Bill Clark Shares His Ocular Melanoma Story
Guest blog post by Bill Clark:
“I am happy to share my cancer story from the beginning suspicions of serious health issues, the cancer diagnosis, interfacing with many excellent healthcare professionals, navigating a complex healthcare system and the strong message of self-advocacy.
I am a 71-year-old man, and a “mostly” retired architect in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2018 at the age of 63 I was in excellent health, was co-leading an architectural-engineering practice, had a wonderful family and friends, and exercised regularly.
However, that year I noticed a brown spot on the white part of my left eye, and I inquired about it at my regular optometrist appointments. They expressed no concerns at the time and suggested it was likely sunburn. However, in the early spring of 2020 I had developed significant inflammation in the eye and requested to see an ophthalmologist in their practice. The ophthalmologist discovered a tumor in the conjunctiva behind the eye and upper eye lid and he expressed serious concerns. He said that I needed a biopsy but could not help me. Their surgery center associated with their practice was closed due to the onset of COVID.
After a number of calls and research I was accepted by the Emory Eye Center for a biopsy. The following day the disheartening news was shared. I was diagnosed with conjunctival melanoma. This was tough news to hear – I had friends who had died from melanoma.
I was referred to an excellent surgeon at the Emory Eye Center and we determined that the best path forward was to remove my eye and tumor and surrounding tissue. This would provide the ability, in one surgery, to remove the cancer and give me the best chance for long term survival. I experienced significant challenges from my insurance carrier that would not approve a required costly PET scan prior to surgery and paid cash out of pocket as my life was on the line. The surgery was performed at Emory in May 2020, I recovered for several months at home, and no other therapy was prescribed. Life returned to normal.
In January 2021 the cancer had metastasized and had returned to my left eye area with multiple tumors. I received immunotherapy infusions and seven weeks of daily radiation, and I showed no positive response to these therapies. I was told by the oncologist’s physician’s assistant that I should search for cancer trials and was on my own once again to navigate the path forward.
After many phone calls and discussions with family and friends I was referred to and was accepted by SCRI Oncology Partners (SCRI) in Nashville, Tennessee. Their excellent physicians and staff led me through three cancer trials over the course of approximately two and a half years. The trial side effects at times were very challenging but likely slowed the progression of cancer, which I am grateful for, and bought me time to pursue other therapies. It was time, however, to chart a new course of action.
In Spring of 2024 I began additional immunotherapy infusions at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, and had some initial positive response, but the melanoma cancer metastasized in my small intestine. After emergency surgery and recovery, my oncologists at SCRI and Northside Hospital recommended that we consider TIL therapy, “Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes”, a newly approved therapy that had gone through trials and was available at Northside Hospital. After a period of continued recovery from surgery and Immunotherapy side effects, I was accepted into the TIL Program at Northside Hospital.
The therapy involved the removal of a new abdominal tumor, harvesting my T-cells from the tumor, growing billions of T-cells at Iovance Labs in Philadelphia, Pa., seven days of intense Chemotherapy preparing my body, and infusing the T-cells to fight the cancer, six weeks after they were harvested. IL2 drug was administered after the infusion to help activate the infused T-cells. Our daily visits in the hospital clinic occurred over a three-week period after infusion and I was discharged from the hospital on New Years Eve 2024.
Early scans of my body were inconclusive as to whether my body was responding positively to the TIL therapy, but in July 2025 I received a call from the Northside TIL Program Director that I was showing a response! The existing tumors were greatly reduced, and no new cancer was observed. In March of 2026 I received a call with the news that I had been praying for many years: I was in remission!
My story is one of highs and lows and a will to live. My approach to this deadly and rare cancer was to stay positive, fight hard, self-advocate, aggressively search for therapies, trials and solutions when told I could not be helped, and pray and accept the help of family and many support groups. I truly am thankful for the many excellent healthcare professionals who have given me new life to live. I am forever grateful.”