March is awareness month for multiple myeloma, a type of cancer that forms in plasma cells. Each year in the U.S., around 30,000 people are diagnosed with the disease. Phil Kur of Hamlin received a multiple myeloma diagnosis about 10 years ago, after he had a reaction to medication his dentist gave him that led to digestive issues and kidney problems for about four months. In August 2006, he started seeing Dr. Alexander Solky at Interlakes Oncology, now a part of Wilmot Cancer Institute.
Phil has taken a number of drugs to try to keep his multiple myeloma under control. He explained that every time one of the treatments seemed to stop working, another drug came out that he could try. He’s had two bone marrow transplants and visits Wilmot Cancer Center on occasion to check in with his bone marrow transplant team.
“Although I’ve never reached remission, I certainly would love to, but keeping the myeloma at bay is the most I can expect,” he says.
It’s been a challenging 10 years and he’s had to stop working because of the ongoing treatment, but his partner of 35 years, George, has supported him through it. Because of this disease, he ended up making a few friends online who also have multiple myeloma. He says that isn’t something he would normally do, but he enjoys having others to talk to who are in a similar situation.
“It helps me to try to give guidance to somebody else,” he says.
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