Community Is ‘One of the Biggest Assets’ for Patients With MPNs

Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) can find immense benefit from joining a community of people with a similar diagnosis, according to Nichole Ard, senior clinical studies coordinator at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

MPNs are a group of rare blood disorders that affect the way that the bone marrow makes blood. MPN groups help patients connect, review resources and become more educated on their disease, according to Ard, who was also honored at CURE®’s 11th annual MPN Heroes® recognition event.

READ MORE:LeVar Burton Gives ‘Voice and Visibility’ to Patients with MPNs Through Storytelling and Advocacy

“I have patients that come in and they already know what I'm going to say half the time because they've talked to somebody else who's told them their story,” Ard said in an interview with CURE® ahead of the event.

Transcript

With my work, I've found that MPN patients find a community. There is a large community of patients that have gotten together, and they talk, and they review resources, and they tell their stories to each other, and I feel like that is probably one of the biggest assets for that community is that they are able to do those things.

I have patients that come in and they already know what I'm going to say half the time because they've talked to somebody else who's told them their story. And so I think that's a big part of any cancer is finding community, finding somebody who can relate with you in, in what you're going through. And I've, I've just found that that's been super helpful for my patients.

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