MELANIE'S STORY - Melanie Payne was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. As a columnist for The News-Press, a daily newspaper in Southwest Florida, she thought that chronicling her story might help spread the word about the importance of early detection and the treatment options available for women with breast cancer. Melanie enlisted the assistance of Amanda Inscore, a photographer at The News-Press, who for one year accompanied Melanie as she went through her diagnosis, surgery, treatment and recovery. In January 2010 Melanie and Amanda published a three-part series documenting Melanieﾒs year-long battle against the disease. Melanieﾒs series stressed the importance of routine mammograms in the early detection of breast cancer and was a call for women to be informed and assertive in their medical treatment.

Melanie is an award-winning journalist and author. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, she and her husband Rodney Williams live in Fort Myers, Florida.