jenn patrice

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4x Melanoma Survivor
The Ultraviolet Tide Podcast
ACS CAN MN Vice State Lead Ambassador
Patient Advocate: Melanoma Research Alliance, Melanoma Research Foundation, American Academy of Dermatology, Melanoma Action Coalition

05/10/2026

i’ve been thinking a lot about mental health lately
tw: su***de, suicidal thoughts, suicidal ideation

probably because mine hasn’t been so great lately

but may is also mental health awareness month (in addition to melanoma awareness month)

and the worst thing we can do is not talk about it

a few days ago, my mom read to me a post i shared three years ago where i said my advice is to treat mental health as much as we treat our physical health

in that post and in chapter 2 of my book, i wrote about the time i sat at a red light and wished i was no longer here

i sat at that same red light today (although with a lot more construction cones) and reflected on how far i’ve come

i know myself on a much deeper level than i did that day and have so much awareness around my emotions

i have a stronger support system, a deeper toolkit for managing anxiety and depression, and more resources to rely on when i can’t manage it on my own

i lost someone i love a few months ago and it haunts me that i had no idea she was hurting so much (or feeling so little that life didn’t seem like something to fight for)

it’s hard to explain to others outside the cancer community how you can fight to live, then not want to be here anymore once you’re on the other side

what scares me most is not just that i related to how my friend was feeling but that i’ve felt it too, many times

i would give anything to be able to call her, to see her in our next advocacy committee call, to meet up with her in denver this summer, to go to capitol hill together again

i want to tell her she’s not alone but i’ve felt alone, even surrounded by others

i’ve recognized a bit of my own light dimming the last few months as i’ve managed burnout, injury, and health issues with myself and my parents

i realized i can’t remember the last time i truly took care of my physical and mental health and i feel it

this summer, i’m investing in and focusing on me

i owe it to my family, to my friends, to those i’ve lost, to my students, but most importantly, i owe it to ME

we only get one life and we owe it to ourselves to relentlessly chase life every day, even when it’s hard.

especially when it’s hard

05/06/2026

seven years ago, i went to meet a cat

my mom says she knew the moment i heard xena’s story, i’d end up with her, but i wasn’t so sure

you see, xena was already almost three years old and she had been through a lot

i wasn’t sure i wanted to adopt a cat with an uncertain future when i was still heartbroken over saying goodbye to the cat who felt like my soul kitty (we even had skin cancer on the same shoulder!)

but i was lonely and kept thinking about this kitty who needed a special home

when i went to meet her, she wanted nothing to do with me

she sniffed my pink shoe (because she has good taste), then sat under a chair and stared at me for the next fifteen minutes

i never even got close enough again to touch her

despite all that, i said i wanted her

she needed a safe home and i had a home that felt a little too quiet and empty

i brought her home a few days later and she promptly hid in my closet. i wasn’t sure i’d ever get to touch her, pet her, hold her

i just let her have space and gave her food (which turns out to be her love language)

over time, she’d want to be in the same room with me, then sleep in my bed (as long as i wasn’t), and eventually let me pet her

i was late for a timberwolves game the first time she ever sat in my lap (iykyk)

slowly, she started to steal my food, drink my coffee, hog my bed, claim my blankets

i’m not so sure anything belongs to me anymore

personal space no longer exists

she lays down with her butt in my face at night, wakes me up at 4am to pet her, sleeps between my arm and side, and eats treats in my bed before trying to curl up under my chin

people say she’s lucky to have found me but i know it’s the opposite

she could have taken her past and never trusted anyone again but she shows me every day the power of love, patience, and forgiveness

she is a tortie though so she also shows me lots of attitude

still, if i could go back, i’d choose her every time

happy gotcha day to .warriorkitty

or as we call it

cinco de meow 🐈‍⬛

05/05/2026

this melanoma monday, i’m choosing to share my mom’s story instead

in november of last year, she had a routine eye exam where her ophthalmologist noticed a freckle they had been monitoring for years had changed significantly, along with her vision.

because of a medication she’s on for her autoimmune disease, she also sees a retina specialist regularly

on january 2, after meeting with her retina specialist, she rang in the new year with a diagnosis of choroidal melanoma

she was referred to mayo clinic in rochester where she could be seen by someone who specializes in ocular melanoma

on january 29 + 30, my sister and i went with my mom to meet her new care team at mayo. the first day was filled with tests (plus sushi and sake flights) and we got to meet dr. dalvin the next day

february 19, she met with dr. malouf for a consultation and to learn more about her radiation treatment plan

march 2, while i was in DC with for Advocacy Days, my mom had surgery to place the metal fiducial markers in her eye

then on march 17, we met with dr. malouf again for a dry run of her radiation and to have her mask made. we decided having it on st. patrick’s day was a sign of good luck! 🍀

on april 3, my sister, sloane, and i got up before 5am to be in rochester for our mom’s (and grandma’s) last day of radiation. even dr. malouf came out to ring the bell with her!

next up: her first follow up in 2 weeks 🤞🏼

watching my mom go through melanoma has brought up so many emotions i didn’t expect but im grateful to this community for surrounding her with so much love and support immediately 🖤

05/02/2026

melanoma awareness month feels different this year

i’m not sure how much i’ll share tbh - i’ve taken a step back from posting and being online in general while trying to focus on real life and mental health

many of you know that my mom was diagnosed with ocular melanoma at the start of the year

she finished her treatment at the end of march and was feeling well enough that she decided to join me in portland, oregon while i was there for the spring leadership summit

i haven’t really decided how i want to approach this month yet, and maybe i’ll share more of my mom’s story

seeing a parent navigate a melanoma diagnosis after your own beings up so many unexpected emotions

and ocular melanoma, a rare form of melanoma, deserves more attention and awareness

but for now, i just want to share some moments of a trip that felt like joy and celebration

from hugging the no drama llama, celebrating survivorship atop the tallest building in portland, exploring alllll the gardens, haunted underground tunnels, and amazing food and drinks to landing at sunrise back in msp - these are the moments i’m soaking up more of this may

in the meantime, get a skin check and your annual eye exam!

04/21/2026

don’t go chasing waterfalls

swim up them instead

in japanese legend, thousands of carp would gather at the base of the yellow river, attempting to swim upstream over a series of waterfalls

after making it past perilous rapids and nine smaller falls, they would reach the dragon gate

any brave koi who managed to leap over dragon gate would be immediately transformed into a golden dragon

stone placement is incredibly symbolic in japanese culture. thank you to jorden at the for sharing a bit of this story with me and pointing out the carp stone at the base of the waterfall 🐉

04/17/2026

i like big book(store)s and i cannot lie

04/15/2026

Okay, you probably still saw me at a game, even if it wasn’t Cancer Awareness Day.

Did you know the Twins have partnered with the for 10 years, with proceeds from ticket sales being donated to ACS?

An estimated more than 2.1 million Americans will hear the words “you have cancer” in 2026. In 2015, I heard those words for the first time. This year, it was my mom’s turn.

Baseball has been a significant part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I interned at Target Field shortly after my first cancer diagnosis, while completing my Master’s program in Sport Management.

Since then, I’ve attended nearly every Cancer Awareness Day at Target Field. I can’t imagine anything more fitting than fighting cancer while root, root, rooting for the home team.

Look for me behind the 3rd baseline! I’ll be the one with a vegan brat in one hand and sunscreen in the other.

Even better, grab your own ticket and join me in striking out cancer: https://www.mlb.com/twins/tickets/specials/cancer-awareness

04/13/2026

it might only be mid-april, but it’ll be hard to knock today out of my 2026 top ten

03/26/2026

i cry a lot but i am so productive (it’s an art)

03/16/2026

a girl’s guide to getting away

my mom had surgery while i was in DC, so when a cabin she’s been wanting to stay at opened up over my spring break, we decided to book it

not only did it line up with my birthday, but she was also wanting to have some family time before her treatment starts at the end of the month

in true sloaney fashion, she brought multiple fox stuffies to match the “sleeping fox” name of our cabin

we read books (well, sloane and i did), finished a 500 piece puzzle, did some watercolor painting, and definitely found some creepy haunted dolls

it was the perfect balance of exploring small towns and holing up in a cozy cabin

not only that, but we already booked our next family trip before we left: see you at red rocks !

back to the real world tomorrow: at least for a few weeks

next up: portland, oregon in april!

03/12/2026

the quote and photo deserved a permanent place in my feed

did i sneak this hoodie onto the bus for this photo? yes

did i have to strip to a tank top in the snow to change into it? also yes

did i miss all the melahomie group photos to get this photo? still yes

was it worth it? helllllllllll yes

i will never stop advocating for the country i love and believe in

we all deserve more affordable, equitable, accessible healthcare

Address

Washington D.C., DC

Website

https://jennpatrice.com/, https://jenniferpatrice.substack.com/, https://jennpatrice.substack.com/

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