Episode 59:  RARE² Panel Interview with Kenny, Yvonne, and Presley
Channel: A Cure In Sight
Date: 2023-03-03

Join A Cure in Sight to briefly interview Yvonne, Presley, and Kenny; patients who are some of the “rare among the rare” in honor of Rare Disease Day. Yvonne, Presley, and Kenny show their stripes by expressing what navigating their journey with ocular melanoma has looked like–and how that has differed from the mainstream community. 

Ocular melanoma is most commonly found in fair skinned, light eyed males over the age of 50 according to most statistics found online. These 3 patients demonstrate the statistics just don’t accurately depict those in our community who are here, living with OM, and who don’t “fit the mold” of the most common demographic diagnosed. 

Meet Yvonne Loggins-Colemen, diagnosed in 2020 with ocular melanoma by sheer chance, and told she shouldn’t get OM; rare among the rare as a woman of African American descent. 

Meet Presley Jackson, diagnosed at the age of 13 with ocular melanoma, experiencing childhood eye cancer, and adjusting to the loss of vision and a great deal of uncertainty, while living as full of a life as a teen as he possibly can.

Meet Kenny Rains, diagnosed at the age of 29, far younger than most, and tackling life with new passion and perspective after navigating an immense mental health struggle that his diagnosis triggered. 

Listen today on Apple/Google Podcast, Spotify, & Podbean:
https://apple.co/3ycZhlM