Article

Melanoma survivor shares how to have H.O.P.E. after cancer

Marshall Ramsey-HOPE

H.O.P.E.: How to slay a dragon's little brotherMarshall has always used humor to help him get over the fear of cancer recurrence, something that stays with survivors even after the cancer is long gone. Here is his remedy: H.O.P.E.A not-so long time ago in a land kind of far away, there was a noble knight who battled a terrible dragon named Cancer. It was a bloody, hard-fought fight, one where the knight fought valiantly. The knight had amazing weapons at his disposal. He had support from his friends and doctors. But It wasn't an easy battle; it took a great toll on the knight. He even lost his hair. Yet the day came when the dragon was gone. Victory was declared. The knight had won. He sat in his doctor's exam room and smiled -- he was Dragon-free. He celebrated his amazing accomplishment with a toast to his doctors and friends. They had fought the beast together and won. He had survived.But little did the knight know, the dragon had an annoying little brother named Fear. And Fear would show up on the knight's doorstep one Saturday morning and move in with him.Fear followed the knight around everywhere he went. To his job. Back to the castle. To the grocery story. To the Post Office. He was there when the knight woke up. He kept the knight from going to sleep. The knight frequently was up up all night. He even saw the little brother whenever he looked in the mirror. Fear was driving the knight mad. Like the rude house guest that he was, Fear would not go away.You can read the full story, here.As for me, I'm already making plans to travel to Jackson to participate in the Run from the Sun, and I'm bringing my sunblock and hat.

Related Videos
Dr. Alan Tan is a genitourinary oncology (GU) and melanoma specialist at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee; an associate professor of medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center; and GU Executive Officer with the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology.
Dr. Chandler Park, a medical oncologist of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, at the Norton Healthcare Institute, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Image of woman with blonde hair.
Image of woman with blonde hair.
Image of woman with brown hair.
a man and a woman in front of a dark blue background for CURE Speaking Out
a man and a woman in front of a dark blue background for CURE Speaking Out
a man and a woman in front of a dark blue background for CURE Speaking Out