September proved to be an extraordinary month for myeloma advocacy across MPE’s member network. Our members delivered bold, impactful campaigns to raise awareness during Blood Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) and European Myeloma Day (EMD) on 27 September.

Raising public awareness

Across Europe, members used creative and high-profile campaigns to put myeloma in the spotlight. Slovenia’s Društvo BKB delivered its most comprehensive campaign yet, combining press conferences, hospital information stands, a “Walk in Red” event and a photography competition. In Poland, Fundacja Carita hosted its 6th Annual Health Rally, bringing together more than 800 patients, advocates and healthcare providers to raise awareness of myeloma and other blood disorders.

Serbia’s Association of Myeloma Patients Serbia (AMPS) took awareness nationwide with an EMD event and caravan campaign, while Portugal’s Associação Portuguesa Contra a Leucemia (APCL) ran a month-long campaign of activities focused on blood cancer awareness.

Improving diagnosis and engaging healthcare professionals

Several members focused on improving awareness and understanding of myeloma among healthcare professionals. In Serbia, the caravan campaign distributed the myeloma diagnosis pathway to GPs, while Lithuania’s Kraujas published the MPE Myeloma Diagnosis Pathway on a digital platform accessed by more than 5,000 GPs.

Educating and empowering patients

Patient education remained a strong focus throughout the month. Russia’s Mercy Bridge hosted a Patient School covering diagnosis, innovative therapies and supportive care, while the Czech Republic’s Klub pacientů mnohočetný myelom (KPMM) hosted a two-day patient seminar.
In Portugal, APCL’s month-long programme included specialist seminars and a survivorship conference, providing opportunities for patients and others in the myeloma community to access information and share experiences.

Supporting the myeloma community

Members also created opportunities for people affected by myeloma to connect, learn and support one another. Multiple Myeloma Ireland brought the community together through its “Living Well with Myeloma” event, which welcomed more than 70 myeloma patients, carers and advocates.

Together, these campaigns reflect the dedication of our members to putting myeloma on the European health agenda, from public awareness to clinician engagement to advocating for access to innovative treatments.