‘I Made Some Mistakes’: How My Back Pain Led to a Rare Blood Cancer

Photo courtesy of Richard Multiple myeloma is a sneaky and rare form of cancer—its symptoms often mimic everyday ailments, making it easy to overlook. For Black Americans, the stakes are even higher: they are twice as likely to develop this disease. Black men, in particular, face an alarming risk, being 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed. Despite representing just 13.6 percent of the U.S. population, Black individuals account for a striking 20 percent of multiple myeloma cases—a disparity that demands urgent attention. The Beginning of a Life-Altering Diagnosis Richard’s journey began in late 2020 with unrelenting back pain, fatigue, and breathing difficulties.  “I made some mistakes, and this is where my story becomes important—because there’s good, bad, and ugly in it. Back in November 2020, I started experiencing shortness of breath, which was very unusual for me,” Richard tells BlackDoctor.org. “I also felt fatigued and thought I might have had a case of COVID before people really knew what COVID was.” After discovering that he had COVID, Richard initially dismissed his fatigue and breathing issues as lingering effects of COVID-19 or past injuries. However, the pain escalated to an unbearable level during basic activities, like gardening or any small...