Michael Stroub
Photo was taken in October 1999, one month before Michael was diagnosed with melanoma. Michael passed away 6 months after this photo was taken. MaryAnn and Michael’s 5-year-old son are also in the photo.
Michael Stroub’s battle with Stage IV Melanoma
Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer. One of the rarer types of skin cancers, it causes the most skin cancer related deaths. If detected early, melanoma is often curable.
In November of 1999, MaryAnn Stroub’s husband, Michael Stroub was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma, the worst form possible. Once melanoma reaches stage IV, most of the time nothing can be done.
Despite the terrible odds, Michael underwent four rounds of chemotherapy and brain radiation but despite his efforts he passed away April 15, 2000, just 5 months after being diagnosed with the cancer.
MaryAnn and Bill had been married 14 years at the time of his death. MaryAnn described his cancer as different from most cases, because her husband was what they call non-primary.
Michael was considered non-primary because the ABCD’s of melanoma, the National Cancer Institute’s guide for recognizing melanoma, did not apply to Michael. Michael did not have a mole as a starting point for where the melanoma started. Melanoma most commonly starts in a mole but often times can develop in the eye or elsewhere on the skin.
MaryAnn believes that tanning beds are a big problem in relation to melanoma and wants people to be aware of their dangers and their effects. MaryAnn never did know where the melanoma in Michael started but does know that the melanoma was caused by sun exposure. Michael left behind a 5-year-old little boy at the time of his death.
“I just wish we would have detected Michael’s melanoma earlier than we did. He would probably still be with us. It is such a horrible thing to lose your husband and have your child lose his father to something that could have been prevented,” said MaryAnn.
MaryAnn now volunteers much of her time for the fight against melanoma.