Personal stories of myeloma

My name is Garnet Caplette. I’m a Senior Architect working at SaskTel. You’d be surprised how I came to be an architect. Back when I was going to school I had always assumed I would be an architect at some point, I just had no idea that I’d be this type of an architect. I’m officially trained to work in construction and physical design, not the design of technical systems and application landscapes. But none of us know the journeys upon which life is going to take us.  My wife Christina and I...

[Editor’s note: Miriam de Jong’s story was originally published in the Toronto Support Group’s newsletter and has been updated since its original publication in April 2026]  My myeloma journey started months before I was officially diagnosed in February 2024 at age 53. When the diagnosis finally came, it was actually a relief. Finally, an explanation for all the pain and my inability to lift my arms.  Early symptoms: Bone pain  Things started in the fall of 2023....

Myeloma Canada: Can you start by telling us a little bit about yourself?  Jasmine Way: My name is Jasmine. I'm 19 years old and I'm from Corner Brook, Newfoundland. I have a younger sister, Jade, and my mom, Lynn. I'm going into my second year at Queen's University studying health science, and I hope to pursue medicine in the future. I love spending time outdoors in our cabin in the summer, hunting in the fall, and skiing in the winter.  MC: Can you tell us a little bit about...

Myeloma Canada: Tell us a bit about yourself, where you're from, and your background.  Brent Smith: My name is Brent Smith. I grew up in London, Ontario, but I moved to St John's, Newfoundland in 1993 to do a master's in geography at Memorial University and ended up creating a whole life there. I was there for 30 years and only moved back to London three years ago. I essentially lived half my life in St John's and half in the London area. I'm fortunate because I feel...

At 35, I was working at a school for the Commission scolaire de Saint-Hyacinthe. For what felt like a long time, I was constantly tired and suffering from pain in my sternum. Just to get through each day, I took pain medication. I didn't understand what was happening to me, but I had a deep sense that something was wrong.  As my symptoms worsened and my worries multiplied, I decided to contact the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM hospital) directly. I was already followed there because of a family history with breast cancer. Blood tests were taken and revealed an abnormally...

Living with myeloma looks different for everyone. The treatment decisions, the side effects, the emotional weight, the adjustments to daily life — no two journeys are the same. Hearing directly from people who live with myeloma moves us beyond the clinical and into the heart of what this disease truly means for the people who face it every day. This month’s Spotlight brings you three stories in video format, so you can connect on a...

Myeloma Canada: Tell us a bit about yourself Phil Barker: My name is Phil Barker. I’m 65 years old. I’ve lived in Canada most of my life, with a few years in the US during my training. My wife and I have been married for 30 years, the second marriage for both of us. We’ve blended our families: two kids each, plus a “late addition.” They now range from 16 to 38 years old. Professionally,...

Editor’s note: To celebrate Myeloma Action Month, which is just around the corner, the Spotlight column for February focuses on the action one person took to make a big impact in her local community. Introducing…Lisa Bowden. After her first taste of advocacy, Lisa Bowden was hooked.  In late 2023, Lisa joined Myeloma Canada staff and a group of myeloma advocates at the Ontario Legislature for meetings with decision-makers and walked away from the experience inspired to do more.  ...

My name is Bonnie Hall, and this is my story. I am a myeloma patient, or as I like to think of myself, a Myeloma Warrior.  Most people want to know how I knew something was wrong in the beginning, so let’s start there. In the months leading up to my diagnosis, I had been feeling incredibly tired, a different tired than I had ever experienced before. I remember telling my husband, “It feels like my bones are heavy.” I was living that expression “bone tired.” I was only 53 years old but felt like...

I would imagine that for most of us, the day we were told we had multiple myeloma was traumatic. I remember my hematologist’s exact words: “Your results [of your bone marrow biopsy] are shocking.” My husband Jude and I were dumbfounded. It was 2017 and I was 61 years old.  It took seven years for my diagnosis. By that time, I had gone from being an extremely active mountain biker to not being able to walk more than 100 yards.    When I was finally diagnosed,...