Anne Ramsey

Stage:Stage I

During a routine trip to the hair salon, my hairdresser asked me about a mole on the top of my head where there was dried blood. I told her I had been scratching it, and she suggested I should see a dermatologist. I put it out of mind, even though I call on dermatologists as part of my job at Pfizer. About six months later, I finally made an appointment to get a skin check with a dermatologist. She did a biopsy and I received a phone call a couple of weeks later that I had malignant melanoma of the scalp. I was overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty. I’m fortunate that I live just a couple of miles away from MD Anderson, one of the top cancer centers in the world. I ended up having a sentinel node biopsy to remove 4 lymph nodes and a four-hour surgery to remove the melanoma from the top of my head. I’m fortunate that the lymph nodes were clear. Now, I have quarterly skin checks with my dermatologist. In addition to eating right and exercising, I am now more diligent about using sunscreen and am passionate about melanoma prevention and awareness. And I will forever be grateful to my hairdresser!