Twist Out Cancer is excited to announce our new initiative with Blueprint Medicines Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company studying oncology, hematology, and rare diseases. This project provides a new opportunity to further enhance Twist Out Cancer’s mission to share, connect, and heal. Together, Twist Out Cancer and Blueprint Medicines have developed Colors of SM: Expressions of Life with Systemic Mastocytosis, to raise awareness of the experience of those whose lives are impacted by SM. Colors of SM is a 4-6 month program that matches individuals touched by systemic mastocytosis (identified as “Inspirations”) with talented artists that work in a variety of mediums. The Inspiration is tasked with sharing their story with the Artist, as they create a unique work of art that is reflective of their journey with SM. The Inspiration and Artist relationship is facilitated by a Twist Out Cancer mentor who is available to assist both individuals, ensuring they feel supported throughout the process and addressing any questions they may have. The resulting art pieces will be used by Blueprint Medicines in various ways to help raise awareness of SM and those whose lives are impacted by it. The Colors of SM: Expressions of Life program will culminate in 2024 with a celebratory event for Inspirations and Artists, where the artwork will be used to raise awareness of systemic mastocytosis. Stay tuned for more information!

What is systemic mastocytosis?*

  Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a rare disease estimated to occur in approximately 32,000 adults in the U.S. It is a disorder where abnormal mast cells – a type of white blood cell that plays an important role in managing immune responses – accumulate in different parts of the body such as the skin, heart, gut, bones, and other organs. People living with SM may experience more than 20 symptoms, which can be chronic, unpredictable, debilitating, and some may be potentially life-threatening. Because mast cells are present across your body, these symptoms may involve skin (itching, flushing, hives), gastrointestinal (abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea), systemic (anaphylaxis, fatigue, weight loss), neurologic (anxiety/depression, headache, lack of focus/brain fog) and more. Triggers, or what may cause symptoms, can vary widely for those living with systemic mastocytosis and change over time. *Content sourced from www.ItsSMthing.com, a Blueprint Medicines website