This cache is a tribute to my wife who is fighting Multiple Myeloma, a rare incurable blood cancer.
Multiple Myeloma (also known as MM) is a cancer that begins in plasma cells, a type of white blood cell which are immune system cells in bone marrow that produce antibodies. Myeloma begins when a plasma cell becomes abnormal. The abnormal cell divides to make copies of itself. The new cells divide again and again, making more and more abnormal cells.
In time, myeloma cells collect in the bone marrow. They may crowd out normal blood cells. Myeloma cells also collect in the solid part of the bone. The disease is called "Multiple Myeloma" because it affects many bones.
Multiple Myeloma is the second most prevalent blood cancer after non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. It represents approximately 1% of all cancers and 2% of all cancer deaths.
Recent statistics indicate both increasing incidence and earlier age of onset. The average age at diagnosis is about 68 years, and only 1% of cases are diagnosed in individuals under the age of 40 (my wife was 37 @ diagnosis-maybe we should have bought a lottery ticket).
Approximately 124,733 Americans currently have myeloma. Approximately 32,110 new cases of myeloma will be diagnosed each year in the U.S. 159,985 world wide each year. Approximately 12,960 estimated deaths will occur each year as well. See the original cache (FIGHTING THE BEAST WITHIN
GC11Y27) for changes in statistics since 2007.
Its prognosis, despite therapy, is generally poor, and treatment may involve chemotherapy and stem cell transplant. Prognosis: The International Staging System can help to predict survival, with a median survival of 62 months for stage 1 disease, 45 months for stage 2 disease, and 29 months for stage 3 disease. 5 yr survival rate is only 30%. The good news is my wife has lived with MM since diagnosed in 2005 and you can live with MM too!
The original tribute cache was located at IU Spring Mill Clinic, (south of here) where my wife sometimes recieved her treatments. She also has had a stem cell transplant downtown at the IU Medical Center in April 2006. IU has now moved the Spring Mill Clinic to the IU Health Joe & Shelly Schwarz Cancer Center on the south side of this campus.
The cache is a camo taped peanut butter jar. It contains a logbook, pencil and small items. Please replace as good as found. Parking to the south or east of the cache location.