It was malignant melanoma on my great left toe. I was terrified. Dr. Farma was gentle and kind about it and I was sobbing.
The level of teamwork and communication amongst the doctors was reassuring. Even though I felt overwhelmed by multiple surgeries, treatments, and diagnoses, I took immense comfort in the prompt actions taken my team of physicians.
I grew up in beautiful, sun-soaked Bermuda, and while I loved island life, it meant my skin was exposed to a lot of UV radiation at a time when we didn’t know how important it was to protect our skin. In my 20s I was more careful, but it wasn’t enough. In the summer of 2017, at age 58, I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma.
Only weeks after discovering the mole I had my first surgery, which was the removal of the residual melanoma from my left thigh. My second surgery was a sentinel lymph node biopsy, which would tell us whether the cancer had spread.
I was 25 in 2009 when I noticed a large half-dollar-size mole on my back, something I knew had not been there before. I am fair skinned and burn easily in the sun, so I have never been a sunbather or tanner. I generally take precautions when I’m out in the sun, so when this mole appeared, I knew I should see my doctor.
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In our continued effort to protect out patients and staff against COVID-19, Fox Chase is now offering phone and video appointments for some patients.
