National Cancer Survivors Day: Shannon’s Story of Melanoma, Motherhood, and Moving Forward
National Cancer Survivors Day celebrates life, hope, and resilience. Every first Sunday in June, it honours those who have faced a cancer diagnosis and emerged on the other side—forever changed, but still here, still standing, and still moving forward. It also provides a time for current patients and their loved ones to reflect on how far they’ve come and inspires the road map ahead.
At Save Your Skin Foundation, we’re proud to support melanoma and skin cancer patients and survivors across Canada. Today, we’re honoured to share the journey of Shannon Gaudette of Abbotsford, British Columbia, whose story of facing melanoma during pregnancy, undergoing multiple surgeries and immunotherapy, and now living in survivorship has inspired us since the day we met her over 15 years ago.
What has been the most meaningful or memorable part of your cancer survivorship journey so far?
“For me, it’s the perspective it gave me. Going through all of this, has really give me a new perspective on life, as to what's important and what doesn't matter, not sweating the small stuff or taking things for granted.
When you go through something traumatic like this, you re-evaluate your priorities. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress of daily life, but once the possibility of death is staring you in the face, all of that falls away and you realize all that really matters is your loved ones.”
Shannon was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma when she was 6 months pregnant with her daughter, Madeline. After emergency brain surgery, she went from ICU, to HAU, Neuro and the Maternity ward in a matter of 8 weeks, trying to process not just with the fear of dying, but the terrifying possibility of not meeting her child.
“There was so much going on at the time and I really didn’t think I would live long enough to meet Madeline and that possibility was beyond terrifying. Now she’s in grade 8 and each day feels like such a blessing. Those are the things you think about on National Cancer Survivors Day.
What does National Cancer Survivors Day mean to you?
“It’s a day to reflect on everything my family and I have been through.
When you're going through treatment and undergoing multiple surgeries, you make little goals in your head. For me, it started with: ‘Please let me live long enough to see Madeline born.’ Then it was ‘Please let me be there to take her to preschool.’ Then: ‘Please let me be there to take her to kindergarten,’ and then you just keep going.
National Cancer Survivors Day is a time to stop and realize how far you’ve come and to appreciate the little things and moments shared with your loved ones.”
What do you wish more people understood about life after a cancer diagnosis?
“There’s a before and an after. You’re never the same.
I remember during my treatment, a doctor came in and said something that I thought was strange at the time, but now I get it. He said, ‘Shannon, I kind of envy you.’ I think I laughed and asked why, (I’m 6 months pregnant with Stage 4 Melanoma), but then he explained, ‘You, moving forward, will never take anything for granted. People like me, who haven’t gone through something like you have…still do.’ And he was right.
Once you’ve faced cancer, especially in such a complicated and high-risk situation like mine, you don’t come out of it unchanged. But not all of those changes are bad. You stop worrying about things that don’t matter. You find more joy in things that used to seem small.”
What advice would you give to someone who has just been diagnosed?
“Don't let anyone take away your hope.
The biggest thing the Save Your Skin Foundation gave me was hope. Since I was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma while I was pregnant, I could tell the medical professionals, although they didn’t say it to my face, didn’t have a lot of hope that I would survive. When Kathy would come to visit me in the hospital, she would repeatedly say to me, ‘There’s always hope. Treatments are changing. Don’t give up.’ Her words really kept me going. Another piece of advice I’d give is to be your own advocate. Get second opinions. Ask questions. Find a doctor who listens and believes in your ability to survive.
One thing that really upsets me, is when doctors give patients timelines when they really have no idea. When hearing from your doctor that ‘You’ve got six months,’ or ‘This isn’t curable’, a person could accept that as their reality and give up. My doctors never gave me a timeline, despite what I know my they probably thought, but they never said it.
Shannon also shared a moment that still sticks with her. Just after her brain surgery, she observed an interaction between her ICU nurse and another ICU nurse who had come in to check on her. The one nurse was happy to see that my daughter and I had survived the surgery but when she left my room, my nurse said something to her and the other nurse looked back at me with a very sad face and instantly knew, she told her I was going to die. I instantly thought, ‘how dare you say that! I’m not going to die!
Has your experience changed the way you connect with others going through similar journeys?
“Absolutely. I feel very privileged to be able to talk to other patients, especially when they’re newly diagnosed. Over the last few years, I’ve connected to a number of Melanoma patients throughout the Lower Mainland, including a few in my own community. We meet for lunch/coffee or just check in by email, text or telephone. You wouldn’t believe how powerful those little connections are.
I believe it’s a key part of someone’s treatment and almost as important as medicine. Just talking to someone who gets it. Not everyone understands what it’s like to truly to believe that you might die. Even celebrating little things like getting out of bed, feeling well enough to walk your kid to school or go to the grocery store, can be huge accomplishments for some people.
Shannon believes in paying it forward—offering others the kind of compassion and knowledge that continues to sustain her. When you connect with others who have been through or are going through what you are, you realize you’re not alone and you thinking becomes, ‘If they can do it, maybe I can too.’ “That’s what I try to be for people dealing with Melanoma.”
Any final thoughts you want to share for National Cancer Survivors Day?
“You have no idea how strong you are until you don’t have a choice. It’s been years since my diagnosis, but I still think about it all of the time. Of course I get anxious every time I have a scan, but my diagnosis has made me feel more gratitude for the people I love and the time we spend together.
You don’t appreciate the little things until you’ve faced losing it all. And now, I make sure I appreciate everything.”
Today and every day, we honour survivors like Shannon—whose courage, honesty, and hope inspire everyone around them. We also honour patients who are currently battling cancer, and the strength they show every single day. If you or a loved one is facing a cancer diagnosis, we are always here to provide resources and support. You are never alone!
