How a Friendly Moose Named Mary Helps Kids Understand Multiple Myeloma
A diagnosis of multiple myeloma is incredibly difficult news even for the strongest of
people. Now imagine you’re a young child facing this information about someone you love
and rely on.
Stories can be useful in situations like these. They are a way to safely engage with
issues that are challenging to deal with in real life. In this animated video — Mary and
the Bravest Grandma in the World — Mary discovers her grandma has been diagnosed with
multiple myeloma.
Told from Mary’s perspective, the story is written in language that a young person can
relate to. With simple, non-threatening words, Mary learns how multiple myeloma is a
disease characterized by periods of relapse and remission1 and she is carefully
introduced to concepts like good and bad plasma cells2. She also observes symptoms such
as joint pain and feeling out of breath3 and she is shown how treatment is affecting her
grandma. At first Mary is sad she can’t spend time with her, but she soon comes to
accept the diagnosis.
By the end of the story, Mary feels safe in the knowledge her grandma is receiving
treatment. When her grandma is feeling ok, she is happy they can spend time together
doing things Mary loves, like playing with building blocks and going to the park. Most
importantly, the video is an insight into how such a diagnosis is experienced through
the eyes of a young girl.
- https://www.myeloma.org.uk/understanding-myeloma/treating-myeloma/treatment-for-relapsed-myeloma/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/multiple-myeloma/symptoms-causes/syc-20353378
- https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/multiple-myeloma/