Melanoma Survivor

Kandice
S.
Arkansas

I am 22 years old and I have never stepped foot into a tanning bed in my life. I have very fair skin and two months ago I noticed a "freckle" on my neck.  Within a month, it started to get darker and bigger, which worried me so I kept an eye on it and decided to go ahead and go to the dermatologist.
I went in and the first thing he said was " We need to go ahead and remove that now!" I really didn't know how to respond because I knew that what he said couldn't mean a good thing!  Nobody in my family has ever had any sort of cancer so I didn't know what to expect.  I waited three days and got a call from the office who said "You have melanoma."  I had no idea what to say.  I asked, what stage? How bad? And all they said was "You need to come in and have surgery in 2 days."
I wondered if I waited too long to get it checked out.  The thought consumed me.  So I went and had surgery on my neck and the office called me and said that it was in Stage 1 and I had come just in time because if it would have grown any larger I would of had to go through radiation.
So my new saying is "If in doubt, check it out!" Dont hesitate!  Don't think just because you don't go out in the sun or have a family history that you can't get melanoma.  Have any new growths, freckles, moles, or spots checked out.  Now I have to go every 3 months for the next 2 years to make sure that there is no new progression.
I am so blessed that I caught it early. I am so glad to have a place like this to come to encourage early detection.  It just hit me the other day that " I am a cancer survior!"

I agree

Comments

Submitted by Karissa L on October 20, 2009 - 06:59.

Being aware of all types of cancer is the most important thing. My aunt just died of lung cancer in september unlike her I swore to my self that I would be educated of all types of cancer. Skin cancer runs in my family and I'm ALWAYS in the sun so I need to know how to protect my self and extra facts about it. And I just want to thank you cause with your site I can do that!

Submitted by Belinda on February 24, 2010 - 09:50.

More people need to know that skin cancer - especially melanoma - can be deadly. i lost my father-in-law to melanoma within a year of him being diagnosed. So, be careful out there in the sun!