Was diagnosed 9/93 with stage 3 melanoma on my right ear. Had 1/2 my ear removed and then had plastic surgery to rebuild my ear. Had 36 lymph nodes removed also. Religion helped me get through a lot of tough days and family and friends. I am lucky to be here today to talk about it. The sad thing is that I had a spot on my ear for six years before it was diagnosed. Every time I saw a doctor I would mention the new spot on my ear and they all said it was nothing! Would like to see more mention of melanoma and prevention in the news etc. This is one cancer that seems to get very little publicity.

I was 37 when I was diagnosed with Stage II melanoma. I had beeen having yearly exams with an Atlanta skin cancer specialist because I knew being fair haired and light skinned, not to mention the terrible damage I did throughout my youth with baby oil, spring breaks and tanning bed, that I had to be diligent about skin cancer. I found a mole that I just knew wasn’t right. The Atlanta doctor insisted nothing was wrong…so I let it be. They would know if something was wrong, right? A year later, I just knew something wasn’t right with this same mole. It was itching a little bit and seemed to have gotten bigger…still round, no uneven borders or different colors. I went back to the same doctor and insisted it be removed. She declined and said it was fine…. I insisted again and told her about the itching and think it had even bled once. She said I probaby had shaven over it (it was by my knee cap). I told her that I wasn’t asking her to take it off, I was demanding. She removed it and called me two days later telling me it was melanoma, Stage II, .27 mm thickness..so still very shallow. I had a wide excision of the area and so far so good after numerous x-rays, PET scans and worry. Don’t take no for an answer. You know your body better than anybody. After my surgery, the doctor told me I probably saved my own life (I refused to see the original doctor)…I told him ”wasn’t that her job?”