People living with multiple myeloma find themselves in a never-ending cycle of remissions and relapses. Because few people understand the true nature of this disease, those coping with it feel isolated. As a result, patients struggle to find the right words that truly convey their experience.

We needed to provide patients with a way to better express themselves. By bringing their authentic experiences to light, other people living with this rare cancer would feel seen and heard. And knowing that multiple myeloma is a uniquely relentless cancer, we also needed to provide patients with information that felt relevant to their experience.

Mirna always had a positive outlook on life, despite being diagnosed with multiple myeloma over 10 years ago. When she meets Armando—a muralist—for the first time, they discuss how her perspective has evolved and why community means so much to her in this phase of life.

With Mirna’s words still fresh in his mind, Armando takes the next 2 weeks to develop a

mural that encapsulates her optimistic mindset. When they meet again for the surprise

unveiling at her church, Mirna’s family and friends have gathered to show their support. The mural—both an expression of Mirna’s truth and a symbol of resilience—brings her and her loved ones to tears.

As Mirna reflects on this experience, she hopes that others will be inspired to make the

most out of every day.

Multiple Myeloma Told True launched in March 2023 to coincide with Myeloma Awareness Month. To create broad awareness of the campaign, one pair of the patients and artists featured on Multiple Myeloma Told True embarked on a media tour to share their experiences with several local news outlets across the country.

The results of that tour were greater than we could have expected; the interviews aired over 1100 times in the first month alone, reaching over 46 million people. Additionally, audio excerpts from the interviews were broadcast by 177 radio affiliates across the country, resulting in another 20 million listeners in major markets.

By bringing these stories out into the world, we were able to increase visibility for multiple myeloma and helped foster a greater sense of community among those living with this rare and devastating disease.