Woman survives cancer, hosts race in South Park
Jessica Rogowicz thought she was in the clear after surgery in 2007 to remove cancerous lesions from her back. But the 32-year-old mother of two from Baldwin got another positive diagnosis again in 2011, leading her to form the Pittsburgh Melanoma Foundation. She organized the non-profit’s first 5K run and walk at South Park Saturday.
“The second time was much harder. I thought, ‘Alright I’m not tanning anymore, did it, paid the price, not getting sunburned anymore.’ I’m 28 and battling cancer for the second time, and I’m thinking it’s going to kill me this time,” she said. Doctors say excessive exposure to the sun is a primary contributor to melanoma. It is the deadliest and most aggressive form of skin cancer that spreads more quickly than any other type.
The misnomer for patients is a positive diagnosis actually increases further risk for future melanoma findings, according to Allegheny Health Network’s chairman of surgery, Dr. Howard Edington, who operated on Rogowicz.
“Once diagnosed, there needs to be very careful self-surveillance from that point on,” he said. He also reminded of the pneumonic acronym “A-B-C-D-E.”
“A is for asymmetry, or if one half of a mole or lesion looks different; B is for border irregularity, or jagged edges on a spot; C is color, whereas primary melanoma lesions are multicolored, like brown, blue, red, etc.; D is diameter, because if it’s big you are late in the game for diagnosis; E is the newest and I think the most important, for evolution, and that is if you see a mole or spot changing,” Edington said.
As Edington was asked about genetic dispositions, he said an honorary F could be added to the meme, a stand-in reminder for family.
“If you’re diagnosed, you should let family know, because you may have an underlying genetic disposition for melanoma that they share,” he said.
Those who are white, ethnically Celtic or otherwise fair-skinned are most at-risk for melanoma cancer. Non-whites rarely get them, but if they do they appear on the hands or feet.
“It’s what Bob Marley died from, he had one of these on his feet. And that’s the problem, because they aren’t spotted as easily because they blend in with skin color on non-whites. His was a late diagnosis because it was probably misdiagnosed as a fungus or a wart, and it was a fatal condition he had.”
As for Rogowicz, hers is a story filled with regret and 20/20 hindsight.
“I went to Ocean City every year growing up, had countless sunburns and tanned for prom every year; in college, I was tanning two to three times a week. I felt invincible. Any sort of cancer scares I would have I thought were years away. I didn’t think skin cancer could kill you,” she said.
Even when she discovered the first mole on her knee, she went in to get it and one on her back removed for cosmetic reasons, and until she got a positive diagnosis two weeks later, she continued tanning.
“I was 24. I knew tanning wasn’t the best for you, but others were smoking or drinking, and I thought this was my vice that I could control. I was very naive to care more about my looks than my health,” she said.
The surgeries required removal of several lymph nodes, which she said was the most painful part – that is until she realized what the pain was doing to her attitude.
“The physical pain triggers a mental cycle, ‘Oh my God, I have cancer. Why am I in pain? Oh, I have cancer.’ It took over my thoughts,” she said. So, she started the foundation she now serves with as a resource for those diagnosed and as an outreach program to prevent cancer.
“My charity is my counseling. You can’t just sit around and cry all day. For me to do something, it meant helping others because I felt like I was the only one in the world who had this. But you realize eventually you’re not alone.”
Those interested in running the 5k race or walk can register for $25 before the race, or sign-up day-of for $30. Information at http://melanomapgh.org.