Jason Sessions shares his donor story ahead of the upcoming third annual #GetNakedJax event

Guest blog post by Jason Sessions, melanoma survivor, advocate and MRF supporter:

“I would like to share with you a little story about my life and battle with melanoma. In 2012, my wife Kim and I had just finished our yearly exams with a local dermatologist. We decided we were tired of spending money on a doctor who looked at us for 30 seconds with zero regard for our health, so we decided we weren’t going back. Fast forward two years when Kim noticed a spot on her face, and we went back to the same dermatologist and was told it was nothing but a sunspot. Kim didn’t like the answer and was referred to Dr. Moon by our PA, who diagnosed her with a Basal Cell that needed immediate attention. When Kim left Dr. Moon’s office, she scheduled me for a screening as I hadn’t been in two years.

During my visit with Dr. Moon in 2014, three spots were determined to be areas of concern, and off she went cutting out biopsies to send off and get tested. A week later, Dr. Moon called to let me know that I had two spots of melanoma that needed immediate attention. Of course, me being me, I said thank you for the call and that I would be in touch after race season and after our spring ski trip. Thankfully my good friend Maurice set me straight and I was operated on the following week.

In 2016 and 2017 I was again diagnosed with two additional melanomas. The spot we found in 2016 was very concerning as it was quite large and on my neck. This time I had my surgery completed at Moffitt in Tampa to ensure we got everything. Luckily today, I am melanoma free and clear! Now I see my dermatologist every three months, where I get naked and get a thorough screening! Like many of you, what I didn’t understand in 2014 was that early detection can mean the difference between living a healthy life and having a life-threatening illness. The five-year relative survival rate from diagnosis for localized, early melanoma is over 98%, but less than 20% from melanoma that hasn’t been diagnosed early and has spread to distant sites. Melanoma is the third most common cancer among women ages 20-39 and the second most common cancer in men ages 20-39. Every eight minutes someone is diagnosed with melanoma and every hour someone dies from melanoma. Let’s work together to raise awareness and find a cure!”

To learn more about their CommUNITY Fundraising event, #GetNakedJax, click here.