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This is Brave

This is Brave: We Can Be Brave Together

Melanoma, what an ugly word. The first time I heard it, I was six.  I could barely say it. I wish the story ended there, but it was only the beginning.  Graham, my brother, was diagnosed in 2013 with stage III melanoma on his left arm.  When I was growing up I knew Graham was different because he had melanoma, but I never knew that he could die.

Usually when bad things happen in families, emotions take over. The emotion we all wanted to have was bravery but that is hard to do when you’re scared. But we were scared together, and that gave us strength.

I watched Graham go through lots of surgeries, and painful tests, and it was hard to think about what might happen if his melanoma came back. We had to be brave together. As I got older, I learned more about melanoma, and that this type of skin cancer can be deadly.  Graham’s cancer did not come from a bad sunburn or being out in the sun too much, his was genetic, but most are not like Graham’s.

Once, in 5th grade, I had to write a story about my hero, I picked Graham.  I did a quick google search about pediatric melanoma, and Graham’s story was the first thing that came up.  I remember sitting in the library crying.  It was at that very moment that I realized exactly what this all meant.  I took a big breath and thought to myself, I have to be brave for Graham.  I can’t do much to change his situation or find a cure, but I can be brave.

Advocacy is one way I can do something to try to help. I try to tell people to wear sunscreen and stop tanning.  I am in middle school, so it is hard to get people to listen but if someone in their family had melanoma they would understand the risk. I tell people about skin checks and changing moles. We raise money for research, we go to Washington DC to ask Congress for research funding, we teach sun safety and we share stories. The more I can share, the more I hope I will prevent someone from going through what he has. Graham is not only my brother, he is my friend. I cannot imagine life without him. I wish science would find a cure. Until that happens, I will continue to brave, because sometimes that is all you can do.

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This is Brave

This is Brave: The Mother Behind the Inspiration
By: Cheryl Adams

My son Graham was diagnosed at the age of 9 with pediatric melanoma. At the age of 9, you really do not know what the impact of a cancer diagnosis means. Now, at the age of 16, he knows. We all know. We have adjusted to handle the unexpected turbulence in life and stay brave so we can support Graham and be a strong voice in the melanoma community.

As any parent knows, it’s easy to become distracted by emotions, which generally leads to fear and can make any situation more difficult. We focus on what we can do, collaborate with others in similar situations hoping that we can lift each other up by sharing common stories.  There is a calming effect when you know you are not alone.

As the mother of the founding family of the Be Brave campaign, our hope was to tell our story and be part of a platform that would allow people affected by melanoma to form a circle of strength in which patients and caregivers could share stories that inspire us and together we would all Be Brave. 

Fear, is the opposite of Brave. I am quite certain Graham has fear. I have fear for him. His family has fear for him. He, however, is alive and is living in such a way that the world knows he is afraid, but he loves more than he fears.  My fear is that cancer will win and he will lose his bravery. His bravery is inspirational and for that I am grateful.

So, as we enter the third year of the This is Brave campaign, I challenge you Find Your Brave! Here are a few suggestions…

  • Speak Bravely. Tell your story. It will inspire someone. It will help someone
  • Ask Bravely.  Have the strength to be your own advocate. There is power in knowledge. Collaborate with others in the melanoma community and surround yourself with people who can direct you to the right resources, research, educators and advocates. They are out there. Be brave enough to ask.
  • Connect Bravely. Connect from your spirit and from your soul, with others who lift you up and give you extra strength.
  • Serve Bravely. If you are able, give back and support the greater good.

On a personal note to my sweet Graham; life is not fair. Melanoma did not allow you to have a normal childhood. I watch you suffer. I watch your siblings and your family worry. I watch you struggle. I watch you hurt. I also have the privilege and the honor to watch you Be Brave. A Brave that I never knew existed. A Brave that is beautiful, vulnerable and innocent.  My wish for you is that you will always Stay Brave.

To read more on the family that inspired This is Brave, watch the video below and visit HERE.

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This is Brave

This is Brave: The Inspiration Behind the Campaign

In 2018, we were introduced to a young girl who inspired our entire organization to “Be Brave”. When her brother Graham was ready to give up after five years of treatments and surgeries for his pediatric melanoma, Quinn reminded him to be brave. He could do it!

Quinn and Graham’s entire family continues to show us, and everyone in the greater melanoma and skin cancer community, what it means to “Be Brave”. Since Graham was first diagnosed, they continue to advocate for education, prevention and research. In fact, they got their start by raising more than $34,000 for cancer research by selling bracelets, which got the attention of President Barack Obama. To learn more about their work visit: www.facebook.com/Grahams-Gift.

This April, Quinn, her mother Cheryl, stepfather Bob, and brothers Graham and Charlie, stopped by the Coolibar offices to talk about the past year and what it has meant to them to “Be Brave”.

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