SHARREL PAUL

Stage:Stage III

Being an avid tanner as a 20-something (along with quite a few sunburns as a kid) landed me the diagnosis of Stage 3C metastatic melanoma right before my 30th birthday in 2012. Never in my life did I ever think that something as serious as cancer would happen to me. But once it did, I was thrust head first into a crazy roller coaster ride.
I had the mole on my lower back all my life. But within a two month span it had started getting itchy and bloody. Definitely not good signs. Clearly I was still in denial considering I continued to go to the tanning salon… I actually thought putting one of those stickers over the mole would help. Once I got the mole removed, the doctors tested to see what lymph nodes may be affected. I had my sentinel lymph node biopsy done and it revealed that the melanoma had spread to nodes in my pelvis. Having the full lymph node dissection was the most invasive surgeries I’ve ever been through. Huge, 12 inch scars running from both hips down to my thighs. Two nasty drain tubes to empty for weeks. Then to be a massage therapist who is told she can’t be on her feet for more than 2 hours at a time for 6 months meant having to quit my job…

I moved back to Boston from California to undergo further treatment. The melanoma kept spreading faster than my surgeon could cut. After six total surgeries since diagnosis, my amazing team at Beth Israel Boston told me about a clinical trial with a new, revolutionary drug called a PD-1. It works with your own immune system to boost it’s fighting power and fight the cancer. And because of it, the tumors that are still present are shrinking!

After about a year on Nivolumab (Opdivo), the PD-1 drug that I was given, my tumors are all gone and all the affected lymph nodes have returned to normal size! I have been NED (no evidence of disease) for 3 years now! I currently own a new pottery studio with 5 other women in Brookline and continue to create functional pottery of my own as well as crocheted accessories. 

I am beyond grateful for IMPACT Melanoma and those like them, and also for the people that so generously donate, because without them the research that created this amazing new drug may not have happened. I will continue to fight this beast the best way I know how!