PMP Pals Profile: Meet Charmaine,
Pals Board Member
Austin, Texas-based Pal Charmaine Skillman celebrated 25 years of life since her diagnosis in 1997. This excerpt below is just a piece of her full story which you can find onlline by clicking here.
On Oct. 29, I celebrated 25 years survivorship with PMP/appendix cancer. Anniversaries are a time for memories and reflections – here are mine.
My problems started with a hard lump in my abdomen and hurried surgery that found PMP/appendix cancer. Good news – it was “relatively benign” and “slow growing.” My local surgeon tried to keep it in check through debulking surgeries. After 11 years, my disease was advancing rapidly. I needed a new plan.
But, I could not get my foot in the door. The HIPEC specialist in my state considered me “too far gone,” with only a few years to live. No appointment; no surgery by him.
Then two heroes appeared. I found PMP Pals and its founder Gabriella Graham, who encouraged me to see Dr. Paul Sugarbaker, a leading specialist. He performed HIPEC/CRS in 2009. Since then, my status has been “no evidence of disease.”
Now, I volunteer with PMP Pals to help others find hope. Here are five important lessons we’ve learned…. Click on the button below find out!
