So those of you who have been following me for a while will remember that every year at this time, I go up to Connecticut to participate in a charity race. I walk in the MMRF Race for Research as a member of the Pop's Posse team. Pops is my uncle Paul. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma five years ago - a plasma cancer that develops in the bone marrow and interferes with bone health, prevents normal blood clotting, and leads to overworked and failing kidneys.
Ironically, one month after I came home from last year's race, I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. But now, less than a year later, I have been declared free of active cancers. Less than one year. And barring any unforeseen complications, my oncologists are confident that I will remain cancer free for a good long while. Maybe even the rest of my life.
But multiple myeloma is different. There is no cure. Remissions happen, but don't last. There are a limited number of therapies, and the more types of treatments a patient uses, the fewer options they have. And the treatments can often have devastating side effects.
Pops isn't the only person I know that has been affected by this cancer. My lifelong best friend Kimberly's mother was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2002. Earlier this month, she lost her battle. This year, I will be racing in her memory.
Please support my efforts by visiting http://321cure.themmrf.org/goto/bonez and making a donation. Any donation. Big. Small. Whatever. Just something. Because if enough people give enough somethings, SOMEDAY someone might be able to say "last year I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, but now I'm OK."
Thank you for supporting my efforts :)
