CLEVELAND — Spectrum News caught up with Leah and Gary Adams during their first tee-time of the season at the Manakiki Golf Course.

What You Need To Know

  • May is melanoma and skin cancer awareness month.

  • The National Cancer Institute estimates about 8,000 Americans will die of the disease this year.

  • The father-daughter duo were both diagnosed with the aggressive skin cancer and share their message for others about the importance of skin safety.

The sport has been a way for the father and daughter to bond.

In recent years, they’ve grown closer after both were diagnosed with melanoma.

“My dad and I weren’t always really close, but in the last couple years, I haven’t spent this much time with him like my entire life," Leah Adams said. "So, it’s ironic when cancer can bring two people together."

It all started in 2019. Gary had a suspicious mole removed that turned out to be Stage 0 melanoma.

Leah then had her first skin check later that year at age 26, and it wasn’t good news.

“I was feeling a lot of shame and embarrassment because I felt like I gave myself cancer," she said.

Leah used to not take sun safety seriously and a mole on her chest turned out to be Stage 1A melanoma. She had to have surgery to make sure it didn’t spread to her lymph nodes, and thankfully, it didn’t.

“I didn’t wear sunscreen," she said. "I used tanning beds. We live in Ohio, so I used to take advantage of every opportunity to lay out in the sun and unfortunately, that became an addiction."

Studies show using tanning beds before age 35 increases the risk of melanoma by 75%.

But now, Leah embraces the skin she’s in and is an advocate for skin cancer prevention. She has connected with other survivors and melanoma organizations.

“Skin cancer will forever leave a mark on both of us in different ways," Leah said.

Both joined clinical trials to help uncover genetic risk factors of the disease.

Gary’s father was also diagnosed with the aggressive skin cancer.

“It doesn’t just get cut out," Leah Adams said. "Sometimes it can get really severe and spread to other organs, and that’s exactly what happened to my dad."

Things took a turn in Jan. 2021 when Gary had a seizure while driving.

The family soon learned the melanoma was now Stage 4 and in his brain and lungs. His treatment plan included radiation and immunotherapy.

He wasn’t able to drive and had to quit his job as an Amazon driver.

“We were shocked to hear this news because he just had the Stage 0 removed from his back two years before and we were wondering, did it not get all removed from his back?" Leah Adams said. "Did it spread? To this day, we still don’t really know what happened."

“I’m just thankful that I had my wife and my daughter always available for me to get through, get me to my appointments on time and still here today," Gary Adams said.

These two are happy to be alive to share their story and spread the word about the severity of skin cancer.

“I’m going to live every day grateful for that," Leah Adams said.