Welcome to our Survivor Stories web page. Here you will you find inspirational stories of strength and courage from melanoma survivors eager to share their experience in hopes of encouraging others.

If you are a melanoma survivor and would like to share your story, please e-mail amason@mfne.org or give us a call at (978) 371-5613.

Thank you to everyone who has shared their story on this site.

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	Sarah Aasheim “Eric and I are clear on our mission to educate others about sun safety, particularly young people, so that our daughter Sabrina and those of her generation won’t face the same risks for developing melanoma that we did.” Read more of Sarah’s Survivor Story
	Meg Beturne “…I listened with a sense of disbelief as the diagnosis of Malignant Melanoma was communicated from physician to patient. The only problem with this scenario was that I, a nurse of 41 years and a PACU nurse for almost thirty years, was the patient!” Read more of Meg’s Survivor Story
	Mark Buckley “…I struggled to tell my family and a few close friends about the diagnosis. It was incredibly difficult to break the news to my parents. Due to its thickness the melanoma on my face was considered Stage Two. The surgeon was affable and bright.” Read more of Mark’s Survivor Story
	Jessica DeJongh “As a child I spent a lot of time outside, not always with sunscreen or appropriate cover. I had frequent sunburns.” Read more of Jessica’s Survivor Story
	Karen Demers “…If someone had told me 13 months ago that I was about to become a cancer patient and eventually a cancer survivor I would have told them that they were crazy.” Read more of Karen’s Survivor Story
	Tim Fater “… it was around that time that I committed myself to a positive outlook; I taught myself to disregard such negative news which I knew could be lurking around the corner at any time. At that point everything was one day at a time.” Read more of Tim’s Survivor Story
	Karen Irons “…  I have Irish and Scottish genes so you know that every summer started with a bad sunburn you had to endure so that you could begin the tanning process.  Lying in the sun day after day was what I did.” Read more of Karen’s Survivor Story
	Lexi Lewis “…the look on my mom’s face and the sound in her voice when she talked to the doctor is something that will stick in my mind forever. The worst part was, I did it to myself…and I knew it.” Read more of Lexi’s Survivor Story
	Cynthia MacDonald “…I didn’t think twice about joining a friend or my sister at a tanning booth before one Spring formal.” Read more of Cynthia’s Survivor Story
	Marlene Marcello “My battle with cancer actually started in 1983, when I found a cancerous mole on  my back. At 37 years old I was married and the mother of four children as well as a successful investment executive.” Read more of Marlene’s Survivor Story
	Michael P. McMahon “What pulled me through were my family, co-workers, and a diary. I would even go into the chemo room and count the number of drip bags other patients had. I had two every day. Some had three, four, and five bags of stuff.” Read more of Michaels’s Survivor Story
	Jessica Morley “…my Mom called me at work to tell me to grab all my stuff and come outside. She came and picked me up, I was crying. I thought something bad happened, but never thought it was that little mole.” Read more of Jessica’s Survivor Story
	Jeanne Myers “…others who truly understand how unpredictable melanoma can be, and I believe that sharing my experience has given hope to others who are just beginning their journey.”  Read more of Jeanne’s Survivor Story
	Kelli Pedroia “…I came home with the best tan of anyone! I fried myself only using oil, not even thinking of the consequences that would haunt me a few months down the road.”  Read more of Kelli’s Survivor Story
	Vicci Recckio “I had no idea what this spot meant, it just looked like a mole or new freckle to me. But really, it was the size of an eraser, it’s color was a mix of brown and red, and it’s shape was a bit irregular.”  Read more of Vicci’s Survivor Story
	Meghan Rothschild “…so I quickly went in, had the mole removed and hit the tanning beds the same day. Two weeks later, when I went in to have my stitches taken out, I was informed I had Stage 2 Malignant Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.” Read more of Megan’s Survivor Story
	Carrie Schoenholtz “One day in late June I noticed the mole had raised up a bit, which definitely increased my need to make that call, but again I put it off.” Read more of Carrie’s Survivor Story
	Sara Waller “There is a reason why I keep fighting this, so I can get my word out there, and have people see and understand the importance of sun safety.” Read more of Sara’s Survivor Story

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Melanoma Foundation of New England does not endorse any products, treatments, medications, physicians, or treatment facilities that may be mentioned or recommended within the stories on this website. Any such suggestion by a story writer is of their own doing and has no relation whatsoever with the Melanoma Foundation of New England.