In this episode of the Eye Believe Podcast, we’re joined by Brianne Ward and Bev Shaw, two ocular melanoma patients from Canada whose connection turned into something truly powerful.

After first meeting online, Brianne and Bev later found themselves as roommates during treatment—a full-circle moment that strengthened their bond and helped them navigate one of the most challenging parts of their journey together.

In this heartfelt conversation, they share:

-How they first connected within the OM community

-What it was like to go through treatment side by side

-How their friendship helped them prepare for and get through difficult moments

-Why having a support person—or “treatment buddy”—can make such a difference

Their story is a powerful reminder that connection matters, and that no one has to go through this journey alone. We hope this episode inspires you to reach out, find your people, and lean on the strength of community. 💙

In this episode of the Eye Believe Podcast, host Danet Peterson sits down with Kelly Mellott, Senior Manager of Patient Engagement at Natera, breast cancer survivor, and passionate patient advocate, to explore the evolving role of ctDNA (circulating tumor DNA) in cancer care—especially for those living with rare cancers.

Together, they discuss how tools like ctDNA testing can help patients and providers better understand what’s happening in the body.

Kelly brings both professional expertise and lived experience to this discussion, offering a thoughtful perspective on how innovation, advocacy, and patient voice intersect in modern cancer care.

Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or advocate, this episode provides insight into a rapidly evolving area of oncology—and what it could mean for the future of monitoring and treatment.

In this episode of the Eye Believe Podcast, we’re joined by Lindsay Brown and Lucy Innes, two incredible members of the ocular melanoma community who have each turned their diagnosis into purpose.

With very different but equally inspiring paths, Lindsay has become a motivational speaker, while Lucy is pursuing a PhD focused on uveal melanoma research. Together, they share how their experiences shaped their careers and how they’ve found direction, meaning, and impact through their journeys.

This conversation explores:

What it means to give your diagnosis direction

Finding purpose after diagnosis

Turning challenges into meaningful work

Using your voice and experience to make a difference

Whether you’re newly diagnosed or years into your journey, this episode is a powerful reminder that there are many ways to move forward—with purpose.

We also want to honor the life and legacy of Lindsay Brown, whose voice, strength, and advocacy continue to inspire the ocular melanoma community. We are grateful to have shared this conversation with her.

🔗 Watch more from Lindsay:

-Enucleation 101:

https://youtu.be/zSX19c3jFsA

-Being on the Receiving End of Medical Care: https://youtu.be/hkfRxJOeeos

🔗 Watch more from Lucy:

-How Immunotherapy Works: https://youtu.be/phNDuHVCzng

-Eye Believe 2023 – Seattle Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmNN38QAmj1aq1V1e6d4e8jDbdE4iFI8S

In this episode of the Eye Believe Podcast, Danet sits down with Kyleigh LiPira from the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) and CURE OM to discuss advocacy, education, and community in the ocular melanoma space.

Kyleigh shares insights into the work being done to support patients and caregivers, advance research, and create meaningful connections within the OM community. This conversation highlights the importance of staying informed, getting involved, and finding support throughout the cancer journey.

📢 Register Now: 15th Annual Eyes on a Cure Symposium

We’re excited to share that registration is now open for the 15th Annual Eyes on a Cure: Ocular Melanoma Patient & Caregiver Symposium, taking place April 17–19, 2026, in Miami, Florida.

Held in partnership with the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, this three-day event brings together patients, caregivers, and leading experts for:

-Education on primary and metastatic ocular melanoma

-Supportive care and psychosocial wellbeing sessions

-Opportunities for connection, community, and fun

🔗 Register today: melanomaevents.org/events/details/melanoma-research-foundation-melanoma-research-foundation-presents-2026-eyes-on-a-cure-ocular-melanoma-patient-amp-caregiver-symposium/

We hope to see you in Miami for this inspiring weekend dedicated to education, support, and community! 💙

What’s Up, Doc? Featuring Dr. Prithvi Mruthyunjaya | The Eye Believe Podcast

Welcome to What’s Up, Doc?—a new series from A Cure In Sight where we sit down with ocular melanoma (OM) specialists from around the world to get to know the people behind the medicine.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Prithvi Mruthyunjaya of the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University.

Dr. Mruthyunjaya shares his journey into medicine, what led him to specialize in ocular oncology, and his approach to caring for patients with ocular melanoma.

This conversation goes beyond the clinic—offering insight into who he is, how he connects with patients, and what drives his work in this rare cancer space. Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or simply looking to learn more, this series is designed to help you feel more informed and connected to the experts in the OM community.

Thank you to our sponsors for making this possible!

-Ideaya Biosciences

-Delcath Systems

-Aura Biosciences

-Castle Biosciences

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay up to date on future episodes.

About A Cure In Sight-

A Cure In Sight is dedicated to accelerating research, supporting patients, and raising awareness for ocular melanoma.

💙 Learn more: https://acureinsight.org/

💙 Support our mission: https://acureinsight.org/donate/

💙 Join our support group: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/780974096#success

Episode 6: Coping with Scanxiety

For many cancer patients and survivors, the time leading up to scans can bring overwhelming anxiety — often called scanxiety.

In Episode 6 of My 15 Years, Melody opens up about her personal experience with scanxiety over the past 15 years of living with ocular melanoma. She shares the fear, uncertainty, and emotional weight that can come with routine scans, even years after diagnosis.

More importantly, Melody talks about how she has learned to cope — offering perspective, strategies, and honest reflections on what has helped her navigate those difficult moments.

This episode is for anyone who feels the stress of waiting for results, living between appointments, or carrying the quiet fear that can come with survivorship.

You are not alone.

🔔 Subscribe to follow the full My 15 Years series

💙 Learn more about A Cure in Sight

🤝 Support ocular melanoma research and patient support: https://acureinsight.org/donate/

We’re proud to introduce a new series from the Eye Believe Podcast: Living In The Long Middle, hosted by Danet Peterson.

This series is dedicated to exploring the often unspoken reality of living with ocular melanoma—the space between diagnosis and outcome. It’s a place many patients find themselves in for months or years: navigating uncertainty, balancing hope and fear, and continuing to live life while carrying the weight of the unknown.

In this debut episode, Danet sits down with Ashley McCrary to talk about the complex emotions of “doing well” while others in the community are not. In light of recent losses, they explore grief, survivor’s guilt, and what it means to lose fellow patients who have become close friends.

Ashley shares how she finds strength through her faith, while also acknowledging the difficult and sometimes painful questions that come with it—especially when blessings and outcomes are not equally experienced.

This is an honest, compassionate, and ultimately uplifting conversation about resilience, community, and finding strength in the midst of uncertainty. If you’ve ever felt the weight of “living in the long middle,” this conversation is for you. 💙

Article by Janis Chen about living in the long middle: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/22/i-have-stage-four-cancer-there-will-be-no-cure-but-death-isnt-necessarily-imminent-this-is-how-it-feels-to-live-in-the-long-middle?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1774189536

Ashley's Facebook post- https://www.facebook.com/daveandashley.mccrary/posts/pfbid0vpHCwsAY56ncn5c2gHzG9SCy8rvFxD3QW3J27mWkkyPfVPrJsjGEbkkBiwPJ4ibl?rdid=MzTbn3iV625lmu5h#

In this Eye on the Expert webinar, Eye on CHOPIN: Study Insights & Personalizing Treatment in MUM, three leading U.S. physicians discuss the latest findings from the CHOPIN trial, with results reported in late 2025. This recorded discussion explores how emerging data can support a more individualized approach to treating metastatic uveal melanoma (MUM), helping clinicians and patients make more informed, personalized decisions. In this webinar, experts cover: Key insights and takeaways from the CHOPIN trial How treatment can be tailored based on patient needs and preferences The importance of shared decision-making in MUM care Options for patients who may not be eligible for—or choose not to pursue—certain therapies Whether you are a patient, caregiver, or healthcare professional, this webinar offers valuable perspective on how research is shaping more personalized treatment pathways in uveal melanoma. 🎧 Watch now to learn how CHOPIN trial insights are helping guide the future of MUM care.

We’re proud to introduce a new series from the Eye Believe Podcast: Living In The Long Middle, hosted by Danet Peterson.

This series is dedicated to exploring the often unspoken reality of living with ocular melanoma—the space between diagnosis and outcome. It’s a place many patients find themselves in for months or years: navigating uncertainty, balancing hope and fear, and continuing to live life while carrying the weight of the unknown.

In this debut episode, Danet sits down with Ashley McCrary to talk about the complex emotions of “doing well” while others in the community are not. In light of recent losses, they explore grief, survivor’s guilt, and what it means to lose fellow patients who have become close friends.

Ashley shares how she finds strength through her faith, while also acknowledging the difficult and sometimes painful questions that come with it—especially when blessings and outcomes are not equally experienced.

This is an honest, compassionate, and ultimately uplifting conversation about resilience, community, and finding strength in the midst of uncertainty. If you’ve ever felt the weight of “living in the long middle,” this conversation is for you. 💙

Article by Janis Chen about living in the long middle: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/22/i-have-stage-four-cancer-there-will-be-no-cure-but-death-isnt-necessarily-imminent-this-is-how-it-feels-to-live-in-the-long-middle?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1774189536

Ashley's Facebook post- https://www.facebook.com/daveandashley.mccrary/posts/pfbid0vpHCwsAY56ncn5c2gHzG9SCy8rvFxD3QW3J27mWkkyPfVPrJsjGEbkkBiwPJ4ibl?rdid=MzTbn3iV625lmu5h#

In this episode of the Eye Believe Podcast, we’re joined by Adrián Franco, Ph.D., founder of Broken Not Broke, an initiative dedicated to addressing the often-overlooked financial toxicity of childhood cancer.

After his son was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in 2022, Adrián experienced firsthand the overwhelming financial challenges families face during treatment. In response, he created Broken Not Broke to help connect the dots—serving as a centralized resource that links patients, parents, social workers, and caregivers to organizations offering financial assistance for pediatric cancer families across the United States.

In this conversation, Adrián shares:

His personal journey as a cancer parent

The real impact of financial strain on families

How Broken Not Broke functions as a national resource hub

Why improving access to financial support is critical for families’ long-term well-being

Adrián is also the Executive Director of the Guarini Institute for International Education and Economic Mobility and serves on the Patient and Family Advisory Council for Quality at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

This episode shines a light on an important gap in cancer care—and offers hope, resources, and direction for families who need it most.

Check out Broken Not Broke-