How Million for Melanoma began Rhonda was a sunbaker, as everyone did in the 60s. She lathered herself in oils and spent hours in the sun. Little did she know that years later, sunbaking would be the cause of melanoma, the cancer that claimed her life. My beautiful mother, Rhonda, was diagnosed with Melanoma in her 30s. She had it removed and got yearly check ups as requested. She ate well and used sun cream. She spent the middle of the days indoors. She did all the right things. Almost 18 years later, she was stung by a wasp on the chest, causing a bad reaction. She then got the flu which she just could not shake. Weeks after the illnesses, a lump (lymph gland) under her arm was bothering her. Seeing as she had just been stung, and sick, she thought nothing of it. Then a hard lump, the size of a grain of rice appeared on her chest and doubled in size by the week. She finally went to the Doctors. He said Its nothing, just a reaction to your sting. So she left it. About a month later the small, hard lump had grown to the size of a 5 cent piece. Still bothering her, because she just didnt feel right, she went to another Doctor. Its just a sebaceous cyst - from old age. My mother, feeling embarrassed, came home. A couple of weeks later it was the size of a 10cent piece. She went back to the Doctors. Its really bothering me. The doctor replied Well I can book you in to a plastic surgeon to have it removed, if youre worried about what it looks like? Mum said Im not worried about what it LOOKS like, more what it is!. An ultrasound was booked for the next day. During the ultrasound the sonographer called a colleague in. Mum knew it was something but didnt know what. They asked if they could do a biopsy and they would send the results that day. Mum agreed. That afternoon her GP rang and said - come in tomorrow morning - we need to discuss the results. I knew it wasnt good so I took the morning off work and went with her. We went into the Doctors office and he handed Mum a piece of paper METASTATIC MELANOMA We sat there, dumbfounded. It cant be she said. I get my skin checked every year Over the next 18 months mum tried natural therapies, some surgery when her lungs collapsed, two trial treatments but eventually her body couldnt take anymore. They never found the primary mole. So they assumed it was from the melanoma removed 18 years earlier. On mums last day, at age 52, when I asked...What am I going to do without you? She said I just dont want anyone else to die from this horrible cancer and that is how Million for Melanoma began. What can you do to help? Like this page, invite your friends and help save others from the dreaded melanoma. Do you know any sun bakers?
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 10:21:15 +0000
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