The cure for melanoma begins with me.

I was diagnosed with Ocular Melanoma (OM) in the summer of 2024. With the support of family, friends, colleagues, and my medical team at Mass General Hospital, I was able to fight back, kill the tumor in my eye, and most importantly - ring the bell! 

I don't want to just sit with the anxiety of my next check up always lingering in the back of my head so I decided to get involved with Cure OM, a subdivision of the Melanoma Research Foundation. OM is considered extremely rare, affecting approximately 6 out of 1,000,000 people. 

Last year, I noticed I lost vision in my left eye. I went to an ophthalmologist who discovered my retina was detached. He sent me to a retina specialist ready to do immediate surgery to reattach the retina, but after imaging, we discovered a choroidal mass that caused the detachment and was likely a tumor. I was referred to an ocular oncologist. During that time, I saw doctors in DC, Philadelphia, and Boston to determine the fastest and most effective path forward. I was treated by Dr. Ivana Kim and her amazing team at Mass General Hospital (MGH) and am continuing care and screening with oncologist Dr. Ryan Sullivan also at MGH. 

Every step matters and every step counts. Significant advancement has been made in the past few years in improved detection, new drug treatments and better survival rates. This progress has been built on the breakthroughs made fighting other types of cancers, as well as the existing foundation of melanoma research.

There is more to be done and a long way to go, but the finish line is in sight. The energy, enthusiasm and encouragement from patients, survivors, families, friends, caregivers, and the medical community impacts many lives and many future.

Step up and donate to Miles for Melanoma today.