April Salinas Benefit

What does someone with Stage IV cancer look like?

Withdrawn?  Forlorn?  Weak? Tired?

This is 28-year old April Salinas, and she has Stage IV cancer.  It began as melanoma, a skin tumor found on her head.  When originally diagnosed, it was Stage III.  Since then, the cancer has spread to April’s lymph nodes, her blood, her bones, and her liver. 

But look at her.  Doesn’t “look like” someone with Stage IV cancer, huh? 

In spite of two surgeries, one of which included removal of all the hair from the top of her head; multiple tests; treatments; and a clinical trial that did not produce the results doctors, family, and April had hoped for, April is bound and determined to suck the marrow out of life.  And by the look on that gorgeous face, she is bound to do just that. 

April defies the current perception of what it means to be someone living with cancer.  Instead of appearing withdrawn, forlorn, weak, or tired, April is a fireplug!  An athlete for most of her life, April ran track for Lock Haven University when she was a student there and has since competed in triathlons and a half-Ironman in her adult life.  She currently continues to train and runs in multiple races with the goal of competing in her first-ever full Ironman this October. 

April radiates positive energy.  She does not focus on being a victim to her diagnosis.  Instead, she wishes to share her story with the world, and she wishes for people to be inspired by her positive energy.  She sees this illness as simply a part of her story, and she focuses on the good people that surround her, the life she has been given, and the opportunity she has been afforded to spread awareness about the seriousness of skin cancer. 

April has done a lot for herself and has had the benefit of good medical care, but none of us can walk alone in life. Sometimes others have to come along and walk beside us to be a friend. You can be a friend to April by helping us raise $7,500 to make her journey just a bit easier.

To read more about April, go to the UV Skins website's blog here: http://blog.uvskinz.com/2015/01/30/my-story-april-salinas/#sthash.ENCKnFME.dpbs