In February of 2019, my husband Robert and I unknowingly walked straight into the cancer quicksand. Nine months later, he died of metastatic melanoma. Before Robert’s diagnosis, we were in a sweet spot: our family life and careers gave us both fulfillment and time to enjoy life. I was 50 years old and felt like everything had clicked, both personally and professionally.

Robert had the Midwestern sensibilities you’d expect from a North Dakota farm boy, overlayed with a gregarious personality and a zest for life. Even at 63, he had a youthful enthusiasm which led him to schedule as much travel and socializing as he could fit in. It was a joy to experience life at his side.

Then came a routine visit to the doctor’s office.

Medical check-ups were an uneventful part of our life; Robert was a career Army officer and an employee of a global consulting firm so keeping up with his health was expected. And we were lucky to have good insurance. When he returned from a routine dermatology appointment with a bandaid on his bald head, it was no big deal because he was told it was no big deal. 

Shortly thereafter, Robert’s health started to deteriorate, and then came the news. 

After the initial shock of Robert’s melanoma diagnosis, I went into strategy mode. I was used to this as an entrepreneur: applying the best solutions to problems that arose. In this case, that meant making phone calls, setting appointments, hiring medical professionals, and following the treatment plan set out for us. I became a cancer patient advocate overnight.

I’m used to feeling confident in my problem-solving skills, but it felt like we were no longer operating by the same rules. Fear, frustration and exasperation took over, and I felt ill-equipped to take on the changing landscape that is the medical ecosystem as a cancer patient. It’s unlike any institution, industry, or discipline I’d ever encountered. 

Saying everything happened fast is a massive understatement. Now that I’ve had three years since Robert’s cancer journey to get my head above water, I can see the big picture much more clearly. 

Lack of information, transparency, and accessibility can make even the most informed advocate at best feel overwhelmed, and at worst miss out on life-lengthening opportunities and treatments.

Cancer patients and their advocates and caregivers need an entrypoint to the complicated language and geography of the healthcare system – from ongoing trials to new pharmaceuticals to updated research to informed experts. That’s why I founded 1104Health and created the cheryl app, to democratize access to cancer specialists, treatment options, and cutting edge clinical trials for cancer patients at their greatest time of need.

If you’d like to find out if you’re eligible for current clinical trials for melanoma patients, please sign up here.