Serbia marks European Myeloma Day with a packed September
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Throughout September, the Multiple Myeloma Patient Association of Serbia (MMPAS) marked Blood Cancer Awareness Month with a powerful and heartfelt series of activities across the country — especially in smaller towns, where awareness of multiple myeloma remains extremely low.
Guided by empathy and driven by purpose, they launched two national campaigns focused on informing, educating, and supporting – not just patients and caregivers, but entire communities affected by myeloma.
During September, they visited three cities: Subotica, Užice, and Požarevac, and they’re not done yet. By the end of the year, they will also bring the mission to Niš, Kraljevo, and Zaječar.
Sharing Knowledge, Building Community
In every city visited, they took time to meet people where they are, in general hospitals and health centers. Also, they visited gerontology centers, where they can pay special attention to the 65+ population, who are most often affected and yet, far too often, left without access to clear, relevant, and compassionate information.
They shared educational posters and leaflets covering essential topics, such as:
- What is multiple myeloma?
- How nutrition and physical activity help?
- Psychological support for patients
- Emotional and practical support for caregivers
- Coping with the long-term effects of treatment
We’re CoMMing to You
We’re CoMMing to You is a mental health support caravan. In this campaign, MMPAS opened a space for honest conversation and connection. Through panel discussions titled “Diagnosis as a Call for Change”, they brought together association members, psycho-oncologists, local breast cancer support groups, and medical experts from each city. These weren’t just discussions, they were moments of shared understanding.
Each event ended with interactive workshops, where participants learnt how to manage the emotional and mental health challenges that often go unseen but are deeply felt.
For many who joined us, this was the first time they felt truly heard, informed, and supported. For MMPAS, it was a window into the realities they face, the quiet struggles in small, often conservative towns, where the cracks in an overstretched healthcare system run deep.
These conversations shape us as they will directly inspire the work of the organisation in the year to come.
As part of their commitment to community and solidarity, they also continued a long-standing blood donation initiative, Reach Out a Hand for Life – Blood Donation Campaign. One of these drives took place on European Myeloma Day, a symbolic reminder of the strength we find when we come together. Also, on EMD, at Republic Square (the central city square in Belgrade), they held an information stand with educational flyers about myeloma, where eight patient-volunteers from the association distributed more than 300 flyers to passers-by.
Additionally, the day after EMD, a group of 40 myeloma patients, caregivers and friends walked 3 km in MMPAS branded shirts to show solidarity and raise visibility of myeloma community. What a fantastic month from the team in Serbia!
Follow their journey – you can follow the work of this member organisation on social media to stay informed with all they are up to in helping to raise awareness of multiple myeloma in Serbia and beyond. (Facebook and Instagram)