I first heard the word 'cancer' when I was 20, an ophthalmologist used it so flippantly, like it was no big deal. I had a red mass on the white of my eye and I was being told I needed a biopsy and even if it was cancerous it would be easily treated with some eye drops. That was in October 2013, when I was misdiagnosed and told that the lump was benign.

It wasn't until January 2015 that I was formally diagnosed with Conjunctival (Ocular) Melanoma, after 8 months of keeping the disease localized it spread to the lower eyelid and i was told at 22 that I would not only lose my eye but they would have to close over my eye socket for good. Almost a year later I had a seizure and I was diagnosed with metastasized Melanoma, they Found 7 tumors on my brain and of which only one was operable. I was raced in for brain surgery and then shortly after treated with the Dual immunotherpy ipilimumab and nevolumab.
The Melanoma has been stable since we started treatment in October 2016 which is amazing.

While my cancer journey has been tough I have managed to stay positive and live every day to the fullest!

Jess xx