The 4th "Educational Seminar for Patients with Multiple Myeloma, their Family and Friends" was held September 5, 6 in Poděbrady - spa town that hosted the meeting for the second time. The event was a success set in a beautiful Indian summer atmosphere. The seminar was organized by the Czech Myeloma Group (CMG) foundation in cooperation with The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) and the Myeloma Patient Support Group (KPMM) with the financial support kindly provided by the Roche and Celgene Company.
In all, 58 patients and 48 family members or friends attended the Seminar. A growing number of participants accept to come already on Friday afternoon to enjoy the informal eve of the professional seminar, having a friendly conversation with those who they are used to meet at outpatient or clinical examination. The Friday evening opens the occasion to meet the other people whose life is marked by the disease and to share experience. This year, the chansons by Marta Balejová kept people full of spirit the entire evening. As far as accommodation is concerned, the hotels Alfa, Bellevue, Junior, Park and Zimní lázně provided us with all their hospitality services. The Seminar, including the social evening, was located in Spa Congress Hall Kolonáda.
The professional part of the Seminar was launched on Saturday at 8:30am with the introduction of the organization team and presentation about the Czech Myeloma Group Foundation given by the Chairman of the Board of Foundation Professor Roman Hájek, MD, PhD. Subsequently, papers dealing with basic information about myeloma diagnostics, symptoms, treatments and treatment side effects were presented by the eminent specialists and by the representatives of the myeloma centers in the Czech Republic. The Myeloma Patient Support Group representative, Josef Hájek, Engineer, highlighted the main activities of the group carried out during the last year. Next, Jana Petrenko, the head of the Coalition for Health, gave a speech about the outstanding role of the patients support groups. Her talk was followed by presentation of the unique project of the Patient Support Group of the Slovak Myeloma Society given by Miroslav Hrianka, Engineer PhD. To conclude, the director of the Health Resort Karlova Studánka, the head physicaian Jan Vrabec, MD, talked about the CMG´s new cooperative activity - the Spa project.
The panel discussion allowed the KPMM members to raise questions prepared beforehand to be asked by the medical experts.
This year was another occasion to welcome guests from the IMF. We were honored with the presence of Professor Robert A. Kyle from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester (Minnesota). His speech dealing with diagnostics and treatment in multiple myeloma was presented in a way that made every auditor realize how important his involvement in the field of multiple myeloma is.
Another guest, Greg Brozeit, the director for Europe, who attended the seminar for the third time, gave an enthralling talk titled "How to be a better patient". Mr. Brozeit promised us already to participate in the next Patient Seminar held in 2009.
In the afternoon part of the seminar, the attendees divided into two groups according to the two topics and exchanged them after the break. Thus, every participant could participate in both discussion clubs. The first topic was devoted to the social issues and social contribution requirements which is a realm that most physicians and patients are not familiar with. That is why the chief magistrate of the Department for Senior Care from the Municipality of Brno Lea Janků went to provide a comprehensive array of advice. The quest to this discussion club was Rostislav Čevela, MD, the Director of the Department of assessment systems of the Ministry of Labour and Social Issues.
Within the second club, the patients could discuss how to cope with the side effects of anticancer treatments and how to assess their health condition at home. This attitude is necessary to decide correctly whether to go to see a doctor and not to underestimate the symptoms.
The Seminar was closed at 16:30 with the traditional quiz and prizes declaration.
The Czech Myeloma Group Foundation thanks all the patients, their relatives and friends, all the discoursing attendees, other guests and sponsors for their participation and support. Likewise, we will be grateful for all suggestions that we will consider in future seminar preparations.
The 5th Annual Educational Seminar is scheduled for November 20-22 in 2009 and will be located in Karlova Studánka. This venue has been selected in context with the newly established cooperation.
We look forward to the next meeting.
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