Despite war-related damage to its original venue, MPE member organisation AMEN Israel brought together leading haematologists and patients to explore pathways to curing myeloma in a memorable 20th anniversary conference.

AMEN Israel, MPE’s member organisation in Israel and the country’s myeloma patient association, marked a significant milestone this year with its 20th anniversary conference. What could have been cancelled became instead a memorable celebration of progress towards a cure for myeloma.
The conference faced an unexpected challenge when a missile strike during conflict with Iran damaged the Weizmann Institute of Science, destroying the cancer research building and the auditorium where the event was planned. “We thought that there would be no conference this year,” says Varda Shoham, AMEN’s Chief Executive Officer. However, strong support from both patients and haematologists led to the decision to find an alternative venue and continue.

An unconventional approach to serious science

The conference’s opening session took an innovative format that demonstrates the creative approaches MPE member organisations bring to patient education. Three senior myeloma physicians – Professor Moshe Gat (Head of Haematology at Hadassah Medical Centre in Jerusalem), Professor Yael Cohen (Manager of the myeloma unit at Soraski Medical Centre in Tel Aviv and Head of the Israeli Myeloma Group), and Dr Yulia Vexler (Head of myeloma services at Rabin Medical Centre in Petach Tikva and AMEN’s medical advisor) – created a presentation styled after the popular cooking programme MasterChef.
Titled “Cooking a cure for myeloma”, the physicians dressed as chefs and presented promising treatments as “recipes” for curing the disease. Each doctor presented their case for which treatment approach might lead to a cure, whilst three myeloma patients from AMEN’s drama group served as judges in the style of the television programme.

Promising treatments presented

The session began with a serious discussion about what constitutes a cure and what expectations are realistic. The physicians then presented several cutting-edge treatments showing remarkable results:
CAR-T cell therapy was highlighted for its current long-term positive outcomes. The MajecTEC-5 clinical trial was discussed, noting optimistic reports of 100% of patients achieving complete response alongside negative minimal residual disease results. Trispecific antibodies received particular attention as a promising research area demonstrating exceptional results.

The final presentation included a demonstration where a trispecific antibody “met” a myeloma cell, concluded with a confetti cannon filling the stage, followed by applause from the entire audience.

Combining education with engagement

The format succeeded in making complex medical information accessible whilst maintaining scientific rigour. The combination of serious medical content presented through creative theatre engaged both patients and healthcare professionals, generating excitement about advances in treatment and the genuine possibility of cure.

AMEN’s conference demonstrates the resilience and innovation of MPE’s member organisations. Even in challenging circumstances, patient groups continue to provide education, hope and support to the myeloma community, working closely with healthcare professionals to empower patients with knowledge about emerging treatments.