A stronger woman arises to ‘fight’
Editor’s note: Each cancer survivor’s story is to highlight the individual’s courage, and use the personal testimony to spread cancer awareness. All of this culminates at this year’s Cass County Relay for Life, “Carnival of Hope”, held on Saturday, April 4, 2020 from 1 - 9 p.m. in Downtown Atlanta. We will be featuring different stories leading up to the event.
In December 1986, Sharon Flournoy Cass County resident saw a surgeon for a large dark mole she had for years on her right lower leg. “It had recently become itchy and scaly,” says Flournoy. “The surgeon removed the mole and sent it for pathology. The results came back as malignant melanoma. Because melanoma was still fairly rare back then, I asked for a referral to M.D. Anderson. I have continued as their patient ever since.”
Flournoy recalls that “with each melanoma diagnosis I admit to being scared because I have had friends who did not survive the same diagnosis.” However, she also took courage knowing, “At the same time, I firmly believe that it is worth fighting cancer as long as you can and that early detection can improve the chance of survival. The severe physical side effects of the bio-chemotherapy and immunotherapy were tough. Sometimes I was so sick I couldn’t get out of bed and didn’t want to eat. I have learned how strong I am and how much my body can go through. I take pride in that.”
Currently, she is cancer-free. “For the last five years I have continued to be followed every six months and am still cancer-free,” says Flournoy. “After my next visit in April, I am hoping to go back to annual visits. I am now going to be seen in the kidney cancer survivor clinic which is encouraging. However, with melanoma, you can never feel comfortable that it will not come back. It was 20 years between my last two recurrences. I am resolved to the fact that I will continue my annual follow up visits but see this as a good thing.”
Flournoy says that other than the good medical care she has received she has had “an amazing support system through all of this from family, friends, church, coworkers and fellow Relayers. I got involved with Relay for Life when I worked in Tyler. I joined a team from work. After moving to Cass County I wanted to continue being involved so I worked with a friend from work and we formed a team of coworkers and friends. I believe so much in Relay that I have held multiple roles over the last several years.”
One of Flournoy’s key pieces of advice is that “If you get a cancer diagnosis to go ahead and grieve and then do everything you can to fight. Treatments are so evolved now. I personally would not hesitate to enter a clinical trial. If you are told that there is nothing that can be done, at least get a second opinion from a cancer center. Lean on your family and friends. They want to be there for you.”
Flournoy wanted to give her cancer timeline and the treatment in order help inform others:
December 1986 – Followed in January 1987 by a two-inch wide resection in the area to get clean margins. No other treatment was recommended at that time. Followed by quarterly, then annual follow-ups.
January 1995 – after noticing a red, raised, tender area near my scar, a biopsy revealed a recurrence of melanoma. At that time, I received a four round combination treatment with both chemotherapy and biotherapy drugs. I also had a surgical removal of the melanoma after the medicines helped to shrink it. This treatment was extremely difficult with multiple side effects and hospitalizations. I was off work for four months and was only able to return home during that time for two very short visits
February 2013 – after an annual PET scan for melanoma follow up a suspicious lesion was seen on my right kidney. It was diagnosed as a renal cell carcinoma and was removed along with a small additional tissue from the kidney. No additional treatment recommended.
January 2015 – again I noticed red tender areas on my right lower leg. Biopsy again showed a recurrence of the melanoma. The recommended treatment was with an immunotherapy drug. After only one dose I developed a severe side effect - colitis (inflammation of the colon) and no further doses could be given. I was treated for the colitis and after several months, between my own immune system and the effects of the immunotherapy dose, the melanoma had shrunk small enough to be removed by surgery.