Our Beauty and the Beast

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  The BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS is OUR daughter, CARSON AVERY. The UGLY DUCKLING is MALIGNANT MELANOMA. It's hard to believe they were both growing in my body at the SAME TIME! In fact, other than close friends, family and my doctors, most are surprised to hear about my diagnosis of Malignant Melanoma while pregnant with my now 4 1/2 year old. It has been a secret...primarily due to my FEAR and worries about it spreading to other parts of my body or recurrence.
  
  The fear began that day in February 2005. I was 7 1/2 months pregnant with Carson when my husband, Kirk, saw an unusual mole on the middle of my back. Of course, I wouldn't have seen it anyway, since I was 100% focused on my ever growing belly...and caught up in the excitements of "soon to be" parenthood. I was choosing crib bedding and nursery colors, and my SKIN was my least concern! I did, however, make that appointment with my dermatologist, Dr. Leena Bhat.
  That particular morning, in her cheerful manner, much to my relief, she announced she was "not a bit worried about the mole". Whew! However, that one was cut out "just to make sure,..and let's take the ugly duckling mole beside it." AND UGLY, it was. I will never forget that terrifying call from Dr. Bhat. "The mole that you were worried about was dysplastic (changing cells) and benign, but I am sorry to say, the ugly one was Malignant Melanoma. "
  According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, MALIGNANT MELANOMA is Deadly:
  
  ONE PERSON DIES EVERY HOUR FROM MALIGNANT MELANOMA.
  Melanoma is the most common cause of cancer in young adults ages 15-29 years old.
  Melanoma is 95-100% curable if caught in the early stages.
  Melanoma is increasing faster than almost any cancer.
  A person's risk for melanoma DOUBLES if he/she has over 5 or more sunburns at any age.
  65% of melanoma can be attributed to UV radiation from the sun.
  One in 50 will be diagnosed with Melanoma.
  
  More To COME: The birth of our precious baby, our excitement about nearing the 5-YEAR milestone cancer-free and how you can help EDUCATE, DONATE and SUPPORT with CYSO.