When Jenny Ahlstrom was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2010, she anxiously searched for treatments and research for a cure. She noticed gaps in solutions for patients – most importantly the need for simplified information that would help patients obtain better outcomes. Jenny noticed that childhood cancer clinical trials had 85% participation rates while adult cancers had dismal 3-5% participation rates. Many research projects were not completed because scientists could not find willing patients with these types of rare diseases. She set out to help educate patients and encourage them to participate in trials in order to move research forward at a faster pace. Through her experience in systems engineering and marketing, as well as her husband Paul’s experience in entrepreneurship, Jenny saw an opportunity to empower patients to take action toward accelerating cures for rare diseases. ----- The Myeloma Crowd is a division of The CrowdCare Foundation, a patient-driven, 501(c)3 non-profit organization that empowers patients with rare diseases at each step of their disease journey – from diagnosis, through education, care and on to a cure. The Myeloma Crowd offers three areas of support: 1. Simplified Patient Education 2. Support Research Driven by Patient Needs 3. Use Data to Solve Patient and Research Problems