Anna

Anna Hennessey
was diagnosed in June of 2020, her original Melanoma mole, was on her scalp. Plus dealing with others on her spine and hip. She went through 4 rounds ipi/nivo and 2 nivo treatments for maintenance. She endured radiation: cyber knife to spine (3x) ,proton therapy to hip (5x). Melanoma started to grow in May of 2021, on her neck. Anna also entered a clinical trial, with strict requirements and that’s where I feel, things got really tough. The melanoma kept growing and so began a very troublesome, last couple months. She was such a light of happiness, her smile lit up a room. To cope with some of what she managed she would name her tumors, after her favorite movie Harry Potter. Anna had 3 lymph nodes, that she named Tom, Marvolo, and Riddle… Tom and Marvolo disappeared with the targeted therapy, but Riddle did not. He grew on her neck and was the worst of all. Just like the Harry Potter movies…Tom Riddle was the worst, the enemy and just wouldn’t go away (Voldamort).

Anna was approved for the TILS Trial and began-ripping for it. “the DR will do the TILS harvest and began prepping for it. “the Dr will do the TIL harvest but they are doing the neck resection and reconstruction at the same time to get rid of the tumor that’s causing me the most issues. its a major surgery that will last up to 5-6 hours long. They will take skin graft from my shoulder.” The tumor was responding to Braf/Mek targeted therapy and then it just stopped. They also did a needle biopsy of it right when Anna was diagnosed. So, she asked to it removed then. She was scheduled to have it removed in May of 2021 and scheduled it for June but then she had 2 bowel surgeries, back to back. A spot in the TILS Trial opened up in Georgetown so her oncologist thought “Riddle” maybe the tumor, they would harvest for the trial. The tumor was not removed. At they point the tumor was NOT as large, it was the size of a ping pong ball and was noticeable on her neck. Anna started the process for the trial, enrolling and began the screening. The current trial DR, told her that “Riddle” would NOT be the tumor they would harvest and would be using a smaller one, that was behind her ear. The DR old her that she couldn’t have ANY other outside surgeries because they would need to wait 2 more weeks and start ALL OVER AGAIN.

The only reason she was able to do the “riddle’ removal in August, is because they were able to do both “tumor resection” at the same time, as the harvest. The Trial Sponsor set the date for 8/10/21. She also had a tumor in her clavical, the back of head and fond bone mets in her left shoulder. This was the most recent scan news, prior to her surgery date.

The last 2 months, Anna battled melanoma, with all she had. She was fighting off fatigue, blood pressure issues, severe nausea, high pain levels and more. But last Friday, Anna ended up in the ER with signs of a bowel obstruction. Her CT scans showed tumors, all through, liver, brain, chest, adrenal gland many other places. The news of melanoma spreading aggressively, was hard to hear. Anna had been in intense pain, plus cyber knife radiation, caused severe nausea. She also had a huge spot, on her abdomen that came back after a previous surgery. This is just part of her battle. She received news that TIL/prep wasn’t working and the treatment combo would hurt her more than it would help. Nothing about what was going to happen, in the next days, was to be expected. On Nov 9th, the difficult choice was made by Anna and her family, they would bring Anna home and make her as comfortable as they could, in hospice care. She was none responsive once I spoke to her mom through text, on Wednesday. I wanted to say good bye but time slipped away and so did Anna. She passed away, November 11 2021, the day my mom died just 5 years ago.

Please get a skin check. Anna was a fierce melanoma warrior & advocate! We miss her support and generous heart. Lots of love my friend- miss you always.

Remember everyone xxstayshadyxx!

Profile on Stop Melanoma Movement

•Name: Anna/RIP
•Stage: Stage IV
•Surgery: Excision of melanoma of scalp, spine, hip, 2 bowel resections, and excision of neck mass and reconstruction.
•Treatment: 4 rounds ipi/nivo and 2 nivo maintenance, targeted therapy (braftovi/mektovi), in line for TIL trial
•Radiation: 3 cyber knife to spine , 5 proton therapy to hip
•Words to live by: “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”
~Albus Dumbledore