Robin Zimmerman

Robin Zimmerman is a retired baker living in the Willamette Valley. In 2008, his wife lost her life at the age of 48 after a four-year struggle with melanoma, leaving behind an adult son and preteen daughter. Five years later, he had an early-stage melanoma diagnosed and removed. He now divides his time working part-time at a hospital and as a skin cancer advocate volunteering with multiple organizations.

A Superhero Movie Triggered My Cancer-Related PTSD

September 02, 2022

Article

Cancer is talked about more openly nowadays, and while watching a movie with my daughter, a scene portraying a character in hospice care gave me flashbacks to our cancer experience.

Dealing With People’s Reactions to Cancer: From Empathy to Sympathy

July 07, 2022

Article

I prefer when people respond with empathy when they hear about my wife’s death from cancer, though I’m often met with sympathy first.

No Matter the Obstacle Thrown in Our Faces, Cancer Advocates Will Always Succeed

May 13, 2022

Article

I like to think that cancer advocates live the motto of the postal service, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from their swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

I Have Some Regrets Around How I Handled My Wife’s Cancer

April 17, 2022

Article

Upon reflecting on my late wife's cancer experience, one of my major regrets is not properly saying goodbye.

Inclusion in Cancer Care Takes an Effort on All Fronts

April 08, 2022

Article

As a melanoma advocate, I realized that people of color often are not included in research or properly understand their risks for skin cancer. Here’s what I’m doing to change that.

Cancer Conferences Helped Me Grow as an Advocate

March 25, 2022

Article

At first, I struggled to keep up with the scientific jargon being presented at a cancer conference, but eventually I hit my stride and now I leave these events with a renewed sense of inspiration.

What I Learned About Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Skin Cancer Space

February 11, 2022

Article

I learned that a more prominent obstacle that we need to navigate is getting past the assumption that having a darker skin tone protects people from skin cancer.

Holiday Traditions May Change After a Loved One Dies From Cancer, But The Memories Remain

December 13, 2021

Article

A cancer survivor explains how his holiday traditions changed after his wife was sick with and eventually died from cancer, and why each changing tradition holds a special place in his heart.

My Wife’s Attitude Toward Cancer: ‘Why Not Me?’

November 29, 2021

Article

A man who lost his wife to cancer explains the positive attitude she had during treatment and how she came to reach acceptance of her prognosis.

My Responsibility to Society for Cancer Survival

November 07, 2021

Article

Society helps move progress forward in cancer research, causing one survivor to ask, “How can I pay back that debt?”

Did My Wife Die From Cancer Because of Fate, Destiny or Necessity?

October 12, 2021

Article

A man who lost his wife due to cancer explains how it changed the trajectory of his family’s lives. He writes, “The question will still weigh on me at times, often in a religious or philosophical sense – was this the plan all along?”

A Cancer Survivor Unpacks the Impacts of Society’s Labels: 'Am I a Victim or a Survivor?'

September 17, 2021

Article

A melanoma survivor and former caregiver analyzes the way society’s labels shape our behaviors and identities.

Why Isn’t Sunscreen Marketed to Men?

July 29, 2021

Article

“There is every reason sunscreen can be promoted on what it does in its ability to reduce your risk of skin cancers over its cosmetic application to prevent the signs of aging,” writes a melanoma survivor.