The American Society of Hematology (ASH) 66th Annual Meeting and Exposition is in sunny San Diego again this year. The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), with the assistance of some amazing donors and sponsors (J&J, Karyopharm, and Regeneron) has again brought a team to ASH comprised of 10 in-person and 5 virtual attendees; myeloma support group leaders, patients, care partners, nurses, and advocates. I have the honor and pleasure of leading the Virtual Team this year. It’s my fourth year attending ASH, and I’m continually blown away by the team’s drive for knowledge and their desire to share this knowledge with the greater myeloma coMMunity. To be frank, attending ASH is grueling—for both the in-person and virtual teams—extremely long days, organizing your daily schedule, attempting to juggle between simultaneous sessions, and just absorbing the immense amount of information provided. This Myeloma Voices at ASH team is enthusiastic, engaged, and excited about the program and brainstorming about all of the ways that they can share the information that they learn to the larger myeloma coMMunity.
In addition to our veteran members, we are excited to welcome some first-timers to our Myeloma Voices at ASH team this year.
@TerryGlassman is a nurse and patient with plasma cell leukemia. She is actively involved in the IMF’s Living with High-Risk special interest group and also started a myeloma support group on Long Island, where she lives. She is thoughtful and dedicated to gaining knowledge about her disease because it empowers her! “Knowledge is my best medicine.”
@salmon_rob is a myeloma patient and support group leader from the San Francisco Bay Area. He co-led the San Francisco Bay Area support group with Myeloma Voices at ASH expert veteran, Jack Aiello, whom we miss terribly. Rob has a passion to continue myeloma advocacy and education, as Jack did in the Bay Area and beyond. Rob’s voice this year will highlight working towards a brighter future for those living with myeloma.
@Jimjhs17 Jim Shoemaker is a seventeen-year myeloma survivor/patient and is passionate about supporting the myeloma coMMunity in Memphis, his hometown, and beyond. I love Jim’s quote that “I have been a student of this disease for many years now, and I feel God has called me to be a small part in helping others navigate this process and encouraging them to be their best advocates.”
@jwiework Jenn Wieworka, DNP, RN, OCN, serves as a Director of Support Groups, like myself, here at the IMF. With her rich history in nursing and academia, she brings new perspective and vision to the SG Team, and the Myeloma Voices at ASH team. Jenn’s passion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and quality of life (QOL) studies is palpable. I look forward to her impact on our team.
Don’t forget to follow the entire Myeloma Voices at ASH team on X and other social media platforms! Let the games begin!