Welcome to San Fernando Valley MM Support Group!
For any additional info, please contact us:
Malcolm Katz: 818-515-6060
E-mail: [email protected]
Meeting Time and Location: Our group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 7:00 - 9:00 PM Pacific. Many meetings are on Zoom and some are in person
San Fernando Valley CA SG Flyer
San Fernando Valley Multiple Myeloma Support Group Leaders receiving an award at the International Myeloma Foundation's 25th Anniversary Support Group Leaders Summit on September 14, 2024 in recognition of the dedication and resilience of the group celebrating 12 years supporting their myeloma coMMunity.
Support Group Meeting Information and Past Archives Below
Upcoming events
IMF Events
Support Group Events
If you want to view our past speakers, please view our achieves. For more detail, please click on the year.
| January | Zoom Speaker: Dr. Joe Mikhael |
| February | Zoom Speaker: Dr. Sarah Lee - City of Hope |
| March | no meeting - 5K Run Walk on March 21 |
| April | Zoom Speaker: UCLA Chaplain Michael Eselun |
| May | Zoom Speaker: Dentist: Dr. Neil Kaplan |
| June | Patients and Care partners meet separately |
| July | |
| August | |
| September | |
| October | |
| November | |
| December |
| January | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Joseph Mikhael, Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation. |
| February | Zoom Meeting |
| March | Patients will meet in one group and Care-partners will meet in another group. |
| April | Brian McMahon from SparkCures speaks on clinical trials |
| May | No Meeting |
| June | Speaker: UCLA Chaplain Michael Eselun |
| July | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Amrita Krishnan from City of Hope |
| August | No Meeting |
| September | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Robert Vescio |
| October | Patients will meet in one group and Care-partners will meet in another group. |
| November | Zoom Meeting: An Oncology Dietitian |
| December | Holiday Party |
| January | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Joseph Mikhael, Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation. |
| February | Zoom Meeting: "Navigating Finances" with our guest Cancer Rights Attorney Joanna Doran who is the CEO of Triage Cancer (Triage Cancer.org). |
| March | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Douglas Sborov from the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah |
| April | Zoom Meeting: UCLA Chaplain Michael Eselun |
| May | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Sarah Larson |
| June | Speaker: Dentist Dr. Neil Kaplan and IMF speaker Nancy Bruno |
| July | Patients will meet in one group and Care-partners will meet in another group. |
| August | No Meeting |
| September | Zoom Meeting: Ariana from The Higher Path Dispensary |
| October | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Robert Vescio |
| November | Senior Dietitian from the Simms Mann Center for Integrative Oncology |
| December | Holiday Party |
| January | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Joseph Mikhael, Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation. |
| February | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Murali Janakiram from City of Hope |
| March | In Person Meeting: Rebekah Tobin, Patient Advocacy Liaison from Takeda |
| April | We will be dividing into two groups with those with Myeloma in one room and Caregivers/Care-Partners in another. |
| May | Lawyer Dale Arens who will present "A Practical Approach to Estate Planning". There will also be time for small Breakout groups where people can talk to each other. |
| June | Speaker: Michael Eselun |
| July | Zoom meeting: Board-Certified Oncology Pharmacist Dr. Ila Saunders |
| August | Zoom meeting: Dr. Douglas Sborov Associate Professor of Hematology and Hematologic Malignancies |
| September | No Meeting |
| October | We will be dividing into two groups with those with Myeloma in one room and Caregivers/Care-Partners in another. |
| November | Guest Speaker: Dr. Robert Vescio |
| December | Holiday Party |
| January | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Joseph Mikhael, Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation. |
| February | Zoom meeting: Rebekah Tobin, Takeda Patient Advocacy |
| March | Zoom meeting: Dr. Caitlin Costello |
| April | We will be dividing into two groups with those with Myeloma in one room and Caregivers/Care-Partners in another. |
| May | Zoom meeting: Veronica Geanopulos, Cedar Sinai, Dietitian. |
| June | Zoom meeting: Rebekah Tobin from Takeda |
| July | Zoom meeting: Chaplain Michael Eselun from the UCLA Simms Mann Center of Integrative Oncology |
| August | Zoom meeting: Dr. Robert Vescio from Cedars Sinai |
| September | No Meeting |
| October | Zoom meeting: Yelak Biru, President and CEO of the IMF |
| November | In Person Meeting: Round Table Discussion |
| December | Holiday Party |
| January | Zoom Meeting: Dr. Joseph Mikhael, Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation. |
| February | Double Zoom Meeting with Caregivers on one Zoom and those with Myeloma on another. |
| March | Special Guest Nurse Mary Steinbach from the Nurse Leadership Board. |
| April | Dr. Len Lipman who will speak on The California End of Life Options Act. |
| May | Nurse Rebekah Tobin, a Takeda Patient Advocacy Liason |
| June | A guest from Bet Tzedek Legal Services who will speak on “Fraud Against Seniors” |
| July | Zoom meeting with Guest Speaker: Dr. Robert Vescio |
| August | Guest Speaker: Marc Sallus, who is a top estate and trust attorney in the LA area. |
| September | No Meeting |
| October | General Discussion |
| November | Dr. Murali Janakirim from City of Hope |
| December | Holiday Party |
| January | Dr. Joseph Mikhael, Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation. |
| February | We will be dividing into two groups with those with Myeloma in one room and Caregivers/Care-Partners in another. |
| March | cancelled |
| April | Zoom meeting: Naturopathic Doctor Stephen Meeneghan from Cedars Sinai |
| May | Zoom meeting: Tanya Price, Karyopharm Nurse Liaison |
| June | Double Zoom Meeting with Caregivers on one Zoom and those with Myeloma on another |
| July | Zoom meeting: Dr. Robert Vescio, Medical Director of the Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis Program at the Cedars Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute. |
| August | Zoom meeting: Dr. Dan Silverman, author of "Your Brain After Chemo" who will be speaking on Chemo Brain. |
| September | Zoom meeting: Christine Zoumas, Dietician |
| October | Zoom meeting; Dr. Sarah Larson, hematologist, oncologist |
| November | Zoom meeting: Dr Amrita Krishnan from City of Hope |
| December | Annual Holiday Party - this year on Zoom |
| January | Dr. Joseph Mikhael, Chief Medical Officer of the International Myeloma Foundation. |
| February | Megan Sewards, a Registered Dietitian and nutrition expert. |
| March | We will be dividing into two groups with those with Myeloma in one room and Caregivers/Care-Partners in another. |
| April | Our guest is Lori Michiel, Senior Fitness Specialist, who will talk about "Overcoming Physical Barriers to Exercise for Cancer Patients". Visit Lori at www.lorimichielfitness.com . |
| May | Dr. Vescio will be discussing Myeloma 101 |
| June | Mason, the Manager of The Higher Path who will be discussing the medical use of cannabis |
| July | We will be dividing into two groups with those with Myeloma in one room and Caregivers/Care-Partners in another. |
| August | Dr. Myo Htut who is the head of the Car T-Cell trials at City of Hope. |
| September | Sally Weber, LCSW and Chair of the Support Group Leaders' Caregiving Working Group. |
| October | Our guest is a Nurse Educator from Janssen the makers of Daratumumab (Darzalex). |
| November | Our guest is Debbie Birns, Medical Editor at the International Myeloma |
| December | Holiday Party |
| January | Celgene brought in Nurse Practitioner Jill Avery who spoke on Revlimid and Pomalidomide and maintenance therapy. |
| February | Jason Starr from the Berlin Wellness Group spoke on Acupuncture, Herbs and Supplements |
| March | Caregivers meet with Sally and Sharon and those with MM meet with Izak and Malcolm |
| April | Marie Ritz, licensed Clinical Social Worker and Psychotherapist who will be talking about "living with cancer" |
| May | Guests Dr. Brian and Susie Durie from the International Myeloma Foundation. |
| June | Speaker: Rabbi Ed Feinstein and Reverend VeAnn Clark will discuss "Faith and Cancer" |
| July | Speaker: Tanya Price RN, MSN, CNS, OCN, Clinical Nurse Educator, Takeda Oncology |
| August | We will divide into two groups with those with Myeloma in one room and Caregivers in another. |
| September | No meeting this month |
| October | Mathew Snyder from C2C Sleep Solutions who discussed sleep issues and ways to help you sleep better. |
| November | Speaker: Dr. Ashkan Lashkari of Wellness Oncology & Hematology |
| December | Holiday Party |
| January | Dr. Michael Rosensweig, City of Hope, The Myeloma Team and Clinical Trials |
| February | Topic: We will break into two groups – one for caregivers and one for those with multiple myeloma. Sally and Sharon will meet with the caregivers and Malcolm and Izak will meet with those with multiple myeloma. |
| March | Nurse Educator Tanya Price - Takeda, Fatigue and Stress |
| April | Ariana Bian, "The Higher Path", medical use of cannabis |
| May | Jo An Pesin, mindfulness |
| June | Caregivers meet with Sally and Sharon and those with MM meet with Izak and Malcolm |
| July | Dr. Alan Fozailoff, Doctor of Nephrology, Hypertension and Internal Medicine |
| August | Missy Klepetar, International Myeloma Foundation InfoLine |
| September | No Meeting |
| October | Dr. Thomas Strouse, UCLA, managing symptoms, pain management and cannabis |
| November | Caregivers meet with Sally and Sharon and those with MM meet with Izak and Malcolm |
| December | Holiday Party |
| January | General Meeting Topic: We will break into two groups – one for caregivers and one for those with multiple myeloma. Sally and Sharon will meet with the caregivers and Malcolm and Izak will meet with those with multiple myeloma. |
| February | Dr. Ashkan Laskari, General Oncologist |
| March | Flora Woo. Senior Clinical Nurse Consultant Celgene, Myeloma Overview and Website resources. |
| April | Nikki Saccareccia, "LightInside" Yoga |
| May | General Meeting Topic: We will break into two groups – one for caregivers and one for those with multiple myeloma. Sally and Sharon will meet with the caregivers and Malcolm and Izak will meet with those with multiple myeloma. |
| June | Guest Speaker: General Meeting Topic: Support and Service to those dealing with cancer |
| July | Dr. Gary Dosik, General Oncologist |
| August | Guest Speaker: James R. Berenson |
| September | Dr. Frank Niver, Dentist, Osteonecrosis of the Jaw |
| October | No Meeting |
| November | Guest Speaker: Tanya Price |
| December | Holiday Party |
| January |
Guest Speaker: Sharon BenMeir, Caregiver and Psychologist, and Sally Weber, Caregiver and Social Worker |
| February |
Guest Speaker: Zane Averbach |
| March | Guest Speaker: Rabbi Ed Feinstein, cancer survivor and brilliant teacher. Topic: Patient and Caregiver – Living with Cancer |
| April | Guest Speaker: Dr. Thomas B. Strouse, Medical Director of the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry. Topics: Psychiatric Aspects of Cancer and Pain Management. |
| May | Rescheduled General Meeting Topic: We will break into two groups – one for caregivers and one for those with multiple myeloma. Both groups will be lead by top facilitators. |
| June | Guest Speaker: Stephanie Fajuri Topics: Accommodations in the workplace, SSI, SSDI, Medicare, Medicare, and more. |
| July |
Guest Speaker: Susie Novis, President, and Dr. Brian Durie, Chairman of the International Myeloma Foundation. |
| August | Guest Speaker: Daniel Gross, Dermatologist. Topic: skin cancer, skin care, and everything you should know about your skin. |
| September | No Meeting |
| October | Nurse Tina Maluso Topic: "Taking the Best Care of You: Exercise and Nutrition with Multiple Myeloma". |
| November | Guest Speaker: Dr. Robert Vescio Topic: "Stem Cell Transplants, Managing Bone Disease." |
| December | Dr. Tina Kuus Topic: "Freelite - A laboratory test that measures serum free light chains". |
| January |
Guest Speaker: Dr. Michael Hyman, Urologist. |
| February |
Guest Speaker: Dr. Franklin Niver, Encino |
| March | Guest Speaker: Rabbi Ed Feinstein Topic: “How cancer changes us and what cancer teaches us” |
| April | Guest Speaker: Miko Santos Topic: “Navigating the IMF Website” |
| May | Guest Speaker: Leslie Laudeman Topic: “Onyx and Kyprolis” |
| June | No meeting |
| July |
Guest Speaker: Dr. George Graf |
| August | Guest Speaker: Debbie Birns Topic: “Myeloma Updates” |
| September | Guest Speaker: Jeff Tirengel Topic: “Unique Approach to Living with Cancer” |
| October | No Meeting |
| November | Guest Speaker: Dr. Robert Vescio |
| December | No meeting |
| January |
Guest Speaker: Nurse Page Bertolotti, member of the Nurse Leadership Board (NLB) of the International Myeloma Foundation. See: www.myeloma.org |
| February |
Guest Speaker: Tony Edlin, Regional Account Manager for Millennium. |
| March | Guest Speaker: Sally Weber, LCSW. Topic: Caregiving: Not for caregivers only – the benefits and challenges of both care giving and care receiving. |
| April | Guest Speaker: Debbie Birns International Myeloma Foundation, manager of IMF Hotline. Topic: Understanding your lab and blood reports – what’s important and what to track. |
| May | Guest Speaker: Dr. Michael Hyman, Urologist. Topic: Myeloma and Sexuality – a Conversation for Men and Women. |
| June | Michael Eselun, Staff Chaplain, Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrated Oncology. Topic: Riding the Cancer Wave – Spiritually Speaking |
| July |
Guest Speaker: Dr. Robert Vescio, attending physician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (CSMC) and Director of the CSMC Myeloma Progra |
| August | Guest Speaker: Lacey Feldman for Dr. Carl Lauryssen, top spine surgeon. Topic: Managing Back Pain |
| September | Guest Speaker: Dr. Robert Vescio, Director of Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis Programs at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles |
| October | Guest Speaker: Dr James Berenson Specialist in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma, MGUS, amyloidosis, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia and metastatic bone disease and who has conducted research related to these disease both in the basic and clinical areas for more than 20 years. |
| November | Guest Speaker: Dr. Jim Gagné
Topic: Why does a cancer patient need a primary care physician? |
| December | Guest Speaker: David Visel Topic: The Diagnosis Is Myeloma. Now What? |
| June | First Meeting: – Introductions – Myeloma organizations – Kelly Cox, IMF. See: www.myeloma.org |
| July | Guest Speaker: Debbie Birns, International Myeloma Foundation HOTLINE |
| August | Guest Speaker: Alexis Speed, Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrated Oncology |
| September | Guest Speaker: Dr. Robert Vescio, Director of Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis Programs at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles |
| October | Guest Speaker: Rabbi Ed Feinstein, Senior Rabbi Valley Beth Shalom, Encino and cancer survivor |
| November | Guest Speaker: Suzanne Battaglia, IMF programs and Dr. Larry Neinstein and Debbie Neinstein and their MM story |
| December | Guest Speaker: Dr. Mary Hardy, Medical Director of the Simms/Mann UCLA Center for Integrated Oncology. See: www.simmsmanncenter.ucla.edu/ |
About Us
Meetings are for anyone with Multiple Myeloma and caregivers. We provide a way for both patients (especially those newly diagnosed) and caregivers to increase their knowledge of Multiple Myeloma and to support others having similar experiences.
There is no charge to participate in this group.
San Fernando Valley Support Group Flyer
Team Picture from the LA 5K Run/Walk in Griffith Park April 2025
Our members attended the 2024 Los Angeles Patient and Family Seminar
Our Holiday Party 2023
Our Holiday Party 2021
Dr. Mikhael, IMF's Chief Medical Officer, spoke at our January 2020 meeting
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Our Holiday Party 2019
May 2018 Support Group meeting with International Myeloma Foundation President Susie Durie and Chairman Dr. Brian Durie
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Reading Lists
Reverend VeAnn Clark from the Church of the Valley and the Little Brown Church was our guest at our June 2018 meeting.
This is her recommended list of books:
Memoirs on living, dying, and death--
1. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
https://www.amazon.com/When-Breath-Becomes-Paul-Kalanithi/dp/081298840X
2. Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell
https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Take-Long-Way-Home/dp/0812979117
3. Stitches: A Handbook on Meaning, Hope and Repair by Anne Lamott
https://www.amazon.com/Stitches-Handbook-Meaning-Hope-Repair/dp/1594632588
4. Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and
Communications of the Dying by Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley
https://www.amazon.com/Final-Gifts-Understanding-Awareness-Communications/dp/1451667256
Compassion Practice --
two books by Frank Rogers Jr.
1. (Christian perspective) Compassion in Practice: The Way of Jesus
https://www.amazon.com/Compassion-Practice-Frank-Rogers-Jr/dp/0835815668
2. (Interfaith perspective) Practicing Compassion
https://www.amazon.com/Practicing-Compassion-Frank-Rogers-Jr/dp/1935205250
Christian reflections that challenge some embedded theologies:
1. An Alter in the World: A Geography of Faith by Barbara Brown Taylor
https://www.amazon.com/Altar-World-Geography-Faith/dp/0061370479
2. How Jesus Saves the World From Us: 12 Antidotes to Toxic
Christianity by Morgan Guyton
https://www.amazon.com/How-Jesus-Saves-World-Christianity/dp/0664262236
3. "My Cancer Didn't Happen For a Reason" The Cancerous Author Blog by
Morgan J. Bolt
http://cancerousauthor.blogspot.com/
Our Support Group members created their own list of recommended books.
This is their list with comments taken from various on-line descriptions and reviews:
1. A LUCKY LIFE INTERRUPTED: A MEMOIR OF HOPE by Tom Brokaw: Memoir of dramatic year battling multiple myeloma and reflecting on a long, happy and lucky life
2. A YEAR BY THE SEA by Joan Anderson: how one woman’s journey of self-discovery gave her the courage to persevere in re-creating her life
3. BEING MORTAL: MEDICINE AND WHAT MATTERS IN THE END by Dr. Atul Gawande: compassionate but piercing look at hospice care and the current state of care regarding age-related frailty, serious illness and impending death with a focus on the ultimate goal, quality of life
4. DYING TO BE ME by Anita Moorjani: Inspirational memoir of cancer survivor who, after a near death experience, realizes her inherent worth, then rapidly heals and is cured.
5. FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN by Mitch Albom: A novel following life and death of a maintenance man and his encounters with five people who had a significant impact upon him while he was alive
6. KITCHEN TABLE WISDOM: STORIES THAT HEAL by Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen: true stories highlighting the human tradition of shared experience and their power to heal
7. ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF SOLITUDE by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Multigenerational novel, magical realism, chronicling the irreconcilable conflict between the desire for solitude and the need for love. Considered a masterpiece of Spanish literature.
8. PACHINKO (just because it’s a wonderful read) by Min Jin Lee: Epic historical novel following characters from Korea who eventually migrate to Japan. Won the National Book Award for Fiction.
9. SAPIENS: A VERY BRIEF HISTORY OF HUMANKIND by Yuval Harari: ‘Showing it is possible to ask very big questions and answer them scientifically”. NY Times best seller, translated into 45 languages.
10. TO BEGIN AGAIN: THE JOURNEY TOWARD COMFORT, STRENGTH AND FAITH IN DIFFICULT TIMES by Naomi Levy: drawing on her own personal story and experience as a rabbi, Levy uses individual’s stories to explore how adversity can be a positive force, leading people to open their hearts to God, while understanding that coping is an ongoing process of life
11. TALKING TO GOD: PERSONAL PRAYERS FOR TIMES OF JOY, SADNESS, STRUGGLE AND CELEBRATION FOR PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS BY Naomi Levy
12. TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE: AN OLD MAN, A YOUNG MAN, AND LIFE’S GREATEST LESSON by Mitch Albom: Exploring personal transcendence and the value of retaining dignity in the face of death, drawn from conversations with the author’s 78 year old sociology professor, Morrie, Schwartz, who was dying of ALS.
13. BOOKS BY WAYNE DYER, philosopher and self-help author