Thankful Thursdays #3: Multiple Myeloma Specialists

One thing I have noticed from the Multiple Myeloma Mondays, is that MM Survivors/Patients all share the attitude that it is very important to see a MM specialist when you are diagnosed. I'll be honest with you, I did not know that Dr. J was a MM specialist until a year after my diagnosis, let alone did I realize that non-MM specialists (i.e. general oncologists) were treating patients. Let me just be very honest, I didn't now there was such thing as a MM Specialist all together!

So today I am thankful that my ignorance was overwritten by the fact I live two miles from a world-renown MM specialist who is passionately pursing targeted treatment therapy for MM patients. Dr. J is not only very well educated with the latest in clinical trials, but he has been leading some, including the one that I took on this last fall/winter. The landscape of drugs and research data (i.e. hope) is changing so rapidly these days, it really pays to have a MM specialist who is plugged into the beat of all this. I have also been made aware that there is a growing number of MM Specialists all over the country and I hope to see this number continue head upward!

I am not sure what it takes to be considered a MM Specialist, but a good start is to look at the list of Centers of Excellence if someone can remind me where online this list exists.

Continue to grow that Thankful heart every Thursday by posting your gratitude or sharing it with others you are close to.

P.S. By the way, I am also thankful for my mom who's birthday is today! Happy Birthday mom, love you!