More than 30 patients with Multiple Myeloma (MM) gathered at the Dorchester Fairgrounds for the annual Walk of Champions. For 18 years, this event brings together survivors and families of loved ones who have passed away due to the rare blood cancer. This year’s walk brought in around $150,000 pushing the total to nearly $1.5 million since its inception in support of Myeloma Cancer Research at London Health Sciences Centre. Among those walking the track was Richard Zsoldos who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma in 2018. “The symptoms were severe back pain to the point where I have eight fractures in my spine and they had to put plates in my neck here because nothing was holding up my neck due to the cancer eating away the calcium,” said Zsoldos. “It (Cancer) sucks and I wouldn’t wish that on anybody. I certainly hope there is a cure.” Walking the track isn’t easy after everything he’s been through. “I basically had to learn to walk again,” said Zsoldos. “I think we’re in the greatest area for research with London’s pain clinic here and specialized pain doctors and the Cancer clinic, I think we’re in a great spot.” London Health Sciences Centre Hemotologist Dr. Martha Louzada says MM affects around 7,000 Canadian patients annually. “It’s a disease that has been known as not having a cure because it’s based on a cell that is a very hard to reach cell,” said Louzada. “With a lot of research, the mortality of patients have decreased over time and the overall survival has increased substantially. So about 25 years ago, patients would survive two to three years but right now, I’m thinking about 15-20 years of survival on average for people.” To help fight his cancer Zsoldos is now on his second clinical trial. “I was successful for about 18 months, and then I relapsed,” said Zsoldos. “Then I went on to this other trial with the drug not available in Canada and I’m now three and a half years into it in remission. I really think trials are important because they’re giving forward and the people ahead of me had to go through trials and experiment to get where I am now, and I need to pay that forward”. Louzada calls the clinical trials are important because they give both the patient and doctor access to medication that wouldn’t otherwise be available. “We never test in clinical trials,” added Louzada. “People think they’re being guinea pigs. It’s not that sense. It’s the sense that you have the opportunity to use a state of the art medication that otherwise you wouldn’t be able to and that could be the key to keep you alive.”
