Tom Whitney is running Boston after 2 melanoma diagnoses
"I never considered skin cancer as something that I should be concerned about."
In our “Why I’m Running” series, Boston Marathon runners share what’s inspiring them to make the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to Boston on April 15, 2019. Name: Tom Whitney
Age: 47
From: Winter Garden, Florida
Bib #: 28093
After being diagnosed with melanoma in June of 2017, I was recently (December 2018) informed again that I have cancer. This time the location is on my left temple area. I recently had surgery to excise the melanoma and also to reconstruct the area of my face where it was removed. We believe that the cancer was caught early enough to where there should be no further treatment, fortunately testing from the pathologist indicates “clear margins.”
I was extremely grateful to be part of the 2018 Team IMPACT as we (and 25,000 other runners) had the pleasure of “swimming from Hopkinton to Boston” in the cold, rain, and WIND in April 2018. I vowed that day that I would return to Boston so that I could more enjoy the run, but also to continue to support an amazing organization and raise awareness to a life-saving cause that is very personal to me.
Living in the Sunshine State (just outside Orlando) for the last 40 years, I can’t say that I have always practiced safe skin protection. I have spent my fair share of time laying by the pool or on a beach, usually lathering on the sunscreen so that I could tan better, not necessarily to protect my skin. I also work in the construction industry, spending hours upon hours in the sun. Most of those hours were spent without applying any sunscreen.
I never considered skin cancer as something that I should be concerned about. Skin cancer was a problem for older people that spent way too many hours in the sun, not something for me to worry about. At the request of my wife, I started getting regular screenings at my dermatologist a couple of years ago. I had a pre-cancerous spot removed, but thought nothing of it. That all changed in June 2017 when I went to the dermatologist to examine a spot on my leg. While in the office, the doctor did a full body screening and biopsied a spot of concern on my scalp. A couple days later, I was told that the spot on my scalp was melanoma and that I had cancer. THAT was a huge wake-up call to me, especially when I found out that I had to have the melanoma spot surgically removed. I have since had the melanoma removed and fortunately it was caught early and the excision removed the cancer completely.
After my cancer diagnosis, I started to research melanoma. It was during my searching that I found IMPACT Melanoma. As an avid runner, being part of team and running in the Boston Marathon is a dream. I am very honored to be selected again as a member of Team Running for Cover as we raise funds for IMPACT Melanoma by running (no swimming this year) the Boston Marathon in April 2019.
Check out our entire “Why I’m Running” series.
___
Editor’s note: Entry may have been lightly edited for clarity or grammar.
