Melanie Ottersen
Patient Advocate, Pennsylvania
Highlights
- Speaker & advisory committee member, 2026 Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer
- 2024 Hear My Voice Advocate
Melanie Ottersen is a 2024 Hear My Voice advocate who was diagnosed with de novo triple negative metastatic breast cancer in July 2018. She has been no evidence of disease (NED) since August 2022 and has been an active member of Living Beyond Breast Cancer for several years.
Melanie is passionate about sharing her lived experiences with metastatic breast cancer and polycystic kidney disease. She is an avid volunteer, helping spread educational information and resources to anyone navigating complex and overlapping health conditions.
Outside of her health advocacy work, Melanie enjoys spending time with her friends and making memories with her three grandchildren.
I hope my story will help others realize that they are not alone when facing multiple chronic or terminal illnesses. There might not be a bright light at the end of the tunnel, but there is a light at the beginning: Live every day to its fullest.