This is the story of a warrior.

Summer 2023, after a year of constant coughing and countless antibiotics, Melanie decided to find a doctor that would give her answers. Enter Dr. Seevers at Kearney Primary Care. During her first appointment to establish her care, he is able to start providing those answers with careful diagnostics and an immense amount of empathy. If you know anything about doctors, they have a full plate and getting 20 minutes with them is hard, let alone 3 hours.

X-rays showed masses in the lungs. Dr. Seevers schedules a CT and refers us to Liberty Pulmonary. We learn the CT scan shows several masses, the biggest of which being 11 cm. But we have to get a biopsy to confirm the C word. The first biopsy fails. It's a difficult bronchoscopy that failed to get the right tissues and give us a diagnosis. An external needle biopsy is ordered and we finally confirm the cancer. Next are PET scans which show the cancer is also in several other places including the bones, adrenal system, and lymph nodes.

This lady doesn't hesitate one bit about putting on her boxing gloves and punching her stage IV cancer in the face. Before that, Melanie and Ashley got to enjoy a weekend trip to Beaver Lake and have some girl time on the water.

Fall 2023, chemo starts. She gets 6 rounds of two different chemotherapies along with immunotherapy over the course of 4-5 months. This gal showed up to every single appointment and maintained her positivity.

The main chemo is then stopped late winter as you are only allowed 6 rounds of it, period, over your entire life. The second chemo and immunotherapy are continued through May 2024. At the end of May, Melanie, Katie, Ashley, and Aurora took a trip to Cancun, Mexico, and enjoyed some quality time together.

June, our first round of scans are done post-chemo and they are remarkable. They show upwards of a 90% shrinkage of cancer around the body. We are all thrilled. Her body is definitely feeling the effects of 7 months of chemo and ready for a break. Immunotherapy is continued but chemo is done at this point. She just can't take any more.

Late fall 2024 was rough with the passing of Melanie's mother, Anne. In December, Melanie ends up in the hospital as she knows something is not right. Scans are done and we learn the cancer is back in all the places it had left and now has several spots in her brain. New Year's Eve 2024, Melanie has brain radiation.

January 2025 brought Melanie back into the hospital needing help. About 3 weeks ago, she came home on hospice. Brain cancer is notorious for depleting your body, your muscles, your will. Your ability to do almost everything.

Today, Melanie is being cared for by her loving husband Bruce, her amazing Aunt Vicki, and her devoted daughters. We are all doing our best to cherish the time we have left and shower her in love.

To everyone who loves Melanie, know that she loves you too. She may not be up for visitors or talks on the phone but the love is there. And she's doing the best she can. She enjoys getting letters. If you would like to send one to her soon, please reach out to family for the address.

The family is accepting donations to help with medical and care expenses. If you are able to help, we appreciate it.