The 2022 Susie Novis Durie (SND) Educational Grants

One of the ways GMAN accomplishes its mission is by awarding Susie Novis Durie (SND) Educational Grants to patient advocacy organizations to elevate their work. Here are the 2022 SND Grant Recipients:

Australia (Better Care for Younger People with Myeloma) 

Myeloma Australia projects to diversify services to better address the needs of younger people with myeloma. The organization conducted a survey and created an online support group. Patients and caregivers from across Australia regularly attend the meetings, which feature guest speakers and specialists who address the needs of younger myeloma patients. The organization has webinars and podcasts and is currently working on a list of resources for younger myeloma patients. 

Finland (Hybrid Educational Event) 

Soumen Syöpäpotilaat (Finland) organized a hybrid educational event in Tampere, Finland, for 140 attendees, including myeloma patients and their loved ones. Attendees gathered in person or virtually and learned from a myeloma doctor, a psychologist, and a myeloma patient. The aim of the educational event is to give patients and their family members more tools to advocate for better care and take active roles in their treatment. 

Norway (National Seminar on Myeloma) 

The Norwegian blood cancer organization, Blodkreftforeningen, plans to organize a large, scientific national seminar on myeloma aimed at medical experts in Norway. They invite representatives from industry partners, doctors, researchers, hematological nurses, and key international key opinion leaders to educate and share knowledge about myeloma. There is an emphasis on international myeloma research. 

Romania (Support for Ukrainian Myeloma Patients) 

Myeloma Euronet (Romania) aims to ensure that Ukranian refugees with myeloma who fled to Romania and other countries had continuity of care. Their efforts included translating materials and connecting refugees with myeloma with an appropriate specialist doctor in Romania. To meet the needs of Ukrainian myeloma patients, information either via website or brochures/leaflets were provided. Telemedicine Platform which was set up at the beginning of pandemic is also very useful because the patients affected by the war in Ukraine can get in touch with the Romanian hematologists and present their medical cases. 

The Susie Novis Durie Educational Grants were created to help member organizations of the IMF’s Global Myeloma Action Network (GMAN) increase education, awareness, and access to treatment.