Melanoma Warriors You cannot tell by looking at us, but we are warriors.  We faced death. We fought melanoma skin cancer after it metastasized inside our bodies and we waged war. AND WE WON!! As I enter the 12th year of being NED, No Evidence of Disease, I want to share a little bit about the stages, as I have experienced.  Surviving : first 1-5 years : during this time I was fearful ALL the TIME of a reoccurrence. I spent a lot of time truly being in fear that the cancer would return. Because my diagnosis had  survival rate of 5% to make it 5 years, I was c ..read more

 I would like to take a moment to give a shout out to those who are currently fighting melanoma. I understand your fear. I understand your sleepless nights. I understand how hard it is to talk to your children, your partner, and friends about your illness. Sometimes it feels like your entire life breathes and sleeps cancer. I want to give you a hug and let you know that there are many of us who have been there. There are many of us who have survived the odds.  I had a 5% chance of living 5 years and here I am! I am so sorry you are facing melanoma and people say "isn't that j ..read more

 It has been 10 years since I returned home from the fight of my life. 10 years since I had active metastatic melanoma. I am blessed. I am beyond lucky!  I am getting the opportunity of planning my daughter's wedding. Life is GOOD. It never escapes me that not everyone is so lucky. Not everyone makes it through a stage 4 melanoma diagnosis.  Melanoma is called the black beast for a reason. It has an extremely scary rate of reoccurrence. Melanoma likes to come back. In short, it is a sneaky bastard. Those of us who fight it, fight like hell and never forget the battle. We remi ..read more

 Is it a cliche? Do have profound gratitude around holiday time? For me it is truly a time of year for sincere gratitude for LIFE. December of 2010 I was gravely ill. I was about to start a 2nd battle with melanoma. My first melanoma was a stage one, the second melanoma was stage four. At that time, only 10 years ago, a stage four metastatic melanoma diagnosis was fatal. There were no proven treatments. Every time I write this, I try to not be melodramatic. But, after the pet / CT  scans, brain MRIs, blood work, on Christmas eve of 2010 I received a call that the cancer was in my ..read more

 It is important to wear clothing with no metal when going for a CT scan. Therefore, as a woman, I need to wear a bra that is not underwire. This way I can avoid having to put on a hospital gown. To get through a scan, I use day dreaming. I dream of wear I will eat lunch, as I had to fast and missed breakfast because I had to drink the chalky drink for scans.  I dream of that day I skied 14 inches of fresh powder!  I dream of the awesome bucket list trip I took to Costa Rica last year...anything to get my mind off that these scans are a mandatory part of my life due to a diagnos ..read more

Well, I am officially 9 years out from my last cancer treatment! is  And while I am stoked, I am very sad today to hear a melahomie  is now on hospice care. This young man has been fighting since I was declared NED, No Evidence of Disease. He has 2 young children and a beautiful wife. He has co-sponsored an organization called Stage Free Melanoma and spearheaded a melanoma bus so that people can get free skin checks and stay stage free of melanoma. He is truly a warrior and an advocate for melanoma awareness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUlPcwiouaM&t=7s I send pra ..read more

Thoughts on coronavirus and cancer. Well then... I never knew that cancer treatment would train me for something like this.  How is this pandemic like cancer?? Let me share  the two big reasons why this is similar. 1) A cancer diagnosis places its patients in isolation. We are currently in isolation, but we are healthy. 2) During cancer treatment, you are worried about getting sick. Now, everyone is worried about getting sick.  I never thought that chemotherapy treatment would train me for something like this. During chemo, you are so worried about getting sick, you spend a lot of time ..read more

As 2019 ends I have some words for you cancer: Dear Cancer, I still hate you. I will never let you steal my spirit. You cannot have me. In late 2010, I fought like hell to get a proper diagnosis and when 2011 began I was dying. You came to me in the form of melanoma. Or as some people call, "just skin cancer." You came back after 10 years and tried to kill me. It did not work so F-YOU!! Many people say to me,"how long has it been?" and seem confused that I am still concerned about it... but the battle I had with you cancer will always be a part of me. I will continue to share my story to s ..read more

One of the support groups I belong to for cancer recently had a member mention all the tests she will be going through now. Cancer does not know or care about the holidays... in 2010 I was suffering from a large tumor that grew to be 16 cm large and it was wrapped around my brachial plexus nerve in my left armpit. The pain was immense. Through knowing someone who knew someone who knew Dr. Morton at the John Wayne Cancer Center in Santa Monica, CA, I had an appointment granted for December 23rd, 2010. I had a CT/Pet scan.... blood work, and a brain MRI... all with the tumor growing bigger and ..read more

In my world NED is important. It means No Evidence of Disease. I have been NED from stage 4 metastatic melanoma  for 8 years. 8 years ago I had a doctor tell me to go home, "There is nothing I can do for you."  I had angelic intervention and was guided to the Angeles Clinic and around Christmas of 2010 I met Dr. Omid Hamid and he said, "Stephanie, I am going to try and save your life and if the shit is hitting the fan , I will tell you... " and he saved my life. I endured 5 rounds of biochemotherapy. It is a 22 day cycle of 3 chemotherapy drugs and 2 immunotherapy drugs. This treatment almost ..read more