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MEET
Natalie Allan
Patient Advocate
When Natalie Allan was 37 years old, a routine medical appointment with one of her daughters changed the course of her life.
While waiting for the appointment, her daughter encouraged her to have a mole on her hip examined. Natalie had lived with the mole since birth, but it had recently become itchy and changed in size. The mole was removed and tested.
The following diagnosis was devastating: melanoma, stage IIIB.
Further testing revealed that the cancer had already spread to her lymphatic system. At the same time, Natalie was diagnosed with a highly curable form of thyroid cancer—a small piece of good news amid overwhelming uncertainty. Her melanoma prognosis was grim. She had only a 26% chance of survival without treatment and a 28% chance with the available options, Yet, Natalie refused to give up.
That hope led Natalie to apply for a clinical trial investigating an emerging melanoma treatment. After an anxious wait, she learned she had been accepted. The trial marked the beginning of a difficult 20-month treatment journey filled with uncertainty, resilience, and determination.
Halfway through treatment, Natalie received news that would change everything: her scans showed No Evidence of Disease (NED).
“I remember not being able to physically climb stairs, but today, after treatment, things are getting better and easier to navigate. I can’t always see what is around the corner, down below or what will be there when I reach the top, but I still take the steps to get there. One step at a time, one day at a time. I feel like every day since my diagnosis four years ago, I still consciously, every day, make the decision to take ‘the steps to get there.’”
Although recurrence remained a possibility, Natalie continued with regular follow-up care. Today, nearly a decade later, her scans continue to show no evidence of disease.
Throughout her cancer journey, Natalie searched for support and connection. That search led her to Save Your Skin Foundation.
As a member of the community, she found understanding, encouragement, and practical support from people who truly understood what she was facing. After reaching NED status, Natalie joined the Save Your Skin team, eventually serving as Managing Director and helping guide the organization through years of growth and impact.
Her connection to the melanoma community would also lead to something unexpected: love.
In 2016, Natalie met Mike during a patient awareness project. Like Natalie, Mike had faced advanced-stage melanoma and benefited from a clinical trial. Their shared experiences created an immediate connection, and over time, friendship grew into a relationship.
As her daughters began their post-secondary studies in Ontario, Natalie made the move to Prince George, British Columbia, to be with Mike. In 2024, the couple married, celebrating not only their love but also the extraordinary paths that brought them together.
Today, they enjoy life in rural BC, spending their time camping, hiking, travelling, and even panning for gold, embracing opportunities they once feared they might never have.
Natalie's story is a powerful reminder of the impact of early detection, the life-saving potential of clinical trials, and the importance of community. From melanoma patient to survivor, advocate, leader her journey reflects the hope and resilience that define so many in the Save Your Skin community.
As we celebrate 20 years of Save Your Skin Foundation, we are honoured to share Natalie's story—a testament to perseverance, innovation, and the extraordinary possibilities that can emerge even in life's most challenging moments.
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