Melanie Gaffney is a proud childhood cancer survivor, and a new contributor to the Focus On Cancer blog.
In 1982 at the age of 5, she was diagnosed at with stage IV Wilm’s tumor, a childhood kidney cancer that had metastasized to her lungs and heart. Melanie’s treatments included the removal of her left kidney, extensive radiation from collarbone to hip and two years of chemotherapy treatments.
Due to chemotherapy and the locations of radiation therapy, she was told she might not be able to have children. Never one to take no for an answer, she tried anyway, and when she became pregnant with her first child, she found herself thrilled - and scared.
Melanie quickly learned she was living with the after effects of her cancer treatments. Today, she lives with cardiomyopathy and restrictive lung disease from her childhood cancer treatments. Because of her health and only having one kidney, both of her pregnancies were considered high risk.
But every day that she looks into her children’s eyes she knows it was all worth it.
Melanie doesn’t let cancer define her. In addition to being a mom and a wife, she is a work at home mom. In Melanie’s spare time she enjoys photography and taking photos of her family and friends.
Watch for Melanie’s blogs here, and connect with Melanie on Twitter.
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