Melanoma

Skin

You took the skin off my back, literally.
You left me numb, emotionally and physically.

Deep Transformation: From Corporate Ambitions to Valuing Life and Purpose

In the fast-paced corporate world, success is often defined by prestigious titles and material achievements. In the culture I grew up in, we are taught from a young age to be productive, suppress our strong emotions, and prioritize certain social relationships that value visible success over genuine human interaction.

My Path to “Re–”

It has been nearly two years since diagnosis, and I feel so far from rediscovering myself.

Reclaiming my body.

Resuming my life.

Recapturing lost time.

Or repairing broken relationships.

Eyes of an Advocate

We all know that 2020 was quite the year for all of us. The global pandemic shut everything down. Life as we knew it completely changed.

Imagine you’re a young adult, working, just trying to survive, hustling, and grinding away….and then finding out you have cancer.

I was 31. I was working a retail position and getting ready to move into my first apartment, had a date set and everything… 

Let me take you back…

Don’t Shut Your Feelings Out

Dear Younger Self,

I’m sorry I never took it seriously. You know, those hundreds of adults who told you that your fair-skinned complexion would never make you tan—no matter how much time in the sun is spent with no sunscreen in sight.

Dear Younger Self, You’ll Come out on Top

Dear Young[er] Sam,
I want you to remember that you’re a heartfelt and passionate woman. When things get hard, taking a deep breath really does help. Sometimes you just need five minutes away from the situation to get a handle on it. Also, remember to grieve.

From Melanoma to Mindfulness

Malignant melanoma. The words glowed back at me from my work computer screen as if they were highlighted in neon yellow. “That must be a mistake,” I thought, as I glazed through the remainder of the virtual pathology report.