The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), in partnership with the
National Medical Association (NMA), the W. Montague Cobb Institute,
and the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), sent a
delegation of twelve IMF Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity
in Myeloma along with their mentors to the 2024 NMA Annual
Convention and Scientific Assembly, which took place in New York
City, NY from August 3-7, 2024.
The NMA Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly is recognized
as one of the best national forums of African American health and
medicine.
The twelve student-mentor pairs presented their research during
a poster walk on Monday August 5, at the Sheraton in Times Square
with the following posters:
- Examining Disparities in Pharmacy Drug Adherence and
Treatment Access Among Multiple Myeloma Patients – Saron
Araya (Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine—Philadelphia,
PA) and Cesar Rodriguez, MD (Tisch Cancer Institute Icahn School of
Medicine, Mount Sinai—New York, NY)
- Impact of Race on the
Incidence of T-cell Malignancies
in Patients with Multiple Myeloma
— Bethelehem Gebre (Washington State University Elson S.
Floyd College of Medicine—Spokane, WA) and Ajay K. Nooka, MD, MPH,
FACP (Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University—Atlanta, GA)
- Differences in Time to CAR T Therapy Based on
Race/Ethnicity and ADI — Erneisha Brown, BS (Texas Tech
University School of Medicine—Lubbock, TX) and Krina K. Patel, MD,
MSc (UT MD Anderson Cancer Center—Houston, TX)
- Association Between Brain-to-Vein
Time, Disease Characteristics and
Outcomes with Commercial CAR
T-cell Therapy in Multiple Myeloma — Tyra Grischke
(Indiana University School of Medicine—Indiana, IN) and Benjamin
Derman, MD (University of Chicago—Chicago, IL)
- Genetic Marker Screening to Prevent Drug-induced
Peripheral Neuropathy in Multiple Myeloma — Diandra G. B.
Adu-Kyei (Meharry Medical College—Nashville, TN) and Tondre Buck,
MD (Gibbs Cancer Center and Research Institute—Spartanburg,
SC)
- Primary Therapy Outcomes in Relation to Primary
Cytogenetic Subtypes in a Large Cohort of Black Patients with
Multiple Myeloma at a Single Center — Semegne Hiruy (Wake
Forest University School of Medicine—Salem, NC) and Manisha
Bhutani, MD (Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute—Charlotte,
NC)
- Real-World Characteristics, Treatment Patterns, and
Safety Outcomes in Black Patients with Multiple Myeloma Treated
with Teclistamab: A National Claims Database Study —
Brittany Grossi (Howard University College of Medicine—Washington,
DC) and Peter M. Voorhees, MD (Atrium Health Levine Cancer
Institute—Charlotte, NC)
- Social Determinants of Health Affecting Black versus
White Patients Receiving Bispecifics for Treatment of Multiple
Myeloma — Ferdinand Anokwuru (Charles R. Drew University
of Medicine and Science—Los Angeles, CA) and Monique
Hartley-Brown, MD MMSC (Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center,
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute—Boston, MA)
- Community Perspectives: Exploring Insights
in Multiple Myeloma — Ingrid
Adaeze Okonta, MS (University of Louisville School of
Medicine—Louisville, KY) and Joselle Cook, MD (Mayo
Clinic—Rochester, MN)
- Survivorship Burden and Factors Affecting Choice of
Treatment Among Multiple Myeloma (MM) Patients: Real-World
Learnings and Disparities from a Prospective Study — Jayla
Mondy (University of Mississippi Medical Center School of
Medicine—Jackson, MS) and Sikander Ailwadhi, MD (Mayo
Clinic—Jacksonville, FL)
- Estimating the Racial Difference in Proportion of
Myeloma Cases Attributable to Modifiable Risk Factors —
Divya Rath (Howard University College of Medicine—Washington, DC)
and Urvi Shah, MD (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center—New York,
NY)
- Outcomes of T-cell Redirecting Therapies for Multiple
Myeloma by Race and Ethnicity — Yasmine Griffiths (Howard
University College of Medicine—Washington, DC) and Saad Z.
Usmani, MD, MBA, FACP (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center—New
York, NY)
Participants are expected to complete the Post-Program
Assessment by September 2024.To know more, view the poster walk
booklet. You may also read the full posters here.
Students and mentors also attended a networking reception which
brought together members of the Student National Medical
Association (SNMA), W. Montague Cobb /NMA Institute, and the
NMA.
Some of this year’s IMF Medical Student Scholars shared their
thoughts and takeaways from the 2024 NMA Annual Convention and
Scientific Assembly:
“Participating in the Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity
in Myeloma Program has been a privilege and a learning opportunity.
Hearing the numbers about how black patients are affected
disproportionately in different areas of medicine in a passing
sentence during a lecture felt like the numbers were being
minimized as if they were not real people. However, this program
gave me a chance to do a deep dive into the impact multiple myeloma
has in our community and be motivated to work towards learning and
closing the disparities we face actively. I plan to carry the
lessons I learned and the connections I made to a bigger platform,
where we can make changes in the lives of our patients and
community.” — Bethelehem Gebre (Washington State University Elson
S. Floyd College of Medicine—Spokane, WA)
“I feel so honored to have been chosen for this program.
Everyone involved was helpful and encouraging throughout the entire
process. My mentor, Dr. Ben Derman, made the experience exciting
and manageable; he did an amazing job not only teaching me about
multiple myeloma, but also how to be a better researcher. Being
surrounded by so many Black and Brown physicians at the NMA
conference was so inspiring; speaking with them made me excited for
the future of medicine. I never imagined I would be a part of such
an important conference this early in my career, but I am grateful
and excited to keep researching ways to improve the outcomes of
minority patients throughout my medical journey!” — Tyra Grischke
(Indiana University School of Medicine—Indiana, IN)
“My experience as an IMF Scholar has been nothing short of
extraordinary, truly an 11/10 experience. While I had conducted
research before, mostly in basic science and clinical research, I
have never delved deeply into health disparities research until
now. This journey has been incredibly enriching, largely due to my
mentor, Dr. Joselle Cook, who pushed me to excel and instilled in
me a profound passion for addressing health disparities and patient
advocacy. This experience has strengthened my commitment to
becoming a physician advocate and teaching health literacy to my
future patients. Being an IMF scholar has reaffirmed my calling to
become a physician leader and surgeon who pushes forward policy to
advance health disparity research and patient care. I am deeply
grateful to have gained lifelong mentors and a supportive community
that will continue to guide me in my medical career. I am truly
thankful to the International Myeloma Foundation and the W. Cobb
Montague Institute for selecting me as a 2024 IMF Scholar.” —
Ingrid Adaeze Okonta, MS (University of Louisville School of
Medicine—Louisville, KY)
“The Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity in Myeloma
program is a template for others to combine community engagement,
health disparities research and research mentorship together to
further the cause of health equity. The quality and depth of the
disparities projects presented were simply outstanding.
Furthermore, the camaraderie and synergy of the mentors and mentees
together were beautiful to see. I am convinced that this program
will help patients, students, mentors and the whole myeloma
community,” remarked IMF Chief Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Mikhael
who spearheads the IMF’s Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity
in Myeloma and M-Power Project.
“Today, we celebrate not just the graduation of our scholars but
a significant step towards a more equitable healthcare landscape.
This program was born from the urgent need to address the
disparities minority communities face in myeloma care. As these
research posters demonstrate, African American patients face unique
challenges in accessing and receiving care. Through their
dedication and research, our IMF Medical Student Scholars will
continue to bridge these gaps and pave the way for improved
outcomes for all,” said IMF President & CEO and 28-year myeloma
patient Yelak Biru.
The IMF is grateful to our program sponsor: Cobb/NMA Health
Institute President & CEO Randall C. Morgan, Jr., MD,
MBA.
The National Medical Association (NMA) is “the collective voice
of African American physicians and the leading force for parity and
justice in medicine and the elimination of disparities in
health.”
The national professional and scientific organization represents
the interests of more than 50,000 African American physicians and
the patients they serve and is committed to improving the quality
of health among minorities and disadvantaged people through its
membership, professional development, community health education,
advocacy, research, and partnerships with federal and private
agencies. Visit the NMA’s website to find out more.
Launched in April 2023, the Medical Student Scholars for Health
Equity in Myeloma mentoring program was created by the IMF, in
partnership with the W. Montague Cobb/NMA Health Institute’s Cobb
Scholars Program, as a novel mentorship initiative for African
American medical students.
The IMF Medical Student Scholars for Health Equity in Myeloma
mentoring program is made possible through financial support by
Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer.
To learn more about the program, visit
https://mpower.myeloma.org/medical-student-scholars-for-health-equity-in-myeloma-mentoring-program/
ABOUT THE M-POWER PROJECTPartnering with cities
across the U.S., the International Myeloma Foundation’s (IMF)
M-Power Project aims to turn the core vision of the IMF Diversity
Initiative into a reality: improving the short- and long-term
outcomes of African American patients with multiple myeloma. By
raising myeloma awareness and empowering healthcare professionals,
community leaders, neighborhoods, and families, the M-Power Project
aims to break down barriers for the African American myeloma
community.
ABOUT MULTIPLE MYELOMAMultiple myeloma is a
cancer of the bone marrow plasma cells — white blood cells that
make antibodies. A cancerous or malignant plasma cell is called a
myeloma cell. Myeloma is called “multiple” because there are
frequently multiple patches or areas in bone where it grows. It
often involves damage to bone and kidneys. Multiple myeloma is
still incurable, but great progress has been made in terms of
survival over the last two decades. The disease is twice as common
and is diagnosed at a younger age in African Americans than white
Americans. The most common presenting symptoms include fatigue and
bone pain.
ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL MYELOMA
FOUNDATIONFounded in 1990, the International Myeloma
Foundation (IMF) is the first and largest global foundation
focusing specifically on multiple myeloma. The Foundation's reach
extends to more than 525,000 members in 140 countries worldwide.
The IMF is dedicated to improving the quality of life of myeloma
patients while working toward prevention and a cure by focusing on
four key areas: research, education, support, and advocacy. The IMF
has conducted more than 250 educational seminars worldwide,
maintains a world-renowned InfoLine, and in 2001, established the
International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), a collaborative
research initiative focused on improving myeloma treatment options
for patients. In 2012, the IMF launched the Black Swan Research
Initiative®, a groundbreaking research project aimed at curing
myeloma. The IMF can be reached at (800) 452-CURE (2873). The
global website is www.myeloma.org.
Follow the IMF on:X
(Twitter): @IMFmyelomaInstagram: @imfmyelomaFacebook: @myelomaLinkedIn: International
Myeloma Foundation
Media Contacts:
Peter AntonPanton@myeloma.org
Jason LondonJlondon@myeloma.org