An Unexpected Life

UV damage is sneaky! Even with daily sunscreen use, you could be exposing your skin to sun damage and increasing your risk of melanoma in ways you never imagined!  For instance, did you know that your mode of travel, that refreshing margarita or even your over-the-counter painkiller can cause damage in the sun?  How about the fact that you can burn through your clothes? Class is in session!  Dropp...

When it comes to health, it seems everyone is looking for the next best thing!  Some advances can save pain and money. Others may score high on the “hot tech” meter, but fall short in effectiveness.  What works and what doesn’t, when it comes to tech in melanoma diagnosis?  In this episode, Marianne Banister turned to Dermatologist and Medical Advisor to the Claire Marie Foundation, Dr. Diane Orli...

Hey everyone! In this week’s episode, we are worked up a bit. Nearly 400,000 children and adolescents will be diagnosed with cancer globally this year.  That means every three minutes, a parent is told their child has cancer. Still, only 4% of federal funding goes to research pediatric cancers; 96% are designated to save adult lives. And with ongoing cuts instigated by the Trump administration, it...

You never see it coming. It shatters your world, marking simply the before-and-after. Parenting a child through a cancer diagnosis or other life-threatening illness is an overwhelming journey. It will tax and test the entire family, creating the ultimate balancing act as you ride the rollercoaster of medical, emotional, and academic needs. At the forefront of it all is the never-ending worry that...

"Don’t worry! Kids don’t get melanoma.” It is a common belief and yet nothing could be further from the truth. 21-year-old Marit Peterson is proof. The University of Texas Senior and future dermatologist was diagnosed with stage 3b melanoma as a tiny baby of 18 months. As she says, it was a quick lesson that life is not fair, and yet any life challenge can bring unexpected blessings.  What Yo...

Is the world closing in around you? Feeling overwhelmed that you can’t catch a break? A good dose of gratitude may be just what you need! Infusing gratitude into your life can boost your immune system, decrease depression, anxiety, even disease and chronic pain and improve your personal relationships as well.  In this episode of An Unexpected Life, Marianne Banister and Executive Wellness Coach Li...

When a child, teenager or young adult is diagnosed with cancer, the overwhelming response is to jump into treatment as soon as possible to blast it out of the body. But before diving into treatment, it’s equally important to take a moment, step back and consider the long game; the quality of that young person’s life once the cancer is gone.  In this episode of An Unexpected Life, Marianne Banister...

Here’s a thought that may seem strange; you can disagree with your doctor. Sure, they have the diplomas on the wall and you’re the one in the paper gown, but remember; the doctor works for you ! In this episode of our podcast An Unexpected Life, you’ll meet melanoma survivor Elea Vander Burgh. As a 17 year old high school student, Elea stubbornly stood her ground when her dermatologist brushed asi...

Is your head spinning? Your heart racing? Does life feel out of control?  Join the club! In this chaotic world anxiety is at an all-time high. But don’t lose hope - help is here!  In this episode, Marianne Banister talks with Anxiety Expert and Cognitive Behavioral Therapist April Moran, about how you can add some calm to your life with easy practical tips. Enhance your body and mind connection fo...

SPF, UPF, Heliocare (trademark), dermascopy. What the ??? Sometimes it feels a PhD is needed just to prep for a day in the sun. There are so many myths, truths and little known facts about sun safety coming at us it can be overwhelming. Relax! We’ve got the skinny on your skin! In this episode of An Unexpected Life, Marianne Banister explores some surprisingly simple ways to be sensationally sun s...

There are a lot of mistaken notions about melanoma out there. Among the deadliest is the idea that people of color cannot develop melanoma and other skin cancers. Nothing is further from the truth.   In this episode, Jacqueline Smith shares her story of surviving stage three melanoma twice – all before the age of 26 - and her transformative journey into an unexpected life.  Today, Jacqueline is a...

Pregnancy. It’s one of the most thrilling and stressful times in a couple’s life. So many changes that lie ahead!  So many things to worry about for both a healthy baby and mom. But did you know for some women, hormonal changes that bring a new life can also trigger melanoma? In this powerful conversation, Jamie Martell, a young mom from Maryland, opens up with Marianne Banister about how not one...

In this first episode of An Unexpected Life, host Marianne Banister shares the story of her 14-year-old daughter, Claire’s, diagnosis of adolescent melanoma. It upturned not only Claire’s life, but that of her entire family. Everyone was blindsided by the fact that Claire’s cancer was triggered by hormonal changes rather than the “too much exposure to the sun.”   Listen in to discover why Claire’s...