Stepping into Unknown Territory

Blog #1   This blogging stuff is new (and frankly a little scary!) to me, but writing isn't. I have written extensively about my daughter Jaime's 9-year journey with melanoma, about melanoma awareness, about the dangers of tanning beds and the need for legislation to ban minors from their use. I have filled pages of Facebook, both mine and Jaime's; I have tweeted tens of thousands of tweets on Twitter. I have responded in the comment sections of hundreds of newspaper/TV reports on the internet; I have penned letters to the editors. Over the past 6 years I have shared Jaime's story of tanning and melanoma with thousands of state legislators across the country; I have written and presented testimony four times to the Texas legislature. In my past life (life before melanoma) I was a copy editor ... so words and writing are not new to me ... but blogging certainly is. So please be gentle.

I have lots of mostly melanoma-related topics rattling around in my head ... some are controversial and some not so much. I will tell you the story of my Jaime and how hard she fought the Black Beast (AKA melanoma) with more strength and courage than I ever could. I will touch on my almost 7-year struggle with the grief of losing her. I will share fond and fun memories and the reminders that she sends me to let me know that she has not gone far.

Also along the way, you will become an expert on sun safety, and you may even become an activist for teen tan ban legislation. And you will come to know melanoma for the evil disease that it is. At least that is my plan.

Together we can make great things happen ... so this blog is not just about me and Jaime and our feelings/experiences. It is about all of US and how we can join forces to find a CURE so that no one wakes up each day to the fear and torture of melanoma or to the hole it has ripped in our heart!!!

Thank you for helping me feel my way through this first blog --
Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)