Cornwall local Mary Brink and her husband John brought the first Multiple Myeloma March to Cornwall in 2022. For the last two years, the month of March has been proclaimed Multiple Myeloma Awareness Month in the City of Cornwall, helping to create awareness around a relatively unknown cancer.
This year’s walk, planned for September 9th at 10am (rain date on the 16th) marks the 15th anniversary of Myeloma Canada. Participants will meet by the bandshell in Lamoureux Park before taking part in a 5k march. A Myeloma Canada rep will be on site to answer questions and offer information.
Multiple Myeloma is a cancer that forms in plasma cells, a type of white blood cell. Healthy plasma cells create antibodies that recognize and attack germs. In Multiple Myeloma, cancerous plasma cells accumulate in the bone marrow causing bone damage and affecting the production of healthy blood cells.
Linda VanderSchaaf, who moved to Cornwall from North Bay two years ago, was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2013. VanderSchaaf is passionate about sharing information about Multiple Myeloma, raising funds for research, and encouraging people to advocate for themselves when it comes to their health.
“Research is key. When I look at when I was diagnosed in 2013, the official diagnosis to now, the change in drugs is incredible,” VanderSchaaf said, “I was given a life expectancy of five years in 2013 and I’m still here.”
Like most cancers, patients with Multiple Myeloma may live longer when it is detected and treated early on. Unfortunately, disparities between rural and non-rural areas and a person’s ability to advocate for themselves have a big impact on diagnosis and treatment.
Before moving to Cornwall, VanderShaaf had to travel from North Bay to Sudbury for treatment from Health Sciences North. There, she saw a hematologist. At the Ottawa General Hospital, Vandershaaf has a Myeloma Specialist. When moving, Linda had to pay to receive her medical information on a CD from Sudbury’s clinical records. Here, she has instant and free access to her information via MyChart.
As far as what made her go to her doctor initially, VanderSchaaf shared that she had not been feeling well for a while.
“I was diagnosed in 2013 but in 2012 in the summertime I had a lot of pain in my lower lumbar area of the back. I’d get up and I would be doubled over until I could straighten out. I was catching everything, I’d had pneumonia a couple of times, I was always sick, tired.”
VanderShaaf went to see her doctor in the summer of 2012. She was generally healthy, working, and had never been in the hospital aside from having her kids. The doctor dismissed her concerns saying she should walk more and reduce her stress.
Just before Christmas time VanderSchaaf attended the after-hours clinic at her doctor’s office. The doctor filling in sent her for a CAT scan. Everything moved quickly from there, but VanderSchaaf told Seaway News that she wishes she had advocated for herself more at that first appointment. By the time she was diagnosed, her L5 and L4 were completely encapsulated by a tumor.
“If you’re not feeling well, something is going on. Your doctor doesn’t see you 24/7.”
Following her diagnosis were chemo and radiation, as well as drugs specific to Multiple Myeloma. In September 2013, VanderSchaaf received a stem cell transplant which put her cancer into remission for approximately 6 years. Initially, VanderSchaaf refused maintenance therapy, wanting to return to work, travel, and live her life to the fullest without side effects. In 2018 VanderSchaaf had a relapse, followed by another stem cell transplant in 2019. That transplant led to a shorter remission, with VanderSchaaf now back on chemo, radiation, and immunotherapy since 2022.
While Linda does not seek support from groups, she does share her knowledge with people she crosses paths with. At a recent dinner with her daughter, VanderSchaaf overheard a man talking about an upcoming procedure. When asked, he confirmed that he was worried about an upcoming stem cell transplant. She offered reassurance – without sugar coating the truth.
“It’s about being open about things and saying yeah, it’s hard, it’s very hard. You’re going to be very sick but in the end the chances of remission are very good,” said VanderSchaaf, “Either a short period of time like my last one was, or a long period of time, like the first one was. But it is treatable.”
