Our strategy
Discover Myeloma UK’s 2024-2028 strategy
Together, with our dedicated community, we have transformed treatment and care for people affected by myeloma in the last 25 years.
But when you’re living with myeloma, every day counts.
We have more to do to find a cure and make sure that everyone can have the best life possible, today and tomorrow.
Our vision is the same as it has always been – a world where myeloma doesn’t exist.
But we need to go further, faster because people affected by myeloma can’t wait.
Three core areas will now define our work:
Preventing myeloma
- Is it possible to prevent myeloma from developing?
- Could screening be a way to identify people who are most at risk of developing myeloma?
- How can we engage with a broader range of people to improve the support we offer and keep building our understanding?
Improving our knowledge of precursor conditions
By focusing on the biological changes that mean MGUS and smouldering myeloma become active myeloma, we will investigate whether it could be possible to prevent myeloma from developing in the first place.
Improving detection
We will support efforts to identify those who are most likely to develop precursor conditions, and so help people to be effectively monitored and treated at the right time.
Exploring precursor treatments
We will build our knowledge of when to treat precursor conditions, and increase our understanding of how this could affect quality of life and life expectancy for people affected by myeloma.
Targeting higher-risk and under-represented groups
By learning more about who is at greater risk of developing myeloma, we will seek to improve detection rates and monitoring while making sure everyone’s needs and preferences are met.
Accelerating earlier detection of active myeloma
By supporting medical professionals to consider, diagnose and treat myeloma earlier, we will work to reduce myeloma’s physical and psychological impact.
“Through my work as a Myeloma UK peer buddy, I have spoken with many fellow patients. Everyone has a different story about how their diagnosis came about – even those who are identified early are often spotted by chance, maybe through a blood test for a completely different issue.
But, ironically, myeloma and its precursor stages can be identified with a very simple blood test. The additional complications and difficulties faced by those patients who are diagnosed late are distressing and avoidable, and I believe Myeloma UK can make a big difference to life quality and expectancy through our focus on awareness and more timely diagnosis.”
Scott was diagnosed with myeloma in 2018.
He now volunteers with Myeloma UK as a peer buddy and patient advocate.
Treating myeloma
- How can we convene partnerships that lead to clinical breakthroughs and more personalised treatments?
- How can we improve support for people who are less likely to respond to current treatments?
- How can we help to define and share excellence in myeloma care?
Championing individual needs and preferences
No two myeloma journeys are the same. We want to ensure that healthcare systems and treatment options reflect what every person affected by myeloma needs, when they need it.
Supporting patient access and decision making
Treatment options can be complicated to understand and access. We will work to ensure people have the information and opportunity to access effective treatment, wherever they live.
Developing the right treatments
We want to bring more breakthrough treatments into the UK, so people affected my myeloma can look forward to their best future – wherever they are on their myeloma journey.
Building an impactful clinical community
We believe change is driven by powerful partnerships. So we will work closely with the clinical community, focusing on the opportunities that mean most to people affected by myeloma.
Reaching excellence in universal care
Everyone should experience high quality, expert care – regardless of who they are and where they live. We will work with clinical teams to drive up standards of care across the UK.
“Continued research into new treatments is crucial because it’s the only path towards discovering a cure. Organisations like Myeloma UK play a vital role in this quest by relentlessly seeking new treatments and bringing us closer to curing multiple myeloma – a journey I’ve seen progress significantly over the last 12 years.
Clinical trials hold immense significance for me because I firmly believe that, without my participation in the trials I’ve undergone, I might not be here today. I have exhausted standard treatment options. These trials offer not just extended survival chances and hope for others, but also pave the way towards discovering a cure for multiple myeloma.”
Antoinette was diagnosed with myeloma in 2012
Living well with myeloma
- How can we understand more about living longer with myeloma?
- How can we be a catalyst for new drugs that help people stay in remission for longer?
- Can we make people’s quality of life one of the defining aspects of our work?
Understanding survivorship
More and more people can expect to live longer with myeloma, but we need to know what that means for their wellbeing. We will fund research into answering key biological and psychological questions.
Maintaining quality of life
Life continues after diagnosis. So we will work to provide treatments, information and support that mean everyone affected by myeloma or a related condition can look to the future with confidence.
Guaranteeing high-quality ongoing support
We will keep improving our information and support so more people can find guidance and comfort, whatever their diagnosis brings.
Growing opportunities to meaningfully participate
Our work is powered by our community. We will look at new ways to involve more people’s voices in all of our decision making.
Expanding support for psychological and emotional needs
We will develop new ways to support everyone affected by myeloma – no matter who they are and how they are affected. No one should go through myeloma alone.
“I was told myeloma was incurable but treatable, and that with treatment you can expect a life expectancy of seven years. That was in 2006. Now, with incredible advances in pioneering treatment, life expectancy has increased dramatically. I am one very lucky person – I have a loving wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Life is wonderful.
Myeloma UK increasing its focus on living well with myeloma means that thousands of patients never need to feel alone and can share their feelings and concerns with a team of trained professionals. Family members will benefit too, because it’s sometimes worse for the family seeing their loved one go through the journey of treatment.”
Andrew was diagnosed with myeloma in 2007
Download our 2024-2028 strategy
Download and read our full 2024-2028 strategy and find out more about how it was developed and what the myeloma community told us mattered most to them.
Change lives today
It’s only with the help of generous supporters that we can provide the best possible support and fund research that improves diagnoses, treatment and care.
Everything we do is funded by voluntary contributions, fundraising and gifts left in wills
