Articles by Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager
Why I Step – Jeff Heaser
By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 18 April 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Events, Melanoma Stories, Prevention, Science, Treatment
In the summer of 2017, Jeff Heaser's eldest son, Jake, received a devastating diagnosis: Stage 4 melanoma. Over the following several years to treat his melanoma, Jake underwent multiple surgeries, radiation treatment, BRAF targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and countless blood tests and scans through Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.
What Melanoma Patients Need to Know About AMTAGVI
By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 28 March 2024 In News, Science, Treatment
You may have heard of AMTAGVI, also known by the generic name lifileucel, a new therapy that recently earned FDA approval. AMTAGVI is a type of cellular therapy that uses Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) to treat patients with advanced melanoma whose melanoma hasn’t responded – or quit responding – to PD-1 based immunotherapies and BRAF/MEK targeted therapy if their melanoma has the BRAF mutation.
Melanoma Research Alliance and Antidote Improve the Clinical Trial Navigator Experience for Patients and Caregivers
By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 26 March 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Science, Treatment
In an effort to empower and assist melanoma patients in their clinical trial search, MRA first joined forces with Antidote in 2017 to provide a streamlined, easy-to-use clinical trial search tool. Recently, we launched a major update to the tool with enhancements to make searches more patient-centric, especially for individuals who are impacted by rare melanoma subtypes and those seeking systemic therapy at earlier stages of disease.
Overcoming Melanoma and Finding Purpose: Brittanny Groover's Story
By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 21 March 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Melanoma Stories, Prevention, Treatment
Growing up as a child in the 2000s and even later into her teens and early 20s, Brittanny Groover wanted what many other young girls and women want: to be tan. Whether it was using tanning beds with her high school friends or laying out by the pool with her...
Toni English's Journey from Mucosal Melanoma Patient to Advocate
By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 28 February 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Melanoma Stories, Science, Treatment
In the five years since overcoming Stage 4 mucosal melanoma, Toni English has found her life’s passion advocating for patients and families and championing research to answer the many questions that surround this rare melanoma.
Perseverance through Advanced Melanoma: Clay Hummer
By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 15 November 2023 In Melanoma Stories, Prevention, Science, Treatment
Clay Hummer is no stranger to perseverance, and his journey to today was not always easy. He gave up a career in law that he worked hard for to get completely sober and start a fresh chapter, moving to Texas in his 40s where he met the love of his life Christi. So, when he was diagnosed with melanoma shortly after his move, he knew quite a bit about overcoming a challenge.
Melanoma Risk in the Military Community
By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 9 November 2023 In News, Prevention, Science, Treatment
Ahead of Veterans Day, the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) wishes to recognize the brave individuals who have served and sacrificed for our country. As the largest private nonprofit funder of melanoma research worldwide, we are keenly aware of the important intersection between military service and melanoma.
Navy Veteran Ashlynn Soellner's Melanoma Journey
By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 8 November 2023 In Melanoma Stories, Prevention, Treatment
Shortly after her active-duty career in the Navy came to an end, Ashlynn began noticing new moles on her body. She scheduled an appointment with her dermatologist, where a lesion on her shoulder was biopsied. Just a couple weeks later, she received an official diagnosis: she had melanoma. “You never think cancer will happen to you, especially when you are young. I was in complete shock,” said Ashlynn.
A History of Sunburns and an Early Stage Melanoma Diagnosis: Jill Roth
By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 26 October 2023 In Melanoma Stories, Treatment
Jill Roth has lived her entire life in Dennison, Ohio. There, she grew up in a close-knit family, eventually started her own, and later became a caretaker to her elderly parents. Now retired, she looks back on her upbringing fondly – especially the countless summers spent by the pool.
Advancing Research after a Rare Diagnosis: Janet Yannelli's Acral Melanoma Journey
By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 16 October 2023 In Allies & Partnerships, Melanoma Stories, Science, Treatment
“I had never heard of acral melanoma, even though I’m a nurse,” remarked Janet Yannelli, lifelong Maine resident. Acral melanoma is a rare melanoma subtype that accounts for about 1-3% of cases each year. Acral melanoma forms on the palms, soles of feet, or under nails.
About the Author
Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager
Renee Orcione joined the MRA team as a Development Associate in February 2020 and was promoted to Digital Engagement & Communications Manager in September 2022. In her role, Renee provides substantial communications and programmatic support and is responsible for creating, executing, and optimizing content and campaigns to advance MRA’s mission and vision through digital channels.
Renee graduated with a BA in Public Communications and Spanish from American University’s School of Communication in 2016. While in college, she discovered her passion for non-profit work while interning with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance and was involved with several other mission-based organizations, including Run Hope Work and City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties. Renee joined MRA after spending two years at Child Care Aware of America, a nonprofit focused on advancing quality child care for all families.
Outside of the office, Renee enjoys traveling, visiting her family in Massachusetts, and spending time with her dogs Linus, who she adopted through City Dogs Rescue, and Rony, her husband's retired military working dog.