What’s in store at Myeloma UK for 2013?

2013 is shaping up to be another busy year for Myeloma UK, jam-packed full of programmes and events for patients and their families as well as healthcare professionals.

Whether you are in need of information and support or want to help Myeloma UK reach healthcare professionals or government about our issues, there are many ways that you can take part in, benefit from and help promote our work.

For the fundraisers among you, we will be relying on your support more than ever in this coming year. There are so many ways that you can directly support and fundraise for Myeloma UK.

Read on for a brief overview of what is in store from Myeloma UK in 2013.

American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting Supplement

Last December, Myeloma UK was actively involved in the ASH Annual Meeting, 7 - 10 December in Atlanta, Georgia. More than 20,000 haematologists, oncologists and allied healthcare professionals attended this conference, where significant new research findings were reported by experts from around the world.

Doctors and scientists interested in myeloma shared their discoveries and learned about the most current research, new treatments, and better ways to use existing treatments.

Myeloma UK is producing a Myeloma Matters supplement on the most relevant information presented at this annual conference.

If you do not already subscribe to our quarterly newsletter Myeloma Matters, sign up today, it's free.

Patient and Family Myeloma Infodays

Make plans to attend one of our 2013 regional Patient and Family Myeloma Infodays. These regional events are spread throughout the year, and around the UK, providing you and your family an opportunity to learn from leading experts and meet other patients and their families. Registration for all 10 locations is available now.

We’ve made two important enhancements to our 2013 Infoday programmes, each based on input and suggestions received from attendees. First, we will be providing you with a different variety of living with myeloma topics during 2013. Second, we have added more time for the breakout sessions and networking. Mark your calendar today.

Save the date:

North Central (Leeds) – Saturday 16 March

East Midlands (Nottingham) – Saturday 27 April

Scotland (Aberdeen) – Saturday 18 May

South Coast (Bournemouth) – Saturday 22 June

North East (Newcastle) – Saturday 21 September

North West (Manchester) – Saturday 28 September

Northern Ireland (Belfast) – Saturday 5 October

West Midlands (Bromsgrove) – Saturday 19 October

Wales (Cardiff) – Saturday 9 November

South East (London) – Saturday 23 November

Learn more

New for patients 2013 - Webinars

This year, for the first time, we will provide a series of live webinars on a wide variety of important medical and living well topics. These web-based seminars will provide access to leading medical experts and allow you to have your questions answered, all from the convenience of your home. We work closely with each presenter to make sure that technical and medical information is communicated in a way that makes sense to you.

It’s free to participate, all you will need is a high-speed internet connection. Registration for each will open eight weeks before each webinar date. Visit our website, www.myeloma.org.uk regularly for dates and further information on webinars.

Programmes for Healthcare Professionals in 2013

Myeloma UK will provide several new programmes and educational resources for healthcare providers in the year ahead, as part of our online Myeloma Academy™.

These will include a series of accredited, interactive challenging cases for doctors and nurses as well as a wide range of educational videos and tutorials. In addition, and again for the first time, we will be introducing a series of webinars for healthcare professionals too.

Plans are also underway to hold a fully accredited Myeloma Nursing Masterclass in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing.

To find out more about our programmes for healthcare professionals and to help promote them, visit our website or contact Lois at lois.lobban@myeloma.org.uk.

Patient and Family Programmes and Services in 2013

In 2013, we will continue to provide our extensive range of programmes and services that benefit patients and families and help them through everything that comes with a diagnosis of myeloma.

We are busy working on old favourites such as our Myeloma Infoline and Myeloma Support Group Network as well as new resources such as our webinars. It’s always good to know how we are doing in meeting your needs.

Please contact Sue Perkins our Head of Service Development with any feedback or ideas for new programmes and services. She would love to hear from you at sue.perkins@myeloma.org.uk.

Policy and Advocacy - drilling down on our substantive issues 

After a very busy year reacting to a cascade of policy developments as the NHS went through arguably it’s biggest changes since its formation over 60 years ago, Myeloma UK will be focusing on a more targeted list of substantive issues affecting myeloma. Further information about these issues will be available soon so keep visiting our website for the latest news.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, or to find our more about what we have been doing or our future plans, contact our Policy Officer Kate at kate.morgan@myeloma.org.uk 

Research

Throughout 2013, Myeloma UK will continue its efforts to support the best possible myeloma research and to actively bring novel treatments to the UK as part of our innovative Clinical Trial Network.

As a result of our research partnership with The Institute of Cancer Research, the UK now sits at the forefront of myeloma genetics in the world.

Thanks and Appreciation

Thank you all for your participation and generous contributions in 2012. None of what we do would be possible without your support. 

I hope you will consider doing some fundraising in the coming year or signing up to make a regular donation.