After losing her beloved husband to melanoma, Karrie, BSN, RN, DNC, CDCES became a passionate cancer prevention advocate. She has worked with Montana’s ACS CAN for over 25 years, advocating for clean air and water, women’s health, tobacco and tanning bed regulations, and Medicaid expansion.
In the last 15 years, research has produced new therapies that allow people to survive melanoma. We still have a long way to go. We need to fight for continued support of research for melanoma and all cancers!
Karrie has seen that ground-breaking research has led to new treatments that were not available when Karrie’s husband was battling melanoma. Targeted therapies yield much better outcomes, even with advanced disease. While prevention and early detection are critical, Karrie also advocates for continued research that will allow people with melanoma to live longer and healthier lives.
A past president of the Dermatology Nurses’ Association, Karrie recognized the importance of protecting infants’ fragile skin from UV radiation; she created a program to send each newborn home from her local hospital with a sunhat and educational literature. Karrie plans to bring sunscreen dispensers to her community, educating more families about the dangers of sun exposure.