Her name is Holly!

You never think it will happen to you and then it does and then you pray every day for one more day even while feeling guilty for being lucky enough to have one more day.

I was diagnosed with Stage III Metastic Nodular Melanoma on February 14th, 2005. On that day, my world opened up in way I could have never imagined.



From the start, every visit to the Doctor was a chance to get some "good news", a chance to pretend this wasn't really happening but it took 3 visits and 3 rounds of "bad news" to realized that my cancer diagnosis was real and very serious. Only then, did I stop looking for good news and start looking for answers.



I looked for love and support and I found it in my friends and my family. But for answers I went to the Melanoma Patients Information Page. (www.mpip.org) MPIP offered me real information and friendship with people who understood exactly what I was going through, were in the fight of their lives and could offer me a breadth of knowledge that went beyond facts and into real-world experience.

While on MPIP, I made many close friends. Carver, Mellisa, Miss M., Kim, Heather, and Monika just to name a few. Of those six, THREE are gone.



They died while the rest of us have survived. But to what end?



I promised myself when Kim passed on, that with what time I had, I would do whatever I could to help spread the word about Melanoma and that I would continue to live, race and support all fellow cancer survivors to Live STRONG!

May is Melanoma Awareness Month. Along with sharing some sobering statistics and Tips on Prevention dail on my blog (http://triandbehappy.blogspot.com/), I am doing what I can to support my local community's effort to raise awareness. On September 21, 2008 I will race in the SAVAGEMAN Olympic Distance Triathlon. The event raises money for Joanna M. Nicolay Melanoma Foundation. The Foundation, an all-volunteer, non-profit charity based out of Maryland.

My goal is to raise $3000.00 in honor of those MPIP members who are no longer with us and to celebrate and give thanks for 3 years as a Survivor.

http://www.active.com/donate/SavageMan2008/triandbehappy

You never think it will happen to you...consider the possibility that it could and make PREVENTION a priority, please.

• Use sunscreens rated 15 or higher

• Avoid unnecessary sun exposure

• Teach your children good sun protection habits at an early age. The damage that leads to adult skin cancers starts in childhood.

• Stay away from tanning booths

Life is Good! LiveSTRONG!

Submitted by Holly Gannoe