Don Sission, Stage IV

From Diagnosis to Remission: My Journey Through Stage IV Melanoma Brain Cancer
By Don Sission, Lancaster, SC

In 2018, I was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma that had spread to my brain. I still remember how the world seemed to stop. The statistics were terrifying, and I was suddenly thrown into a whirlwind of MRIs, surgery, and immunotherapy treatments.

I had surgery to remove the brain tumor and started immunotherapy shortly after. The treatments were tough — the side effects were real — but I held on. I leaned on my care team, my family, and sheer determination. For the first few years, I had scans and appointments every 3 months, then every 6. Now, I see oncology, neurology, and endocrinology just once a year.

Today, I’m in long-term remission — with no signs of disease. It’s been a long road, but I made it here.

I’m sharing my story to offer hope to anyone facing an advanced melanoma diagnosis, especially with brain involvement. The numbers don’t always tell the whole story. New treatments like immunotherapy are rewriting what’s possible — and I’m living proof of that.

If you’re in the thick of it right now, please know that you are not alone. You are stronger than you think. There is life after this. Keep going.

Don Sission
Age 64
Stage IV Survivor
Date of Diagnosis: 2018
Lancaster, SC