Support Melissa in her Breast Cancer Recovery

Hi, my name is Maegan Pedemonti and I am a long time client-turned-friend of Melissa Merola. I'm sharing Mel's journey in hopes of getting support for Melissa while she battles breast cancer. Anyone who knows Mel knows that cancer picked the wrong girl to mess with.

This spring, Melissa was concerned about a lump she had found in her breast in June and confirmed by her OB-GYN in July. Her appointments with radiology were pushed back multiple times by the radiology department. Having breast cancer on her paternal side of the family, this appointment was not something Melissa was willing to wait any longer for and was finally able to be seen in October. On October 11, her world was rocked when she received the devastating news that she was Triple Positive for Breast Cancer. She immediately went into attack mode and started the whirlwind of appointments, consultations, and figuring out how she was going to beat this.

On December 1, 2023, Melissa underwent a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction to be followed by at least 3 months of chemotherapy. She will then need an exchange surgery and possible radiation treatment of 4 to 5 weeks followed by immunotherapy. This treatment plan is estimated to take at least a year. While running routine testing to prepare for surgery and chemotherapy, Melissa tested positive for the BRCA1 gene, creating further stress and putting her at a higher risk for future cancers, including a 40% risk of having ovarian cancer, This has resulted in her doctor's scheduling a hysterectomy in Summer 2024 right after she wraps up chemotherapy and heals from her exchange surgery.

Melissa is so much more than my aesthetician. She is an incredible mom, daughter, sister, business owner, and my personal favorite title of hers: friend. She values spending time with family as much as she can and has spent the last 3 years homeschooling her son. She loves all things Disney and is always quick with a joke. Melissa is the glue that somehow always manages to hold it together, even when things around her feel like they are falling apart.

If you've spent any time in the salon with Melissa, you know exactly how much personality is packed into that 4'11 frame of hers. If you are having a tough day, she is the first person to share a story to make you laugh or send you a quick text to check in. She runs her business like she runs her family-she gives it everything she has. Being the sole owner and operator of Bronze Effects, she has spent the past 12 years building her business while making her client's feel beautiful and cared for. The next year will be a challenging one for her as a business owner and single mom. She will need to be out of work for a considerable amount of time to let her body rest and recovery from her multiple surgeries and chemotherapy.

I'm coming to you for your support of Melissa and her family while she goes through this journey. Your support will help with medical bills and recover lost income due to appointments and treatment. Any little thing helps and is greatly appreciated!