Support Melina Roth's Fight Against Cancer

In August of 2024, when Exeter High School senior Melina Roth should have been getting ready for all those high school “lasts” in anticipation of so many exciting firsts to come next, she found herself instead facing cancer. A diagnosis of pericarditis earlier in the summer didn’t improve as expected for the high school athlete, and an echocardiogram revealed a suspicious tumor quickly confirmed to be B-Cell Lymphoma, a fast growing form of blood cancer. Now instead of starting her school year and getting ready to play on the field for her final year of Exeter field hockey, Melina will be starting months of chemotherapy treatment through Dana Farber.

A former student at Seacoast Waldorf school before entering her freshman year at Exeter High, Melina is kind-hearted and generous. She is the kind of kid to recognize when a peer needs a friendly face and is the first to step up and be that person. She is a valued teammate on both the Exeter field and ice hockey teams as well as a valued member of the Sea Star Stable equestrian community where she rode and worked in the barn. True to her personality, Melina is facing her treatment with a positive outlook, courage and a sense of humor. She is ready to beat this!

The Roth family has long been part of the fabric of the New Hampshire seacoast. Melina’s dad Chris served the Portsmouth community during his career as a Portsmouth police officer, like his father before him, and her mom, Dot, is a skilled Seacoast massage therapist. Melina’s 93 year old Papa lives with them at their home in Stratham along with their 3 rescue dogs. Chris retired from full-time service in 2021 and is now part-time while Dot is a self-employed sole practitioner. Now they are faced with a significant reduction in income as they support Melina in her 5 months of chemo through Dana Farber.

On behalf of the family, we are raising funds to help support them through this time so that they can concentrate on Melina’s treatment and recovery for the next few months without fear of falling behind on bills or losing their business. Please consider donating whatever you can to support Melina’s family as they fight her cancer.