March is Myeloma Awareness Month- Ken’s Journey Part 1.

Why is this important? Myeloma was something I had not heard of prior to my Dad’s diagnosis in 2004. I had never known anyone to have Myeloma and when my Dad called on that November day and said I have this “thing”. When he said the words “Multiple Myeloma” my first response was “Dad that sounds like some type of Cancer…”. His response was yes but it is manageable. I then thought- how I have I never even heard of someone with this diagnosis.

That conversation led to my Dad’s and my awareness of Myeloma. This was eventually what lead me to first volunteering to work with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in 2009. Between 2004 and 2009 I learned a lot from the various treatments, therapies and my Dad harvesting and storing his own stem cells for what would be an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant in 2012.

My first “campaign” with LLS was joining a friends 2009 campaign team for The National Capital Area- Jennifer Keating. Her campaign was in memory of her father Tom who had lost his battle with Leukemia. This campaign and the enthusiasm, drive and dedication of volunteers who form a team to raise a minimum of $50,000 dollars in a 10 week period was one of the most impressive things I had witnessed. To be continued….