Diagnosed 10/04/2004

I have never tanned in a tanning salon and I always was slathered with sunblock as a kid, because I am fair skinned. When I was 27 I noticed a mole on my thigh that had started to bleed and scab. I went to have it checked out and they immediately biopsied it. They called while I was teaching 1st graders to tell me it was malignant melanoma. Unfortunately, I was also pregnant. I underwent surgery awake and lymph node removal. Luckily the cancer was 3c and hadn’t spread past my lymph node. A foot long scar and a battle with lymphedema is the reminder of that surgery. Then 5 years later I had my 2nd child and they found my 2nd malignant melanoma on the same leg. Thankfully I had been going in for skin checks and this tumor was only Stage 2. I still get checked 1-2 times a year and find Stage 0 moles. I am careful with myself and with my kids. I also try to educate others about how serious skin cancer can be.