Hilary Dillon

Stage:Stage II

I had just turned 25 when I was diagnosed with melanoma, although I probably had it a few years prior. I was always one to indulge in the sun, but never more than ordinary. When I was in high school I used tanning beds sporadically, for proms and dances. I was always in Cape Cod in the summers, constantly in the sun at the beaches. I usually wore sunscreen but typically after I was in the sun for an hour or so. Being in the sun was something I took for granted.

I first discovered the mole when I was 21. It was on the inside of my right knee, and it was pretty small, but abnormal in color. I saw a local dermatologist who wasn’t worried about it, told me to keep my eye on it. If it changed shape or color, to go back and get it re-checked. Well, two years later I started to notice it turned from a red to a brown color, and it was spider webbing out, just a little bit. I mentioned it to my primary care doctor, who recommended me to another dermatologist. This time, the dermatologist confirmed that I should get it removed, calling it “a little funky looking”. Next I saw a plastic surgeon who would do the procedure in order to reduce the scarring, since the mole was in an inconvenient spot, where I bend my knee. The surgery was scheduled for mid-September and it was pretty quick and painless, I was back at work the next day. The doctors told me they would run the standard biopsy and contact me in 7-10 days if the results were positive. I had no anticipation that they were going to contact me.

I was in Florida on a business trip when I got the call. My mother was the one to deliver the news actually because they called her first. She told me that the biopsy for my mole tested positive for melanoma. They asked me to fly home early so I could meet with an oncologist at Dana Farber in Boston. I was told that they would have to go back in and remove more of the melanoma, as it was very deep. I was scared at this point, but I really didn’t have much information so I of course tried to stay positive until I learned more.

Both my parents came with me that day. We met with the surgeon who would be doing my second surgery, and the oncologist and her team to explain next steps. They were very hopeful with my diagnosis, reiterating that they believed they found it at an early stage and it was very treatable. To hear those words in such an intense environment, was honestly a blessing. It’s scary not to think of the worst possible scenario, but I had to stay positive in knowing that I was lucky to find it at this stage. They were unsure whether or not it spread to my lymph nodes, but informed me they would test the nodes in my groin in order to know more.

The surgery was two weeks later in Boston at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. It was scheduled for the afternoon but I had to arrive early in the morning for them to test my lymph nodes with blue dye. It was a very long day, but I was excited to put it in the past. The weeks following were a struggle, recovery is the worst part. I couldn’t bend my knee for 6 weeks. I was on crutches in an immobilizer, followed by braces and physical therapy. The results came back about a week later, my plastic surgeon called me first saying the lymph node biopsy came back negative. The melanoma hadn’t spread to my lymph nodes. This was amazing news, everyone was very relieved.

Now, I look forward to a healthy future, with lots of sun protection. I hope to spread my story as much as I can in order to promote melanoma awareness, the risks involved, and the precautions people can take to avoid it.