Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Southern Alberta Myeloma Patient Society (SAMPS)

The Southern Alberta Myeloma Patient Society (SAMPS) is a volunteer‑driven, registered charity created by patients and caregivers to improve the lives of people affected by multiple myeloma in Southern Alberta. Based in Calgary, the society combines peer support, education, advocacy and targeted financial support for research to advance treatment options and quality of life for patients and their care teams.

Beyond its support group activities and public awareness events, SAMPS plays a direct funding role for local myeloma research. Through fundraising campaigns, donor contributions and community events such as the annual Myeloma Challenge, the society channels earmarked funds to the University of Calgary Division of Hematology Research and Education Fund, specifically for multiple myeloma. This financial support helps sustain a leading research lab, contributes to the development of new clinical trials, and underpins genomic studies aimed at understanding drug resistance and identifying new therapeutic targets.

SAMPS serves multiple audiences: patients and survivors, family caregivers, healthcare professionals, and the wider community. It offers information sessions, conferences, webinars and social events that help patients navigate diagnosis and treatment, and it keeps members informed through newsletters and social media. At the same time, its research funding benefits clinicians and scientists, particularly the Calgary team led by Dr. Nizar Bahlis and Dr. Paola Neri, whose work is internationally recognized.

The society’s fundraising initiatives are deliberately local in impact: money raised stays in Calgary and Southern Alberta, supporting research infrastructure, clinical trials access, and advocacy efforts to ensure equitable access to emerging therapies. By maintaining close relationships with Alberta Health Services, the Health Coalition of Alberta and national partners such as the Myeloma Canada Research Network, SAMPS helps bring cutting‑edge treatments and evidence to local patients more quickly.

Originating from informal gatherings of patients and caregivers in 2004, SAMPS was incorporated as a registered charity on 2009‑07‑27. Its early focus on peer support, education and awareness naturally expanded into fundraising when members chose to direct donations to Dr. Bahlis and his research team in recognition of their care. Since then, the organization has built a recurring calendar of walks, runs, personal challenges and community events that both strengthen the patient community and generate sustained funding for myeloma research.

SAMPS is governed by a Board of Directors that includes patients, caregivers and professionals occupying roles such as president, treasurer, fundraising director and advocacy lead. As a registered charity, it accepts donations via cheque and through CanadaHelps, and clearly states that research‑designated funds are directed to the University of Calgary’s hematology research fund. This governance structure, combined with strong ties to clinical partners and other patient groups, supports transparent use of donated funds and maximizes the impact of each contribution on myeloma care and research in Alberta.