Spotlight on Danny Wade: Diagnosed at the Age of 42

Spotlight on Danny Wade:

Diagnosed at the Age of 42

"Today, I continue to fight until I can really say I won"

MULTIPLE MYELOMA. The diagnosis hit me hard. I had no idea what it was. I had never heard of this before neither had my family and friends; and when it’s rare and unknown, it’s never a good thing.

… Cancer of the blood.

… First appears in the bone marrow.

… Extremely rare in people under the age of 45.

… INCURABLE (Doctor, what do you mean exactly?)

I was 42, and all I could remember from the information the doctors were sharing with me was that the average survival rate was only 7 years! That meant, I would likely not make it to the age of 50! I would never be there to see my oldest graduate, or my son get his driver’s licence or see my youngest start high school.

OK, so what do I do now doctor? What is the treatment plan for me? I was not afraid of anything, I have always been a warrior. I was ready to fight, just like I always had been, and I wasn’t about to change because of this diagnosis. It’s sometimes good to be naive, it becomes a precious asset at times. Just like a soldier dropped on enemy territory, I told the doctor: “I don’t have a crystal ball, but I am not blind either. I truly believe that this disease is not what will kill me. Anyways, the only thing that can kill a Wade is another Wade!"

A very sharp kidney pain is what led to the terrible diagnosis. Anik had to drive me to the emergency at Maisonneuve Hospital in Montreal. I was there for 2 weeks in excruciating pain. After a battery of tests, blood tests, and a kidney and bone marrow biopsy, the doctors worked at balancing my creatinine level. I then started on the CyborD protocol for 16 weeks. Luckily, my body responded well to this treatment. I went from a light chain level of 10,600 to 66 in one month to almost zero after 16 weeks. My soldiers fought well.

However, what bothered me the most was to know that my diagnosis was rare. If myeloma patients account for only 1.6% of all cancer cases, the myeloma patients under the age of 45 account for only 4% of this low 1.6%. Since there are 2,900 new cases of multiple myeloma on average in Canada, I was one of the 116 people under the age of 45 to receive this diagnosis, and in Quebec, one of the 27 people to receive this diagnosis that year. That is, I was one the 16 men and 11 women to receive a diagnosis that year. Talk about hitting the jackpot!

I was looking to meet and exchange with people in my age group to find out what I could expect to go through both physically and mentally. I wanted to prepare and define my strategy for battle based on the advice and experience of these people. What was it that brought me to talk about our reality? Our generation still has young kids, mortgages to pay, little or no money saved up for retirement. Luckily, I had insurance, but I had to fight for about 6 months before getting the one for my mortgage. It’s horrible, and no one should have to go through this financial stress under these circumstances. It was a nightmare that drained a lot of energy for no reason. I can only imagine how difficult it must be for those with no insurance. These individuals probably end up losing everything and slowly dying in a small apartment. Living hell!

At 42, I was only starting to climb the corporate ladder, to save up, and had not completed the renovations in my home. My kids were in elementary school and I did not have a will… The possibility that I could die soon was hitting me hard. There was a possibility I could die… faster than expected anyways! I saw a notary to plan life after me. It was a very emotional and disturbing experience, but something I am glad I have done. I can now sleep easy.

Danny and his wife, Anik

At that point, I still had to fight against this aggressor. I had to go through incredible battles, worthy of the most difficult wars. Blood tests, drugs, aphaeresis, Melphalan, an autologous stem cell transplant, bone pain, vomiting, hair loss and so much more. A small break before jumping back at it for an allogeneic stem cell transplant . GVH, PTI, infections, colds, pneumonia, etc. Even with all the pain, I never wanted to give up. Nothing or no one can attack me without paying a price for it. My plan was to eliminate these traitors that had taken over my body. I was lucky to have Dr Richard LeBlanc and Dr Jean Roy by my side, the best doctors and researchers. I have total faith in them and the whole team that supports me at Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital. I am also lucky to have the devoted support of my beautiful Anik and my friend Sylvain, the encouragement of my kids, the love of my parents and all my friends. Without their support day after day, I would never have been able to go through all this. You make a real difference in the success of my fight and I thank you for that. Cheers to loved ones and caregivers!

But after all this, what is happening? What can I expect? Today, I am 44 years old and in remission. I don’t like the word “remission”. It is defined as the disappearance of the signs and symptoms of a disease and can be temporary or permanent . It scares me a little. I prefer to say that the cancer is undetectable, with no visible signs in my body. Regardless of the term used to describe the state of the disease, what I really want to know is what the future has in store for me? It is likely very different than for someone in the 60-70 age bracket. In theory, I still have 20 years to work. 20 years is long, even if we do our best not to think about cancer. We always have that sword over our head. I want to believe I will regain my physical and mental capabilities one day (and maybe just in part), but will I ever be able to work 40 hours a week again? To work with the same motivation and interest? My vision of life and what’s important has really changed. What will happen if I relapse? And until then, will I be working for the same employer? If not, who will hire me given my condition? Who will want to offer me insurance? Moreover at what price? All of this is so stressful. This is why I find it so important for us young patients, to be able to discuss our experiences and resources and share solutions. I think that Myeloma Canada plays a big role in this.

Today, I continue to fight until I can really say I won. Moreover, when the day comes, I plan to help, to the best of my abilities, people diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Being able to share my experience will be meaningful and will give a sense of hope to others. Yes, there were times where I was so sad and discouraged that I wanted to die to stop the suffering, but this was only short-lived. I always managed to get back up to face the enemy. I feel totally engaged in the fight, and my will to live helps me continue fighting.

So keep fighting, get mad, and stand up. One of the first things I remember telling the doctors after my diagnosis was: "I put 50% of the work in your hands with the knowledge and treatments available, 40% will depend on my will to fight and 10% will be left to chance.“ Anything is possible and the human body is a very powerful machine. Life is full of surprises. I continue to be impressed by what is around me. Each morning, when I open my eyes, I am thankful for life. Regardless of all that I went through, I would not change a thing!

We are all united in this great big challenge. One day we may be able to say that we fought hard enough to be cured!

Good luck to us all!

Danny Wade