Our Story

In June 2020, my husband received a life-altering diagnosis of Stage III fatal Multiple Myeloma. As the devastating news broke our hearts, we chose to hold on to our Faith. In this faith-shaking experience, we decided to be spiritual-minded and experience the peace of God through His word. As his care partner, we embarked on a learning journey to expand our knowledge about this incurable blood cancer by spending countless hours researching, speaking with specialists and doctors, and connecting with other patients.

After a courageous three-year treatment experience, surrounded by his support system of love and kindness, my dear husband transitioned to be with our Heavenly Father. I trust and believe that God can bring good out of our heartbreaking story to save lives in our community impacted by Multiple Myeloma (Genesis 50:20). Our experience has fueled us to change the rising statistic of 24% of all newly diagnosed patients within the African-American community.

In honor of my husband's memory, I promise to actively preserve his legacy as an intercessor for Multiple Myeloma in the African-American community through The Malcom Orlando Ivy Foundation (TMOIF).

Prior to Diagnosis

At the age of 55, Malcom's life took a drastic turn after he received an unexpected and devastating diagnosis that changed our world: Stage III Multiple Myeloma. He was a distinguished business executive and visionary with an inspiring presence. As a former college athlete, he continued his love for basketball with weekly Men's Fellowship basketball games and a daily workout routine until his diagnosis.

In 2018, after being prompted by his life insurance provider, Malcom's physician took him through comprehensive testing that revealed some abnormality in his blood levels. Despite exhaustive examinations and tests, the underlying cause remained unidentified. His lab results remain unchanged during his 2019 annual check-up. His physician was still unaware of the silent presence of Multiple Myeloma. He encouraged him to continue consuming a healthy diet and remaining active, attributing his historic aches and pains to his active lifestyle. It wasn't until long after that we learned that most medical providers' are unaware and unable to diagnose patients in the early stages of Multiple Myeloma due to the cancer's complexity.

As the year ended and the new year started, Malcom didn't notice any unusual signs or symptoms in his health. Little did we know that Multiple Myeloma was quietly progressing.

Known Symptoms & Diagnosis

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Malcom suddenly experienced overwhelming fatigue, making him breathless and unable to climb up the stairs he previously walked up multiple times daily. We immediately decided to seek medical attention through the Emergency Room.

After hours of waiting, alarming lab results revealed critically low hemoglobin and extremely high protein and calcium levels, challenging the ER medical team. Given the severity, Malcom was immediately transitioned to intensive care for a more comprehensive evaluation.

After stabilizing his blood levels, the medical team performed a bone marrow examination in the following days. The results of this procedure revealed a heart-breaking diagnosis: Multiple Myeloma Stage III with a high-risk chromosomal abnormality within 70% of his bone marrow.

Treatment Plan

Malcom’s Hematologic Oncology team chose the most promising treatment options because of his staging, prognostic classification, and active biological markers. This enabled him to have access to the most advanced treatments and clinical trials.

June 2020: Standard Frontline Treatments
November 2020: Autologous Stem Cell Transplant
January 2021: Advance Immunotherapies (Clinical Trial)
June 2022: Auto CAR T-cell Therapy (newly FDA approved)
July 2023: Bispecific T-cell Therapy (Clinical Trial)

Living with Multiple Myeloma

Throughout his tumultuous treatment experience, Malcom's unwavering faith shined as he embraced the good days and experienced God's peace on challenging days navigating this incurable disease. He experienced several relapses, which were the reappearance of signs and symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement, which were highs and lows. However, his vibrant and spirited disposition enabled him to remain optimistic. He shared his faith in TRUSTING and BELIEVING in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with patients, doctors, and families impacted by Multiple Myeloma. His legacy of hope and resilience inspired our mission to support and advocate for the African-American community.