I was diagnosed with malignant melanoma under my thumbnail on July 21, 2021. For those of you who have been tracking my cancer journey, you know that I am a surgeon. I then became a patient and began documenting my journey in this blog. After undergoing surgery, I completed a yearlong treatment plan of chemoimmunotherapy infusions. I had my last infusion on June 29, 2022. This blog recounts my story with a focus on a surgeon who became a patient. It also highlights melanoma awareness. Additionally, it explores the intersection of medicine and faith.

Recently, a large group from our office, a total of 23 participants, completed a 5K walk/run called Sherry’s Run. It is near the Lebanon office of our company, Allergy & ENT Associates of Middle Tennessee. Sherry’s Hope is an organization that raises awareness and money for families of cancer patients in Lebanon, Tennessee, and surrounding communities. It helps these families with all types of expenses, particularly non-medical expenses.  Several hundred thousand dollars of assistance were provided this past year. Here is an excerpt from the Sherry’s Hope website:

“What started as a love for one woman has turned into an explosion of grace for this community. No one that gathered together on that Saturday in September 2004 could have ever imagined that one 5K event called Sherry’s Run would grow into a Christ-centered, grassroots, non-profit organization called Sherry’s Hope that works year-round to serve our neighbors in Wilson County (TN) and the surrounding communities who are battling cancer.”

Along with so many of my employees, my wife Kellee also participated with me. Participants may choose to not only have a race number, but they can also place names of people who hold a special place in their lives and have battled cancer. I got the “honor” of wearing a “Cancer Survivor” number in lieu of a number. Although I had not been training much secondary to some tendinitis, I was able to run the entire race on adrenaline. I have recently passed three-year mark from my diagnosis, and I felt very blessed to be alive. I was also grateful to be able to run 3.2 miles. I got tears in my eyes several times as runners noticed my “Cancer Survivor” status and gave me words of encouragement. Over the past 3 years, my staff walked and prayed right along side me through my cancer journey. They took time out of their Saturday to participate. It was great to feel their love and encouragement. There were over 2800 participants, and it was great to feel a sense of community.

As I write this blog, I am reminded that as I get further away from my cancer diagnosis, I have slowly returned to a more normal life. This life is no longer centered around treatments and round after round of imaging and surveillance. I have also discovered that is easy to get wrapped up in the usual activities of daily living and lose focus on some of the balance and priorities that gave me such peace even though I was going through treatment. I apologize for getting out of the habit of updating my blog. So many of my patients follow along and have inquired about my health status lately.

As I mentioned in my last blog, cancer patients have a lot of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual stress. They endure this stress going through “cancer surveillance,” which involves regular checkups with physical exam, lab work, and imaging studies. One term I learned was “scanxiety,” which is a real emotion. My last battery of tests was on May 2, 2024. I was blessed to be cancer free at that time! My next round of tests is on November 7, 2024, and the “scanxiety” has returned! It is hard to turn my mind from the fear and anxiety of what those scans may find. I keep wondering if I will get a clean bill of health or not. I know my hope rests in God Almighty. He is in control, regardless of what happens here on earth. My human side has a hard time giving it all up to Him like I should.

I don’t believe I ever shared the gravity of what I was facing 3 years ago. The type of melanoma that I had is called acral or subungual melanoma and is very deadly. With the depth of my tumor and the histologic features, my overall prognosis at the time was very poor. Typically, with the stage of my tumor, only about 60% of patients survive one year. About 40% of patients survive 3 years. The advent of some of the newer immunotherapy drugs are improving survival rates. If my next round of tests reveals no evidence of recurrent disease, then I will be past the 3-year mark! So, this next round is a HUGE milestone for me. I will still be high risk, but with an improved prognosis! Typically, if a patient with my diagnosis makes it 5 years, then the long-term survival rate is much better.

So, in just a few weeks, I will again undergo a comprehensive battery of tests, all in one day. No matter how well I feel…no matter how confident I am that my surveillance will turn out favorably…there is a strong wave of anxiety that hits me about 1-2 weeks before the testing. My mind tends to turn toward the statistics, my own mortality, the “what ifs,” and thoughts of receiving terrible news. With this day approaching, I continue to rediscover the peace of Christ. I also find the ability to live in the present. I appreciate one day at a time. I appreciate your love and support. For those who follow my cancer story, you know that it is still being written. I continue to be completely transparent with you. So far, I continue to be cancer free. I feel like God is restoring me to share my testimony. He is giving me the ability to comfort other cancer patients.

May God bless you!

Dr. B