The 4th annual Multiple Myeloma March to raise awareness, funding for research and access to treatments is happening on Sunday September 11th at Victoria Park in Kingston. Myeloma is an incurable disease and is the second most common form of blood cancer. 

Hematologist with Kingston Health Sciences Centre, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at Queen’s University, Dr. Troy Climans says multiple myeloma can cause anemia, damage to the bone, kidney failure and high calcium levels.

"People only used to live a couple of years with this disease, now patients are able to live with this 10 years or more based on a number of new treatments that have come within the last 10 to 15 years," says Dr. Climans.

Dr. Climans says the first step in treating a patient with multiple myeloma is determining whether they would be eligible for a stem cell transplant. He adds in Kingston, 60 to 70 autologous stem cell transplants are done per year, with the majority for multiple myeloma. 

Some patients are not eligible for stem cell transplants. Dr. Climans says there are other options:

Dr. Climans says he hopes the march will raise awareness for multiple myeloma as it’s not as well known as some other types of cancers, and to raise money for research.

“The way we may eventually find a cure in the future is through research,” says Dr. Climans.

The march begins at 10:30 a.m. Sunday September 11th at Victoria Park. 

Listen to the full CFRC interview with Dr. Troy Climans below: