Stage 3c melanoma survivor here.
In 2012, at age 34, I finally got that mole on my jaw checked. It was removed that same day. After some follow-ups, it was a cancer diagnosis, but we thought it was clear.
Coming up to my first-year checkup, I felt a couple hard lymph nodes in my neck. It had spread, but between a great surgeon, radiation therapy. and the stupidly primitive “immunotherapy” interferon treatment, I’ve been cancer free for ten years now.
I got an up-close experience with some amazing medical technology, but I can’t recommend the experience overall.