WEST WARWICK — She fought for her country, and now she’s fighting for her life.
Andrea Ryder, a 28-year-old U.S. Marine Veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, recently gave birth to a baby girl, Olivia Marie. But shortly after she began her second trimester in June, she was diagnosed with melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, and given three to six months to live.
Doctors informed her that they would not be able to treat her while she was pregnant because it would likely kill or harm the baby. Yet, said Ryder, they suggested she terminate the pregnancy a week before she was scheduled to learn her baby’s gender.
“They definitely wanted me to highly consider it, but I couldn’t consider it,” Ryder, told a Rhode Island Catholic reporter. “I don’t agree with it, and I’m not going to shun or judge anyone, but for me, personally, I couldn’t do it.”
Ryder, who lives in Warwick, welcomed Olivia Marie to the world on September 29. Though the baby was born 10 weeks early, weighing in at three pounds and three ounces, she is cancer-free and doing well.
“She’s getting really big,” said Ryder, noting that the baby now weighs more than four pounds and is being cared for in the neonatal intensive-care unit at Women and Infants Hospital. “I get up in the morning, I go get my radiation, I take my pills, and I just stay with her all day.”
This isn’t Ryder’s first bout with melanoma. She was diagnosed while deployed from 2006 to 2012, but beat it after returning home and receiving treatment.
Since giving birth, Ryder said the melanoma metastasized significantly. As of July, tumors developed in her lungs, liver, breast and shoulder.
“Just a week after giving birth, it spread like wildfire,” she said. “I got rushed to the hospital and it is in my brain, intestines — all over the place. They’re aren’t any studies that show that the pregnancy causes it to grow faster, but my oncologist believes that’s the case, and I believe it, as well.”
Dr. Otis Brawley, M.D., a medical oncologist and chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, concurs with Ryder’s doctor.
“If I have a pregnant woman and her melanoma starts growing very quickly, I think a reasonable statement is, ‘this is likely due to the pregnancy,’” said Brawley, who is based in Atlanta.
He went on to say that pregnancy causes “incredible” rises in estrogen levels. A woman who is pregnant, he said, has the highest estrogen levels that she will have in her life.
“If I look at women who are taking estrogen, I know that they are at an increased risk of melanoma,” he said. “Just as we see melanoma spread to the liver or the lung, we do see melanoma that can spread to both the embryo, as well as to the amniotic sac.”
To Ryder’s delight, medical professionals performed a variety of preliminary tests during her pregnancy, and were able to confirm that cancer was not detected in the placenta. Therefore, it was not passed on to Olivia Marie.
Brawley noted that several chemotherapy drugs and immunologic therapies would cause harm to an unborn child. That’s why Ryder’s family and friends said her willingness to forgo treatment until after Olivia Marie was born shows her “selflessness” and strength.
One of those people is her mother, Donna Paradisio, who is also dealing with a life-threatening diagnosis, as she has breast cancer that recently spread to her pancreas. The two have gone to radiation treatment appointments together, and continue to give one another hope.
“We’re best buddies,” said Paradisio. “We’re beyond mother and daughter.”
Paradisio is grateful that people are rallying around their family. Bill Griswald, a U.S. Army veteran and member of the U.S. Veterans Motorcycle Club – Rhode Island State, joined forces with several of Ryder’s loved ones to organize a fundraiser. Funds will help Ryder pay medical bills, as well as supplies for the baby.
“I don’t think I can say anything besides, ‘thank you,’” Ryder said to a crowd at the event, which was held at the American Legion Post 2 in West Warwick on October 25. “I can’t believe the turnout. My friends and family came, but there [were] a lot of people I don’t even know.”
Griswald, a parishioner at St. Joseph in Cumberland, said there were about 400 guests. He estimates they raised about $9,000, plus more than $6,700 that’s been donated via a GoFundMe website.
“This is what veterans do – we serve like we served,” said Griswald, adding that the Legion Post donated the venue, while a DJ and four bands performed at no cost. “I put word out on Facebook, and the phone calls started coming in. People contacted me like it was nothing. The community came together.”
Others helped, too, with Serena Whalen and Joanne Boronzy leading the charge with Griswald. A few other motorcycle organizations and military members attended the event in support of the cause, and also helped raise awareness. Others donated food, raffle prizes and more.
Though Griswald met Ryder about a month ago, he said he didn’t think twice about lending a hand. Not only did he want to help a veteran, the pro-life message struck a chord in his heart.
“When a mother puts her life on the line to give life to a child, it’s everything,” he said.
Paradisio said she is proud of her daughter. She also is confident her story will raise more awareness about melanoma screening and prevention.
“People should be getting screened for melanoma and take care of their skin better,” she said, noting that Ryder was exposed to “heavy sunlight” while deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Brawley said while sun exposure and sunburn are risk factors, there are other culprits. Individuals who have fair skin, as well as a lot of moles, he said, are at risk.
“That being said, the number of dark-skinned individuals who get melanoma is very, very small,” he said. “When dark skinned individuals get melanoma, it’s often in the palms of their hands or in their nail beds.”
Ryder’s starting to lose her hair from treatments, but she’s not losing hope. Olivia Marie’s life, she said, is precious.
“I’m so thankful that she’s here,” Ryder said. “She’s healthy, happy and has a huge support system. I get nervous because I know my prognosis, and I’m hoping I can beat the odds. It’s scary, but there is new medicine every day. I have faith. I believe in miracles.”
Click here to learn more about making a donation.
Or click here to purchase tickets to another fundraising event, which will take place Sunday, November 23 at Elk’s Lodge in West Warwick at 5:30 p.m.
