Robin Tuohy, National Director of Support Groups for the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) and her husband, Michael, a long-term multiple myeloma survivor,will speak at the quarterly meeting of the Chesapeake Multiple Myeloma Network (CMMN) on Saturday, November 4, at 4:00 PM in the Large Conference Room of the Eastern Shore Conservation Center (114 S. Washington St., Easton). The talk, Caring for the Care Givers of Multiple Myeloma Patients, is free and open to the public.
Important progress has been made in the treatment of multiple myeloma, a bone marrow and blood cancer, in the last decade and a half improving the longevity and quality of life for many myeloma patients.Even so, the new treatments are not always effective and those that are often become ineffective in a year or two. Challenges for patients and care givers include the management of side effects from treatment, the high cost of treatment, managing appointments and billing involving multiple health care providers, adhering to treatment regimens for long periods of time, lost work and recreational time, and emotional stress, to name a few. In these matters, care givers are critical to the successful treatment of myeloma and care giving is demanding,complex, and loving work for the family and friends who do it. Robin Tuohy, a long-time professional and leader in the field of multiple myeloma services, and her husband Michael, a long-term myeloma survivor, will explore the needs of myeloma patients and the needs of their care givers, and strategies for adapting creatively to these demands. There will be a general introduction session and then an opportunity for break-out groups of patients and care givers. The session also should be of value to patients and care givers experiencing treatment for other cancers.
The Chesapeake Multiple Myeloma Network (CMMN) is an informal Eastern Shore group of individuals affected by multiple myeloma. Its mission is “to provide ongoing resources of education, support, shared experiences, and hope for persons with multiple myeloma, their families, and friends.” CMMN partners with the University of Maryland’s Shore Regional Health Cancer Center’s Outpatient Oncology Support Program and is an affiliate of the International Myeloma Foundation. CMMN’s meetings are informal and last about an hour and a half.
Parking is available in the Conservation Center’s Washington St. lot and on Washington St. itself. The Center is handicapped accessible. For further information about CMMN, contact Bob Kelly at 410-226-5345 or [email protected] or visit https://chesapeake.support.myeloma.org/
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.