The Eye Believe Podcast

The ocular melanoma community may be small, but it's mighty! 💙 And while finding a community after a rare cancer diagnosis can be life-changing, even the most supportive spaces can come with challenges. In Episode 18 of My 15 Years, Melody opens up about some of the pitfalls patients may encounter when seeking advice, information, and support from others in the ocular melanoma community. From wel...

What's Up, Doc? featuring Dr. Rino Seedor | The Eye Believe Podcast In this episode of What's Up, Doc? on the The Eye Believe Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Rino Seedor of Thomas Jefferson University, a medical oncologist dedicated to advancing care for patients with uveal melanoma. Following in the footsteps of her father, renowned oncologist Dr. Takami Sato, Dr. Seedor shares how her upbringing,...

What's Up, Doc? Featuring Dr. Vincent Ma | The Eye Believe Podcast What inspires a physician to dedicate their career to treating a rare cancer? And who are the people behind the white coats? In this episode of The Eye Believe Podcast's "What's Up, Doc?" series, Megan sits down with Dr. Vincent Ma, a medical oncologist at the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, for a conversation that g...

My 15 years: Episode 17: Information Overload, Misinformation & Living for Today When you're diagnosed with a rare cancer, it's natural to want answers. But how much information is too much? In Episode 17 of My 15 Years, Melody, founder and president of A Cure in Sight, shares her perspective on navigating the overwhelming amount of information that comes with an ocular melanoma diagnosis. Fro...

When Breast Cancer Meets Ocular Melanoma | Three Women, Two Diagnoses What is it like to face not one, but two very different cancer diagnoses? And how does the experience of living with a rare cancer compare to one that affects so many people? In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The Eye Believe Podcast brings together three remarkable women—Barbara Johnson, Sharlene Carlson, and Elizabeth—...

The Art of Ocular Prosthetics | The Eye Believe Podcast What happens after you’re told you may lose an eye? What will you look like? Will people notice? And how is a prosthetic eye actually made? In this episode of The Eye Believe Podcast, Danet sits down with Sara Moslehi, ocularist and anaplastologist at Art in Soul Prosthetics in Lakewood, Colorado, for an honest and reassuring conversation abo...

💙 IMPORTANT UPDATE FOR THE UVEAL MELANOMA COMMUNITY Uveal melanoma has recently been added to the Social Security Administration’s Compassionate Allowances list—an important development for patients who may need to apply for Social Security disability benefits. But what does that actually mean? Who may qualify? And where do you start? In this episode of The Eye Believe Podcast, Danet welcomes bac...

🍂 Healthy Habits for the Fall Hustle Fall is here—and with it comes busy schedules, shorter days, holiday parties, comfort food, cold weather, and all the reasons our healthy routines can suddenly disappear. So how do we enjoy the season without completely falling off the wagon? In this episode of The Eye Believe Podcast, Megan is joined by Sheri and Leah for a practical conversation about prepar...

Episode 16: The Relationships That Stay — and the Ones That Don’t Cancer has a way of changing relationships. In Episode 16 of My 15 Years, Melody reflects on the people who were part of her life before her ocular melanoma diagnosis—and what happened to those relationships afterward. She shares candid stories about friends, coworkers, marriage, divorce, dating, and the people who surprised her by...

A cancer diagnosis can bring appointments, medications, scans, paperwork—and a whole lot of mental clutter. Could getting organized make some of it a little easier? In this episode of The Eye Believe Podcast, we’re joined by professional organizer Kelly Tait of Bee Organized to talk about simple, practical ways patients and caregivers can prepare their homes and information for treatment. Kelly sh...

👨‍⚕️ Who’s Looking After the Rest of You? When you’re diagnosed with ocular melanoma, it’s easy for cancer care to become the center of your healthcare. But while your oncology team is focused on your cancer, who is looking after the rest of you? In this episode of The Eye Believe Podcast, we welcome back Dr. Ian Kamerman, an ocular melanoma survivor and primary care physician in Australia, for a...

Episode 15: Why Me? Why Not Me? “Why me?” It’s a question many people ask after receiving a cancer diagnosis. But what happens when that question begins to consume your life? In Episode 15 of My 15 Years, Melody opens up about the years following her ocular melanoma diagnosis and how fear, uncertainty, and a sense of victimhood became part of her identity. She candidly shares how cancer began infl...

In this episode of What’s Up, Doc? on the Eye Believe Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Omid Hamid, Chief of Translational Research and Immuno-Oncology at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute and Co-Director of its Melanoma and Phase I Programs. A recognized leader in melanoma and immuno-oncology, Dr. Hamid discusses the evolving treatment landscape for ocular melanoma, the growing number of clin...

In this episode of What's Up, Doc? on the Eye Believe Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Carol L. Shields, Chief of the Ocular Oncology Service at Wills Eye Hospital and one of the world's most recognized leaders in ocular oncology. Dr. Shields has dedicated her career to advancing the understanding and treatment of ocular tumors, including uveal melanoma and retinoblastoma. With more than 1,400 publis...

🧬 The Living Library of Uveal Melanoma with Dr. Lauren Dalvin What if researchers could study uveal melanoma using models created from real patient tumors? In this episode of The Eye Believe Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Lauren Dalvin of Mayo Clinic to explore the Living Library of Uveal Melanoma—an innovative research effort using patient-derived organoid models to help scientists better understa...

Caregiving can be an act of deep love—but it can also take a physical and emotional toll, especially when the caregiver is facing health challenges of their own. In Episode 14 of Melody’s 15-year series, she shares her experience caring for her mother through dementia while navigating her own ocular melanoma diagnosis. Melody discusses the complicated reality of being the person others depend on w...

What does it mean to live well with ocular melanoma for more than a decade? In this episode of Living in the Long Middle, we're joined by Dr. Ian Kamerman, a physician from Australia who has been living with ocular melanoma for 14 years. Ian shares his personal journey—from the shock of his initial diagnosis to navigating survivorship while continuing to care for patients as a physician.   With th...

What if one decision today could help unlock tomorrow's breakthrough treatments for ocular melanoma? In this episode of The Eye Believe Podcast, we're joined by Dr. Justin Moser to explore the INSIGHT Biobank—what it is, how it began, why it's so important, and the incredible impact it could have on the future of ocular melanoma research. Dr. Moser explains how donated tissue and blood samples hel...

  Episode 13: What Long-Term Survivorship Really Looks Like What happens after 10 years? After 15? While much of the conversation around cancer focuses on diagnosis and treatment, long-term survivorship comes with its own unique challenges, questions, and victories. In Episode 13 of My 15 Years, Melody reflects on what life looks like 15 years after being diagnosed with ocular melanoma. She shares...

In this episode of What's Up, Doc? on the Eye Believe Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Lauren A. Dalvin, ocular oncologist and ophthalmologist at Mayo Clinic, for a conversation that goes beyond medicine. Dr. Dalvin shares the journey that led her to a career in ophthalmology and ocular oncology, the mentors and experiences that shaped her path, and her passion for caring for patients facing rare eye...

What’s Up, Doc? Featuring Dr. Zack Oakey | The Eye Believe Podcast In this episode of What's Up, Doc? on the Eye Believe Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Zack Oakey! Dr. Oakey shares the journey that led him to establish Blue Coast Retina and discusses his approach to caring for patients with ocular melanoma. We explore his philosophy of medicine, the importance of building lasting relationships with...

Episode 12: Asking for Help & Setting Boundaries One of the hardest parts of a cancer diagnosis isn't just managing treatments—it's learning how to navigate relationships with the people who love you. In Episode 12 of My 15 Years, Melody shares her experiences managing the expectations of friends and family after being diagnosed with ocular melanoma. She talks about the challenges of asking fo...

In this episode of What's Up, Doc? on the Eye Believe Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Basil Williams, ocular oncologist, vitreoretinal surgeon, educator, and leader at the world-renowned Bascom Palmer Eye Institute. Dr. Williams serves as Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology, Medical Director of the Ocular Oncology Service, and Vice Chair of Inclusive Excellence, where he is helping shape t...

Episode 11: When It's Not Just Ocular Melanoma Living with ocular melanoma is challenging enough—but what happens when other health issues enter the picture, too? In Episode 11 of our special 15-year series, Melody opens up about navigating multiple health conditions while living with ocular melanoma. She discusses the judgment, guilt, and embarrassment that can come with compounding health issues...

In this episode of Living in the Long-Middle, we are joined by Phil and Caitlyn Stewart, a husband-and-wife team sharing their experiences from both sides of the cancer journey—the patient perspective and the caregiver perspective. When cancer enters a relationship, it impacts more than just one person. Phil and Caitlyn offer an honest look at how they have navigated the challenges, uncertainties,...