Tara is a mother, grandmother, and professional caregiver. She is a melanoma survivor and lives with a rare form of marginal zone lymphoma.
I hope that one day there will be better treatment options for patients like me. Cancer research could help improve my quality of life so I can enjoy being with my family and watching my grandson grow up.
In 2018, during a regular checkup, Tara’s primary care physician referred her to a dermatologist after seeing black spots on her birthmark. Tara got a biopsy and was diagnosed with melanoma. She had surgery, and it was successful in removing the cancer. No further treatment was required, and she was cancer-free.
In late 2020, Tara began feeling very lethargic and sick. In 2021, her primary care physician referred her to an oncologist after seeing the results of her bloodwork. Tara went through further testing at the Ohio State University James Cancer Center, and it was difficult to receive a diagnosis. She received testing and second opinions for six months. Her doctor told her she had “a touch of lymphoma”, but she did not receive a clear diagnosis. Finally, in 2023, Tara was referred to a new doctor who was able to diagnose her with a rare form of cancer called marginal zone lymphoma. Tara learned that the only option available to treat her cancer is life-threatening, and she has not been able to pursue any treatment options.
Today, Tara lives with stage 4 cancer, and through genetic testing, she found her cancer is caused by a gene mutation. There is a 50% chance her children may have the same mutation. Cancer research is important to Tara because it could lead to new treatments for her rare cancer for her and potentially her children.