still on, please call Robin Tuohy at 203-206-3536 after 3:00 PM on the day of the meeting for information.
_____________________________________________________
Attention myeloma caregivers: Click HERE for a link just for you!
For Directions to the Leever Cancer Center: Driving Directions
Please join us for our next meeting:
May 14, 2013 - Guest Speaker: Ann McNeill, RN, MSN, APN - Advanced Practice Nurse, Multiple Myeloma Division, John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center. Ann will discuss Novel Therapies, Side Effect Management, How to Understand Lab Tests and more. Refreshments generously provided by Kim Pierwola of Millennium, The Takeda Oncology Company.
__________________________________
March is Myeloma Awareness Month!
Remember to check the IMF Website: www.myeloma.org for all March Programs.
Our Support Group Members have contacted the towns of Prospect, Naugatuck, and Watertown, each of which have signed proclamations officially enacting March as Myeloma Awareness Month! If you would like details on how to do this in your town, please contact Robin Tuohy at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Thank you!
The International Myeloma Foundation has planned a number of outreach programs to promote March as Myeloma Awareness Month. Below is a summary of these programs for you to consider implementing in your local communities as well as promoting with your support group members.
If you would like a supply of flyers to distribute, please contact Robin at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Ø Flyer: “What’s NEW with Novel Therapies” including the LATEST information on Pomalyst approval, Velcade Sub Q, Kyprolis and MORE scheduled for Thursday, February 21, 2013
Ø Flyer: “How to Prevent Infection in Myeloma Patients” scheduled for Thursday, March 7
Ø Flyer: Myeloma Awareness Month Outreach flyer “Tell One Person”.
Ø Myeloma Awareness Pins – If you would like more of these pins, they are available on a first come, first serve basis. Please contact me.
Other Myeloma Awareness Month Programs
Advocacy:
Ø The IMF Advocacy Team will be holding a webinar on "Medicare & You" on March 21;
Ø Press Release re Myeloma Awareness Month and Proclamation;
Ø Proclamations declaring March as Myeloma Awareness Month. If you are interested in having your Town proclaim March as Myeloma Awareness Month, please contact me and I will send you helpful “how to” documents as well as the form Proclamation to use.
Social Media
Ø Live chat/tweet with Dr. Durie during Myeloma Awareness Month;
Ø Twitter and FaceBook: we will be posting “Tuesday Tidbit” and Friday Factoid (2 posts a week during March);
Ø Myeloma Banner to use on Facebook, e-mail signatures, etc (attached for your use)
Our Mission
Our mission is to be an ongoing resource for information, support, shared experiences and hope for persons with multiple myeloma, their family and friends.
Our focus is to reach out to the myeloma community and empower them through education, provide support, and let them know they are not alone. Education is key in the fight against myeloma. Although we are not medical professionals, we strive to provide the most current information in myeloma treatment, clinical trials, side effects, pain management and quality of life issues by our affiliation with the International Myeloma Foundation. Patients talk about things that doctors don't - like insurance, bills, assistance, work and how to go about life in general. Our shared experiences help each other!
Subscribe To Our eMail List
Click here to join our email mailing list on Yahoo! Groups. Through this list, you can receive monthly meeting reminders and other announcements.
Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the cells in the bone marrow that affects production of red cells, white cells and stem cells. More specifically, it is an uncontrolled growth of plasma cells which attack and destroy bone. It is the 2 nd largest of the blood cancers affecting an estimated 750,000 people worldwide; in industrialized countries it is growing in number and affecting increasingly younger people. Although there is no known cure, multiple myeloma is treatable and outcomes are constantly improving.
Join us as we our share experiences and information with each other. Statistics show that people that attend support groups do better!
International Myeloma Foundation and Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center Acknowledgement
The Connecticut Multiple Myeloma Fighter's Information Group is proud to be affiliated with the International Myeloma Foundation and sponsored by the Harold Leever Regional Cancer Center in Waterbury. We thank them wholeheartedly for their devotion to helping myeloma patients live better, stronger lives.
Latest Myeloma Research
The IMF produces webcasts from the major myeloma scientfic meetings. Recent webcasts available:
American Society of Hematology (ASH) meetings - December 2011
International Myeloma Workshop meetings (Paris) - May 2011
American Society of Hematology (ASH) meetings - December 2010
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meetings - June 2010
Webcasts from IMF Patient & Family Seminars
Webcasts from IMF Medical Meetings
MYELOMA TELECONFERENCES:
First Teleconference of 2012 - Replay available!
Best of ASH 2011 – What Patients Need to Know (clickable link)
Chair, International Myeloma Foundation
Cedars-Sinai Outpatient Cancer Center
Los Angeles, CA
ASH 2011 brought the greatest number of abstracts on multiple myeloma—712 to be exact—ever published in the meeting’s history. On this teleconference, Dr. Brian Durie covers the highlights of the meeting and explains how the research presented represents a year of significant steps forward in understanding, prognosticating, imaging, treating, and monitoring this disease.
Website Support/Host
The Connecticut Multiple Myeloma Fighter's Information Group website is supported and hosted by the International Myeloma Foundation.