Amanda Martin Mission Melanoma Fund
Donation protected
My name is Amanda Martin, I am 34 years old and currently battling with Stage IV Metastatic Melanoma.
I am a patient at MD Anderson in Houston, TX and I am raising funds to go towards my current treatments and medical expenses. I'm also hoping to raise awareness of this deadly cancer in the process. Below is my full story and I appreciate you stopping by my page.
Metastatic melanoma is melanoma that has spread to other sites of the body. The spread occurs through the lymphatic system and/or the blood vessels. Melanoma can spread to the subcutaneous tissue which lies underneath the skin, the lymph nodes, and to other organs such as the lungs, liver, bone or brain.
My original diagnosis came in June 2011 just days before my 30th birthday. I had a mole on my right bicep that seemed to appear overnight, and it just didn’t look right to me. Half of it was dark brown and the other half was a bright, cherry red color. I had 2 separate dermatologists look at this mole and both assured me it was nothing to worry about and there was no need for a biopsy. On May 19, 2011 I suffered from an extremely rare occurrence called Sudden Sensorial Hearing Loss in my left ear. In a mere instant I was profoundly and permanently deaf without cause. This was very alarming to me and I knew something very wrong was happening inside my body. I decided to revisit the dermatologist and urge him to biopsy the mole on my bicep, if nothing more that to ease my mind. Two days later I received a call from the Dermatologists office that I had Melanoma and would need to visit with a Surgical Oncologist immediately. Within days I was undergoing a major surgery called a Wide Excision which would remove all of the tissue on my right bicep as well as the surrounding tissue spreading deep into the muscles and nerves of my right arm. They also removed 3 lymph nodes from my right arm pit. No subsequent treatments were recommended to me, as my surgeon and Oncologist assured me I had less than a 5% chance of recurrence since the lymph nodes had tested negative for Melanoma, meaning it had not spread further than the deepest layers of the skin. At this point I was considered NED (no evidence of disease)
No conclusive connection was ever found linking the hearing loss to the Melanoma; however, it took a spinal tap and numerous steroid injections directly into my eardrum to arrive at that still indefinite assumption. No cause has ever been found, but I mention it because it prompted me to have the mole biopsied, and I thank God for that.
May 2013 I noticed a large knot in my right armpit. I had been feeling generally run down lately and immediately I knew something was wrong. A PET scan would later reveal the Melanoma had not only returned, but it had spread and now it was in the lymph node under my arm.
The lymphatic system is a complex network of thin vessels, valves, ducts, nodes, and organs. It helps to protect and maintain the fluid environment of the body by producing, filtering, and conveying lymph and by producing various blood cells. In other words, you need this and having any portion of it removed comes with a host of irreversible side effects.
I underwent a second surgery in Dallas, TX called a Full Axillary Lymph Node Dissection where they removed all remaining lymph nodes in the area under my arm. In total 29 lymph nodes were removed.
After a few weeks of recovery, I visited Cancer Treatment Centers of American in Zion, IL and began a very aggressive form of Immunotherapy called Interferon. Many Oncologists chose not to administer this drug because the side effects far outweigh the benefit; however, it was my only option and I wanted to give it a shot. Interferon is administered by infusion daily for 30 days, then 3 times a week by self-injection for 11 months. I suffered severe side effects early on and at the urging of my Oncologist, I stopped my treatments. My body was unable to withstand anymore. A final scan came back normal, so again I was considered NED (no evidence of disease) At this point I was told to return home and “wait and watch” meaning be on my toes for another recurrence. By March 2014, I was able to return to work and start to rebuild my body and gain some much needed normalcy in my life.
August 2014, I went for a routine Oncologist visit. This was the first time I had seen this particular doctor so she did a head to toe examination. She immediately noticed two nodules under my right arm. They are located directly on top of the incision site of my last surgery. They had been there for quite some time and thought to be scar tissue from my previous surgeries. Two painful biopsies later confirmed the Melanoma had returned. I currently have 2 tumors and have advanced to stage IIIC. I have spent weeks weighing my options only to be met with grim prospects. Surgery poses too many risks and the cancer will simply return afterwards. Radiation is unlikely to work because Melanoma tends to return around the area that has been radiated. Traditional chemotherapy will have very short lived results, if any at all. At this point, my best option is a clinical trial at M.D. Anderson with a drug called Yervoy. The average success rate is 10-15%. While there is no cure for late stage Melanoma, these treatments may prolong my life.
This is a quote taken directly from Bristol-Myers Squibb, the creator of Yervoy.
"Metastatic melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer with a historical five-year survival rate of less than ten percent in patients with distant metastasis. Results from these investigational studies showed a prolonged survival benefit with YERVOY at four and five years for some patients”
So here is how you can help:
First of all and MOST IMPORTANTLY, protect your skin. A SINGLE SUNBURN can put you directly in my shoes. (You really, really don’t want that!!! Keep in mind I spared you all the gory details and the countless other surgical procedures involved.)
Melanoma isn't always preventable, but in some cases it is. In case you are wondering, no I did not abuse my skin. That is a common misconception. I carry a genetic mutation that makes me highly susceptible as well as the fact my heritage is that of German/Irish descent. Newborn babies are diagnosed with melanoma. Not all of us diagnosed with melanoma were sun worshipers.
Secondly, please donate. Help me pay for the expenses I am incurring for the treatments during this battle for my life. Having lived through this twice already, I’m prepared for a fight, but I need help with expenses this time. My employer has been supportive and I have continued to work between recurrences, but there are times I am just too sick. Cancer has affected me in more ways than I could ever explain. It barreled into my life unannounced and absolutely tore it apart. I will never be the same person and I wish some days it would all just go away, but this is my reality. So there are much bigger struggles involved than finances. summed up 4 years for you, omitting countless surgeries, biopsies, prescriptions and doctor visits that all cost an arm and a leg even with insurance. I am still paying for my surgery from 2011, if that helps you understand the exorbitant cost of these procedures. The Interferon treatments were roughly $98,000.00. Additional genetic testing was also $90,000.00. It sounds insane because it is! Every little bit helps in tremendous ways, believe me. So any amount you are inclined to give will be greatly appreciated and will help me stay in this fight and WIN!
Till my last breath I will advocate SAFE SUN PRACTICES and education on the deadly cancer Melanoma. Right now I have to kick it right in the rear, so please donate to my cause. I promise to forever pay it forward.
Amanda Martin
If you chose to mail your donation, our mailing address is
PO Box1474
Henderson, TX 75653
Gofundme takes 20% of each donation made, so if you would like me to receive the entire donation, please mail a check to the above address.
Thank you,
Amanda & Travis
I am a patient at MD Anderson in Houston, TX and I am raising funds to go towards my current treatments and medical expenses. I'm also hoping to raise awareness of this deadly cancer in the process. Below is my full story and I appreciate you stopping by my page.
Metastatic melanoma is melanoma that has spread to other sites of the body. The spread occurs through the lymphatic system and/or the blood vessels. Melanoma can spread to the subcutaneous tissue which lies underneath the skin, the lymph nodes, and to other organs such as the lungs, liver, bone or brain.
My original diagnosis came in June 2011 just days before my 30th birthday. I had a mole on my right bicep that seemed to appear overnight, and it just didn’t look right to me. Half of it was dark brown and the other half was a bright, cherry red color. I had 2 separate dermatologists look at this mole and both assured me it was nothing to worry about and there was no need for a biopsy. On May 19, 2011 I suffered from an extremely rare occurrence called Sudden Sensorial Hearing Loss in my left ear. In a mere instant I was profoundly and permanently deaf without cause. This was very alarming to me and I knew something very wrong was happening inside my body. I decided to revisit the dermatologist and urge him to biopsy the mole on my bicep, if nothing more that to ease my mind. Two days later I received a call from the Dermatologists office that I had Melanoma and would need to visit with a Surgical Oncologist immediately. Within days I was undergoing a major surgery called a Wide Excision which would remove all of the tissue on my right bicep as well as the surrounding tissue spreading deep into the muscles and nerves of my right arm. They also removed 3 lymph nodes from my right arm pit. No subsequent treatments were recommended to me, as my surgeon and Oncologist assured me I had less than a 5% chance of recurrence since the lymph nodes had tested negative for Melanoma, meaning it had not spread further than the deepest layers of the skin. At this point I was considered NED (no evidence of disease)
No conclusive connection was ever found linking the hearing loss to the Melanoma; however, it took a spinal tap and numerous steroid injections directly into my eardrum to arrive at that still indefinite assumption. No cause has ever been found, but I mention it because it prompted me to have the mole biopsied, and I thank God for that.
May 2013 I noticed a large knot in my right armpit. I had been feeling generally run down lately and immediately I knew something was wrong. A PET scan would later reveal the Melanoma had not only returned, but it had spread and now it was in the lymph node under my arm.
The lymphatic system is a complex network of thin vessels, valves, ducts, nodes, and organs. It helps to protect and maintain the fluid environment of the body by producing, filtering, and conveying lymph and by producing various blood cells. In other words, you need this and having any portion of it removed comes with a host of irreversible side effects.
I underwent a second surgery in Dallas, TX called a Full Axillary Lymph Node Dissection where they removed all remaining lymph nodes in the area under my arm. In total 29 lymph nodes were removed.
After a few weeks of recovery, I visited Cancer Treatment Centers of American in Zion, IL and began a very aggressive form of Immunotherapy called Interferon. Many Oncologists chose not to administer this drug because the side effects far outweigh the benefit; however, it was my only option and I wanted to give it a shot. Interferon is administered by infusion daily for 30 days, then 3 times a week by self-injection for 11 months. I suffered severe side effects early on and at the urging of my Oncologist, I stopped my treatments. My body was unable to withstand anymore. A final scan came back normal, so again I was considered NED (no evidence of disease) At this point I was told to return home and “wait and watch” meaning be on my toes for another recurrence. By March 2014, I was able to return to work and start to rebuild my body and gain some much needed normalcy in my life.
August 2014, I went for a routine Oncologist visit. This was the first time I had seen this particular doctor so she did a head to toe examination. She immediately noticed two nodules under my right arm. They are located directly on top of the incision site of my last surgery. They had been there for quite some time and thought to be scar tissue from my previous surgeries. Two painful biopsies later confirmed the Melanoma had returned. I currently have 2 tumors and have advanced to stage IIIC. I have spent weeks weighing my options only to be met with grim prospects. Surgery poses too many risks and the cancer will simply return afterwards. Radiation is unlikely to work because Melanoma tends to return around the area that has been radiated. Traditional chemotherapy will have very short lived results, if any at all. At this point, my best option is a clinical trial at M.D. Anderson with a drug called Yervoy. The average success rate is 10-15%. While there is no cure for late stage Melanoma, these treatments may prolong my life.
This is a quote taken directly from Bristol-Myers Squibb, the creator of Yervoy.
"Metastatic melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer with a historical five-year survival rate of less than ten percent in patients with distant metastasis. Results from these investigational studies showed a prolonged survival benefit with YERVOY at four and five years for some patients”
So here is how you can help:
First of all and MOST IMPORTANTLY, protect your skin. A SINGLE SUNBURN can put you directly in my shoes. (You really, really don’t want that!!! Keep in mind I spared you all the gory details and the countless other surgical procedures involved.)
Melanoma isn't always preventable, but in some cases it is. In case you are wondering, no I did not abuse my skin. That is a common misconception. I carry a genetic mutation that makes me highly susceptible as well as the fact my heritage is that of German/Irish descent. Newborn babies are diagnosed with melanoma. Not all of us diagnosed with melanoma were sun worshipers.
Secondly, please donate. Help me pay for the expenses I am incurring for the treatments during this battle for my life. Having lived through this twice already, I’m prepared for a fight, but I need help with expenses this time. My employer has been supportive and I have continued to work between recurrences, but there are times I am just too sick. Cancer has affected me in more ways than I could ever explain. It barreled into my life unannounced and absolutely tore it apart. I will never be the same person and I wish some days it would all just go away, but this is my reality. So there are much bigger struggles involved than finances. summed up 4 years for you, omitting countless surgeries, biopsies, prescriptions and doctor visits that all cost an arm and a leg even with insurance. I am still paying for my surgery from 2011, if that helps you understand the exorbitant cost of these procedures. The Interferon treatments were roughly $98,000.00. Additional genetic testing was also $90,000.00. It sounds insane because it is! Every little bit helps in tremendous ways, believe me. So any amount you are inclined to give will be greatly appreciated and will help me stay in this fight and WIN!
Till my last breath I will advocate SAFE SUN PRACTICES and education on the deadly cancer Melanoma. Right now I have to kick it right in the rear, so please donate to my cause. I promise to forever pay it forward.
Amanda Martin
If you chose to mail your donation, our mailing address is
PO Box1474
Henderson, TX 75653
Gofundme takes 20% of each donation made, so if you would like me to receive the entire donation, please mail a check to the above address.
Thank you,
Amanda & Travis
Organizer
Amanda Duncan-Martin
Organizer
Henderson, TX