Barbara’s gift for future treatments

Barbara is a semi-retired writer and editor in her late 70s who lives with her husband, Sandy, in Newcastle Upon Tyne. After years of living with precursor conditions, Barbara was diagnosed with myeloma in 2017. Sandy has always been an amazing support to Barbara so they both want to help fund future research in whatever small way we can.

Barbara’s story

A well as her own diagnosis, Barbara has sadly lost beloved members of her family to myeloma. Barbara’s father died of myeloma in 1984, and her sister died from complications caused by myeloma in 2002.

About 20 years ago Barbara discovered she had MGUS, a precursor condition, which in 2016 developed into smouldering myeloma. In 2017, Barbara was diagnosed with myeloma and began treatment, including having a stem cell transplant. This was successful but only kept Barbara free of myeloma for around 2 years. Barbara receives excellent care from the team at Freemans Hospital and Barbara has been on treatment (chemotherapy and immunotherapy) ever since.

Barbara reflects

“I have been extremely lucky in that each line of treatment has worked well for me, though only for a couple of years at a time. I am currently on elranatamab.”

Barbara’s wish to fund future research

Barbara is so thankful for the treatment that she receives and feels that by including a gift in her will to Myeloma UK, she will be able to help others in the future benefit in the same way.

“I am lucky to have benefitted from new treatments. I wish to help fund future research so that others can benefit too. I hope that research will continue to provide new treatments and perhaps eventually a cure.”

Using the free will writing service

To make her wishes known, Barbara decided to include a gift in her will to Myeloma UK. She used the free will writing service to do this.

“I contacted a solicitor from the list provided by Myeloma UK’s free will writing service and proceeded from there. The process was simple and straight forward. It’s so easy. It cost nothing at the time. And it may help someone in the future.”

Barbara knows that her gift in her will takes another step closer to a cure. And that this gift is going to have a life changing impact on the people affected by myeloma in the future.

Join Barbara and leave a gift in your will to join the journey to cure myeloma.

We would like to thank Barbara for pledging a gift in her will to Myeloma UK. We would also like to thank Barbara for kindly sharing her story.

If you would like to discuss our free will writing service or how to leave a gift in your will to Myeloma UK, please contact Faith in the Gifts in Wills Team by calling 0131 230 0429 or by emailing giftsinwills@myeloma.org.uk.

To request a free will writing information pack directly, please visit https://mynetworkportal.org/myelomauk or download our free Gifts in Wills Guide