The annual Walk of Champions for Myeloma Research returned for its 15th year Sunday.
The annual walk is held by the London and District Myeloma Support Group, and is their major fundraiser for the year. It raises money for myeloma clinical trials at the London Regional Cancer Program.
This year’s walk raised over $106,000, pushing the total amount raised since the walk was founded in 2009 by myeloma patients Dan Childerhose and the late Keith Fleming over the $1 million mark.
“We’re pretty pleased about that,” Ev McDowell, co-leader of the London and District Myeloma Support Group, said.
“It just makes you really feel good. We lost a couple of years there with COVID. This might be a banner year for us in terms of participation and the money raised.”
Multiple myeloma is the most common type of plasma cell cancer in which abnormal plasma cells can form tumours in bones and bone marrow. The cancer cells crowd out the healthy blood cells, which can lead to complications such as thinning bones, kidney problems, and lowering the body’s ability to fight infections.
No known cure exists at this time. The goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms, slow the progression, and ultimately put it into remission.
McDowell, who’s had multiple myeloma for over 23 years, says the amount of treatments available today is amazing.
“When I had my stem cell transplant, there weren’t a lot of options if you relapsed. Then two years later, there was a drug for treatment, three years later, there was another one and then a couple more years there was another, and it’s just been continuous. There’s so many options now for people, which is very lucky.”
Childerhose says the amount raised this year is a nice surprise.
“We usually raise around $100,000, but not by the time of the walk. Sometimes it’s after because we keep the donations open until November,” he said.
He adds that after a few years of virtual and hybrid walks, the turnout to this year’s walk is “really great to see.”