Tod Madderra, Business Owner
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Survivor Since: 2008
'Everyone is susceptible to this disease.'

As an active member of the Gwinnett Relay for Life steering committee, Tod Madderra uses his personal talents and professional know-how to raise awareness about cancer, the value of early detection and the ultimate goal of prevention. By harnessing the power of the Internet and the impact of video, he's able to help the Gwinnett American Cancer Society unit reach thousands with a message of how pervasive cancer is. Cancer, as Tod will tell you, can happen to anyone.

It's a message he's delivered strongly and consistently for years. Except, he now admits, he really didn't believe it would happen to him. "Secretly, in the back of your mind, you’re thinking it’s not going to be you. I’m fine …I don’t need to wear sunscreen. But that’s changed. I know now -- you are not special. Everyone is susceptible to this disease."

In December 2008, Tod was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma – skin cancer. He’d been getting annual check ups from his dermatologists, a habit started after he began working with ACS. "They’d occasionally find some pre-cancerous things. But this last time -- you could just see it in their faces."

Tests confirmed cancer, and the "spot" on Tod’s forehead was surgically removed. "It still seems very surreal. I don’t feel like I had cancer…and then the gravity sets in. Cancer is cancer."

There is a silver lining, says Tod. "I have two little boys, 5 and 7, and we’ve always been diligent with the sunscreen for them. Now, I can say, ‘This is what happens if you don’t wear sunscreen.’ They can now see a perfect example of why they need to do this."

Always a proponent of early detection, Tod now says he’s turned up the volume even more. "I feel like the greatest impact I can possibly make -- whether it is me or through ACS -- is to tell people: Don’t underestimate this disease. Anyone can get it at anytime, and the way to make the biggest impact in terms of reducing numbers is to get checked. Don’t ever assume that it’s just nothing. Get it checked."