Life-Changing Second Opinion

Megan Gibbons had just graduated high school when she found a spot on her face that looked similar to a pimple.

After having it removed, doctors performed a lymph node biopsy. It turns out that spot was Melanoma.

Megan's doctor told her that she had five years left to live.

"I just graduated high school, I had all of these plans and then it’s like, 'Oh hey by the way you have cancer.'' It’s like your whole world just stops and… the rest of your life just seems unachievable."

"I just graduated high school, I had all of these plans and then it’s like, 'Oh hey by the way you have cancer.'' It’s like your whole world just stops and… the rest of your life just seems unachievable [sic]," says Megan.

After her dad convinced her to get a second opinion, Megan came to the Cleveland Clinic.

"They just seemed more willing to help, willing to try," Megan remembers.

Megan met with Cleveland Clinic doctors who recommended she continue procedures to remove more of her lymph nodes.

She also spoke with Dr. Brian Gastman, a plastic surgeon at Cleveland Clinic, who informed her he was able to hide her surgery scar along her ear line, instead of a more prominent position on her face.

After the rest of her lymph nodes were removed, Megan began a year of interferon treatment. Then she was able to begin administering the treatments herself through shots for the next eleven months, three times each week.

Megan is now in remission and entering her senior year at Kent State University, where she is studying to become a nurse. She hopes to work in pediatric oncology.

"I have goals now that I know what I want to do after I graduate and where I want to be in life," Megan says. "I’m thinking about marriage, and starting a career, and it’s just like wow, the future is going to happen."