#BraveLikeSharon

Name: Sharon Mexal
Age: 44
Diagnosis: Melanoma

Years of Survivorship: 12 years
Location: California

Follow Sharon on Instagram.

How has running or staying physically active affected your cancer journey?

Running has given me the confidence to share my survivor story. I was diagnosed with melanoma in 2010 at the age of 32, but didn’t share it with many friends until 2018 when I got the chance to run the New York City marathon with the Melanoma Education Foundation, a non-profit that raises funds to educate young adults about sun safety and melanoma. I was so humbled by the response and support I received that I have since run 4 Abbott World Majors, raising close to 7K for melanoma non-profits.

Running has also connected me to other young cancer survivors and given me hope and a new perspective on living as a survivor! Lastly, my diagnosis has motivated me to dedicate my career to finding earlier and innovative treatments for cancer patients. I’m currently applying personalized genetics to help patients identify if their cancer is present in a blood sample, guiding treatment and surgical decisions for their doctors.

Sharon’s clinical lab career has focused on applying genetics to earlier cancer detection and treatments. This uses a blood draw to identify patients (and family members) with inherited predisposition to cancer and early detection.

What advice do you have for people on staying fit throughout their cancer treatment or recovery?

I love the running mantra “run the mile you’re in” and I use it in running and in life to remind me to take things one day at a time and not get overwhelmed with running or the anxiety of doctor appointments or biopsies. Running or sticking to some sort of exercise routine always makes me feel better and a routine helps keep my spirits up. I use running as a platform to remind others in treatment or recovery to try to stay positive by sticking to a routine within their current situation.

What are some of your proudest accomplishments since being diagnosed with cancer?

I’m very proud to have raised close to $7,000 for melanoma non-profits through my marathon charity groups. I also feel extraordinarily proud when a friend or random follower on social media reaches out to let me know they went in for a skin cancer screening because of my posts or started wearing daily sunscreen. I was diagnosed at an early stage of cancer because I was motivated by a friend’s story and I want to continue to pay it forward. Awareness can save lives!

Sharon is a huge advocate for sun safety promotion! Check out the image at the bottom for some of her tips for staying safe while running

How has Gabe's story impacted you or changed the way you view life as a cancer patient/survivor?

Gabe taught me that cancer doesn’t discriminate. I felt so alone being diagnosed at 32 when all my friends were having babies and I was at doctor visits for skin checks and biopsies. Hearing Gabe’s story and connecting with other young survivors through Gabe’s social media made me feel hopeful that I wasn’t alone and that I had a responsibility to share my story with other young adults. As a healthcare professional, Gabe’s story also taught me that we have made a lot of progress in the past decade in oncology treatments but we still have a lot of opportunity to help even more cancer patients become survivors.

What does being #BraveLikeSharon mean to you?

#BraveLikeSharon means running on positivity and with a community that believes we can help more people detect cancer earlier (when it’s most treatable). We got this!! I’m still so humbled by the random strangers (now friends) that have helped me raise funds and been so supportive in my cancer and running journey!

What are you most looking forward to in the near future?

I’m looking forward to running all six world majors and crossing 10K of funds raised for melanoma non-profits.

Running the Chicago Marathon for Team Jack’s Fund

Is there anything else you'd like us to know about you?

I’m grateful to share my story, my passion for running, and the hope I see precision medicine will bring cancer patients. As a survivor and healthcare worker, I am so optimistic about the future for folks diagnosed with cancer. We got this!