Walking hand in hand, Erwin and Rose Malzer celebrated on Saturday morning.
They walked three kilometres along Okanagan Lake for the annual Multiple Myeloma March, three years after Erwin Malzer was diagnosed.
However, the march looked much different this year.
Participants were asked to walk on their own instead of en mass like they usually do during the event.
“When I was first diagnosed because of the nerve damage on my spine I lost all sensation and motor function in my right hand,” said Malzer. “The first couple of years I couldn’t walk, so lately I have been able to do that and I’m just thrilled and I am on top of the world.”
Malzer was given just six months to live when diagnosed but he underwent chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant which was a success and now he is in remission.
Multiple myeloma is the most common type of plasma cancer where abnormal plasma cells can form tumours in bones and bone marrow. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, this year 3,400 Canadians will be diagnosed with the type of cancer and 1,600 will die from it.
“There is hope with the advanced research we have now and there’s a variety of treatment plans out there and there is usually something that will keep the cancer at bay,” said Malzer.
The Kelowna fundraising team has managed to more than double their fundraising goal this year, raising $10,535 for research into the disease.
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