Mom’s Before & After Photos Show What It’s Like To Live With Skin Cancer
Bethany Gambardella-Greenway, 39, from Austin, Texas is on a mission to warn people about the realities of skin cancer. The mother of two made a shocking photo diary documenting her battle with melanoma.
Back in 2015, when she was pregnant with her youngest child, Bethany spotted a dark spot on her skin. 18 months later, a painful mole appeared and a biopsy revealed that it was, in fact, an aggressive form of skin cancer called desmoplastic melanoma. Doctors removed it, but it turned out that cancer had spread to her bones and lymph nodes. So, in October 2016, Bethany started immunotherapy.
“The radiation was absolutely the worst part. It was hell plain and simple,” she said. “It fried the inside of my mouth. My throat was so sore. My skin was covered in sores,” writes Bethany. She adds: “Now I am almost completely healed from the radiation.”
“Please stop sun bathing and going to tanning salons,” she says. “A tan isn’t a healthy glow — it’s damaged skin.”
This mom of two is on a mission to warn people about the realities of skin cancer
Her shocking photo diary documents her battle with melanoma
Bethany Gambardella-Greenway discovered a dark spot on her skin while pregnant with her youngest child
When she finally got it checked out, the dermatologist reassured her that it was just a liver spot
18 months later however, a painful mole appeared
A biopsy revealed that it was in fact an aggressive form of skin cancer called desmoplastic melanoma
Doctors removed the mole, but after learning that the cancer had spread, she started immunotherapy
“The radiation was absolutely the worst part. It was hell plain and simple,” she said
“My skin was covered in sores, I lost my ability to taste food, my voice was hoarse”
“At about week three my hair began to fall out on the treated area”
“It fried the inside of my mouth. My throat was so sore”
“By the time I was done with treatment I had lost about forty pounds”
Bethany has finished her treatment and is now in the all-clear
Now she’s encouraging people to wear sunscreen so they don’t have to go through the same experience
“Please stop sun bathing and going to tanning salons,” she says
“A tan isn’t a healthy glow — it’s damaged skin”
Got wisdom to pour?