Survivor Stories

Read about some great people who are winning against Melanoma and Skin Cancer.

Mike Schmidt’s story

As a professional baseball player with the Philadelphia Phillies, I spent most of my life in the sun, mostly without sunscreen. As my career was reaching great heights, my skin was paying the price.

In August of 2013, I had a biopsy come back positive for melanoma. It began a challenge tougher than any I ever had as an athlete. The diagnosis truly shaped my life, and I made it my mission to help educate people about early detection and protection to help prevent skin cancer.

As a board member of the Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation in Florida, I have taken an area of RDK to Philadelphia to grow our programs nationally. I figured the best place for me to start is the city where I played baseball for 20 years.

Remember to wear SPF 30 or higher sunscreen and re-apply every two hours, and also wear a wide-brimmed hat and long-sleeve clothing when possible, outdoors this summer. I hope you join our team in the fight against skin cancer.

Mike Schmidt

At Bev’s funeral, their closest friend, a doctor, whispered to me, “It was only a little spot.”
“Spot,” One word, three meanings,
“See Spot run “ – in our children’s first grade reader, “There once was a spot” – from Camelot.
If only Bev’s spot could have been a Camelot.
But Bev’s spot was not a Camelot. If only it occurred today perhaps I would have not have had to write this:
Bev, I just wanted to talk to you.

Bev, I just wanted to call and tell you all about the meeting I attended.
This is insane. I’m writing to you but you can’t write back. I want to talk to you.
I miss our conversations, our discussions, our philosophizing, and our tearing apart the world.

I’m angry- how could you let yourself die? How could you do this to your kid sister?
I never realized how very much I need you. How very much I miss you. I want to tell you about my meeting. I want to hear your voice. I need to speak with you.

I realize now how very much we had in common. How very much we were alike. How much we shared. How very much I relied on you.
Bev, I just want to talk to you-
Excerpt from my book, A Sister’s Story, Bevie and me©

Fondly Babettefreed.com

My insecurities about being pale turned into a tanning addiction 

Growing up in upstate New York the lead skies and cool temperatures left me searching for a way to be tan.

My fair skin was something I resented and was always trying to change. Sunless tanners left me streaky and orange, not to mention discourage and humiliated after everyone picked up on my artificial tan.

My insecurities with being pale turned into a tanning addiction that started in my junior year of high school. I wanted to look good for prom so I visited tanning beds in search of a solution. After graduating, tanning turned into a daily routine for me. The warmth felt so good and reminded me of the beach but most importantly, I finally had a tan! 

This obsession lasted until I was 26 years old and found myself in the dermatologist’s office for acne; I started browsing through a melanoma brochure. When I went into the examining room, I showed a spot to the Doctor, he quickly said “we are going to have to remove this immediately”. Shook up and unaware of what melanoma was, I left feeling worried about the outcome. Days had passed, and then I received a call from their office stating I had stage-three melanoma. Life has completely changed for me since then, a hard lesson learned.

Now, at twenty-nine years old, I am the Director at Spa Cara, where I can safely perform organic custom airbrush tanning. I’m an advocate when it comes to avoiding permanent and deadly damage to your skin for a temporary tan. Our Natural Glow Sunless Tan lasts seven to fourteen days, giving your skin a healthy glow.

Heather Champion

J. PAUL BREAKSTONE

He could’ve seen his work hang in the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia… but Melanoma besieged him at 46.

He would’ve seen his children develop worthwhile careers… but Melanoma killed him at 47.

He should’ve walked his children down the aisle at their weddings… but Melanoma killed him at 47.

He could’ve taken delight in, played with, and guided wonderful grandchildren… but Melanoma killed him at 47.

He would’ve continued as a major presence in his mother’s long, healthy, happy life… but Melanoma killed him at 47.

He should’ve been here for family, friendship, photography, insurance… but Melanoma killed him at 47.

He could’ve, would’ve should’ve… avoided the midday sun, used protective sunscreen and clothing, had regular dermatological checkups…

but we didn’t know.

NOW WE KNOW! Melanoma, with early detection and treatment, is greatly manageable.

Trude Breakstone Berzon | Ron and Barbra Kaplan | Steve Kaplan and Todd Bingham | Dana, Eric, Jen, and Josh Lieberman | Wendy, Sam, and Carson Ladd |Michael, Jaime, and Hudson Breakstone

My Journey – Lauren Race

Growing up in a small town that consisted of mostly prisons, antique shops, and bars made it easy for any child to know that almost all activities were meant to be outdoor adventures. Whether it was swimming at the local pool, riding bikes, or swinging from ropes across a creek; they were all under the blistering Colorado sun. Back then, wearing sunscreen was advised but never forced. Oh, how I wish it was.

It all started before I was even in high school. I realized that my skin always turned into a beautiful tan after only a couple days of suffering sunburn. That was not a problem for me; beauty is pain, right? Any chance I had to roll up my pant legs and arm sleeves to let the sun beam down on me, I took. I can remember a handful of severe sunburns ranging from scabs on my shoulders, blisters on my legs, and even my lips, but that never stopped me. All these imperfections would go away, and I would soon have that perfect tan.

Not only did I love to feel the natural sun shine, but I loved the fact that I could get even better results from a tanning bed. I learned that lying in a tanning bed for just twenty minutes was equivalent to laying on a beach for four hours; so I made sure to include the twenty minute sessions of UV rays into my daily routine. Sometimes I would even let the time run out and start it all over again. After all, I wanted to have the best “glow” at prom, be the darkest on the volleyball court, and Lord knows, I couldn’t let my true shade show during the winter. Using tanning beds was a part of my life for nearly ten years. I was addicted. Nothing felt better to me than to lie in the warm bed, close my eyes, and doze off to wake up to an even darker complexion. It was just too easy.

I attended cosmetology school to become an esthetician-someone who works in skin care and is knowledgeable in the best ways to care for the epidermis, go figure. I remember the week we learned about skin disorders and diseases, a light bulb turned on in my head. We were going through the ABCDE’s of Melanoma, and I realized that a certain mole on top of my head had these exact characteristics, but still, I didn’t think to go to the doctor. No one ever thinks, “Why yes, this is probably cancer.” Just like when you have a tooth ache, the last thing you think about or want to do is go to the dentist.

A couple months had passed, and this mole was only getting worse. My grandma finally made it clear that I had to see a doctor, so I went just a couple days later. I explained to the dermatologist what this mole was doing. Whether it was oozing, bleeding, or peeling, something was not right. Without hesitation, the doctor insisted a biopsy be done. He numbed me and removed it faster than I could say, “Ouch.” One thing that still pops into my mind when I think about this appointment is near the end of the visit, he told me that he would pray form me. What? I’ve never heard a doctor say that. Did he know something was wrong?

About a week later, the phone finally rang and it was the call my family and I had been waiting for. We were sure it was nothing, that he would have only good news to tell us. How wrong we were. The mole he had removed was a Melanoma, a Stage 4 on the Clark Scale. He pointed us in the direction of a head and neck surgeon to have a wide excision done on my scalp, as well as a sentinel node biopsy.

Before this procedure, the surgeon was confident that there would be no spread. He told us there was only a twenty percent chance it would have gone anywhere. With this statistic, it was easy to feel the slightest bit of comfort. The surgery went well, but there we were again, waiting. Another week had passed, the phone rang, and everything changed. I remember like it was yesterday; he said, “We did an amazing job on your scalp, the margins were perfect and there was no Melanoma found. But, they did find a little Melanoma in the sentinel node.” Getting that news once is hard enough, but twice? There are no words to explain. I was back under the knife exactly a month later for a complete neck dissection to remove all remaining lymph nodes, and I was officially a Stage III Melanoma patient.

Just nine days after the dissection, I was admitted to UCH in Denver for my first round of biochemotherapy, the most aggressive strategy against Melanoma. This consisted of three types of chemo, and two bio medicines. I was hospitalized for five days with a twenty-four hour drip. I would have two weeks in between cycles, so just enough time to feel almost normal, and then it was right back to where I started. I completed four of these cycles, and I am so thankful to know that biochemotherapy cannot be done twice. Nothing makes me happier than to know I will never have to go through that again.

Recovering was hard; I was weak, and I am still weak. But, my attitude and outlook have never been so strong. I never let the thought of death cross my mind; it was not an option. No matter how miserable I was, or how alone I felt, I knew that this was just a huge lesson for me, for people I love, and for people I’ll soon meet. I couldn’t have fought this battle without all the love and support from my family and friends, especially my mom and dad.

I strive to be a role model for others that have dealt with or who are dealing with Melanoma: patients, patients’ families, friends, and neighbors, anyone who has been affected. Understanding this disease and how to prevent it is crucial, and I am ready to spread the awareness and make a difference. Know your skin. Check your skin. Love your skin.

Epilogue, August 12, 2014 – This was written in 2013. Lauren was flown in from Colorado, and spoke at our annual luncheon and fashion show; she was amazing. Lauren was doing well for about one year, and then had more surgeries and another aggressive round of chemotherapy. We keep hoping that Lauren can beat this and live a long and happy life. Her story is an inspiration, but most importantly, a warning for everyone, NOT TO USE TANNING BEDS.

I was at my Dermatologist as soon as I returned from a vacation; I had spotted a black raised mole. Unfortunately, my slide was misread thus creating nothing but health issues since that time. I can’t believe that was in 1996!

I can certainly state that I was a sun worshiper. I grew up in Michigan on a lake and during the summer I was boating, water skiing, and sun tanning. During the sixties, being tan was “IN” big time. My father had melanoma on his face and it was removed by a famous plastic surgeon when he was 49. I did not put this together until I was diagnosed; there is a genetic predisposition with melanoma and I certainly have his coloring, blond hair, blue eyes and fair skin.

I am stage four, having had seven surgeries, including my right axilla for lymph node removal and a melanoma tumor in my lung that was removed. The last two cases (in 2005) were in the left femur and one tumor in the pancreatic bile duct. This resulted in having Whipple surgery. Since then, any lump gets removed, such as the one on the bottom of my foot just last year. I see the dermatologist every three months and Dr. Rothschild the same. Being aggressive is extremely important. I get a PET scan every seven to eight months, and an MRI of the brain once a year.

We are going to need support groups because melanoma is increasing each and I am glad to receive phone calls. We need more survivor stories.

Best wishes, Martie Wrock

How can we enjoy the beautiful sunshine safely?

When I was young, I belonged to the group of girls who put iodine in our baby oil to make sure we got “a good tan”. Luckily, I only did that one summer. Now, I don’t leave the house without at least 30 SPF sunscreen on my face! There is so much more we are learning about sunshine and it’s important to take time to understand the dangers of over exposure to the sun.

My husband, David McCourt, was first diagnosed with melanoma 17 years ago. He had the tumor cut out, and the area treated. Two years later, it returned. Rather than extensive chemotherapy, David turned to more natural methods of treatment; that were still in trials, back at John Wayne Institute in California. Unbelievably, David beat the recurrence of the melanoma and continued to live an abundant life here in Palm Beach. Always wearing a hat, long pants, and sometimes even jackets was his sun safe protocol against the sun’s harmful rays. We were sure to eat well, healthy organic foods, and lots of fresh juices that provided antioxidants. That worked fine, before he noticed something growing again in that original location inside his abdomen, twelve years later!

Knowing at that point that the melanoma had spread to his brain, lungs, liver, and spine, our doctor told us that most people “would go to Hawaii or something”, and enjoy their remaining days. We were given three months to live. Devastated, David and I looked at each other and agreed we wanted to fight. Immediately we started to plan multiple strategies, that might or might not work, yet we were willing to try. Bio-therapies had come a long way and that was David’s preference. We tried interleukin and forms of an anti-pd1. We went to Israel for three months to have a procedure done which grows the cancer-fighting cells by the billions and is put back into the body. For us, interleukin offered the best results for David, until it didn’t work anymore.

There is no one miracle cure for melanoma. We believe that there are more and more effective ways to control and manage the disease, depending upon how each person reacts to different types of treatment. What we did learn, is that miracles CAN happen because David lived another three years, rather than three months. We had time to spend with his family, his sons and their children his passing. Our hope is that we continue to improve all methods that are being used to manage metastatic melanoma, and that more people can have access to that gift of time in their lives, until we find a cure.

Until then, be sun safe in the Florida sunshine and don’t forget your sunscreen and your hat!

Mrs. Mary Bryant McCourt

I am happy to contribute to this worthwhile insert entitled “Silver Linings”; for me, life truly seems to have had one. I have crossed paths with many of the attendees today since 1991. In case you thought I was on a great vacation for three years during that time, this is what really happened. My name is Michelle and I would like to share the very private side of me that you do not know.

Due to lack of education, as a high-risk skin type, I burned as a young child. When I got older, I used tanning beds. None of this seemed eventful until the day I was patiently sitting in the Doctor’s office for an hour waiting to hear some news; it didn’t even occur to me that a ”skin cancer” that was discovered could be fatal. I went from “patient”ly to “patient”!

I thought a melanoma was another just “cut it out” skin cancer. For the next three years I had Chemo five days a week (for one year), gave myself shots for eleven months, had seven different surgeries, and was in a wheel chair and walker”; I still had stage four melanoma!

I am a miracle. Clinical trials that originally made me sicker, finally made me well. During my treatments at the Moffit Center, I stayed focused on a quote in the radiology department that was painted on the wall. It was from Christopher Robbins, from Winnie The Pooh.

“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think”.

Make sure when you go outside; you remember everything this Foundation teaches you about sun safety protocol. Come see me at The Chesterfield hotel and let’s toast to good health!

Michelle Gagnon

“Melanoma is a demon thief. It has robbed my husband Scott and me of our newlywed years. We were married in a surprise wedding (yes, I didn’t know, he planned the entire thing, including the dress!) six years ago on New Year’s Eve. Three of those years have been spent praying, battling, and struggling to stay alive. Stage IV melanoma is not what you expect to hear from your doctor: EVER, and after only three years of marriage.

You can imagine how fast your life flashes before your eyes. Three cyber knife procedures to the brain, Yervoy, Zelboraf, Tafinlar, Mekinist, a cardiac window, an ablation, a thoracotomy, a pacemaker and six weeks in JFK. We are STILL here, thanks to Dr. Abe Schwarzberg and his team. You have kept us alive. No one fights alone.

My Captain Scott was born with the sea in his blood. Raised on the shore of Long Island, in the days when sunblock meant baby oil and iodine, Scott spent his teen- years clamming and fishing, swimming, and sunning. That was probably the beginning of the demon melanoma’s sneak attack.

A life-long career in the boating industry as a boat “motor head”, a navigator and broker, put him at risk every day. But in the late seventies, eighties and nineties – who knew about melanoma?

Years later, after moving to Florida, Scott finally had a bothersome mole looked at. And of course it was the unimaginable melanoma. Stage IV. Fear, dread, shock, terror, and newly married. What a wedding present.

Scott and Sandra Masters

At the time of this printing, Scott Masters is in the hospital awaiting brain surgery.