Q: When did you find out you had skin cancer?

A: I had just turned 16. It was the summer going into my junior year. I went to the doctor for a check up, and my mom pointed out a mole on my back to the dermatologist. He didn't seem concerned, and he took it off. But two weeks later, he called to say [the tests they conducted on the mole] came up as second stage malignant melanoma. It was pretty serious. The day after the phone call I had surgery. They gave me local anesthesia and took out a pretty long and wide part of my back. It was the most painful thing I've ever gone through.