Cyndi Logan is excited by the community’s support in the first Multiple Myeloma March held in Quesnel on Saturday, Sept. 24.
Dozens wore a red flower symbolizing the incurable blood cancer as they walked the Fuel Management Trails.
Logan listed dozens of local businesses that donated prizes and funds to help find a cure.
While Logan had a successful stem cell transplant in May she noted the toll it takes on the human body, and spoke of a new treatment and trial called CAR T-cell therapy. It involves altering a patient’s T cells in a lab that are then given back to the patient to destroy cancer cells and has shown a 33 to 58 percent efficacy in myeloma patients with no other options.
Logan said an oncologist in Vancouver has expressed interest in providing therapy trials to newly diagnosed myeloma patients.
“In the seven years that I’ve been going, new treatments are coming along all the time because of the amount of money Myeloma Canada puts into our research networks. I want you to know that your donations will benefit a patient like me because it already has,” she continued.
“So I want a cure, my kids want a cure — I want to be here for longer,” she added, choking up.
Nazko First Nation Chief Leah Stump and Chad Stump welcomed everyone to the traditional territory of the Lhtako Dene Nation before drumming the Women’s and Men’s Warrior Song.
Leah noted the Women’s Warrior Song came to a woman of the Lil’wat Nation in a sweat lodge where she was praying for help and guidance.
“We all ask for help in different ways, and the way that we do it as First Nations is by using the drum to call on our ancestors and the ones that have gone before us,” Leah said.
Chad said multiple myeloma was not something he knew much about and called the Multiple Myeloma March informative for himself and his family.
Delina Gentleman, a family member of Logan’s, participated in the fundraiser held a week earlier in Prince George.
She was diagnosed with multiple myeloma more than four years ago.
“I think it’s really important everybody gets an annual blood test, and if they’re anemic to get it investigated because that’s one of the few things that show up besides aches and pains,” Gentleman said. “If you have bone pain and you’re anemic, that’s something that’s pointing toward multiple myeloma, so it’s really important, and I wish I had known that anemia was one of the big indicators.”
The inaugural 5-km Quesnel Multiple Myeloma March surpassed Logan’s fundraising goal of $5,000.
On Monday, Sept. 26, Logan confirmed that $10,771 was raised.
Read More: Quesnel woman with incurable blood cancer organizing fundraising march
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