Articles by Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager


Investigating CAR-T Cell Therapy for Advanced Melanoma

By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 28 August 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, News, Science, Treatment

One of the greatest scientific breakthroughs in melanoma research has been the FDA approval of cancer immunotherapy treatments called checkpoint inhibitors. These treatments stimulate the body’s own immune system to fight off melanoma. Checkpoint immunotherapies, first approved in melanoma, are now being used to treat a number of different cancer types.

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Sun Safety Spotlight: Dawn Stringer’s Early-Stage Melanoma Diagnosis

By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 30 July 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Melanoma Stories, Prevention, Treatment

Being a child of the 90s, sun safety wasn’t a top priority for Dawn Stringer. “I remember always having pink shoulders,” said Dawn of growing up in sunny Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Whether from the sun or from tanning beds, having a tan seemed essential.

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Stage 4 Mucosal Melanoma to No Evidence of Disease: Dane Thorp's Journey

By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 26 June 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Melanoma Stories, Prevention, Science, Treatment

“I can’t hide the fact that I had melanoma,” said Stage 4 mucosal melanoma survivor Dane Thorp. “And when I share my story with others, I always emphasize the importance of being your own advocate.”

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Melanoma Awareness Month 2024: In Case You Missed It

By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 30 May 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Events, Melanoma Stories, News, Prevention, Science, Treatment

Throughout the last 31 days, the entire melanoma community has come together to recognize Melanoma Awareness Month. The community heard from leading experts in the field, connected with other patient advocates, and spread awareness of melanoma and the importance of prevention, early detection, and the impact of research. 

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Kelly McWhinney's Melanoma Journey of Perseverance and Perspective

By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 13 May 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Melanoma Stories, Prevention, Science, Treatment

In March of 2022, Kelly McWhinney was a busy mother to her one and two-year-old daughters Mia and Blakely. Life was as hectic as expected for the 27-year-old, but when she noticed that a mole on her back was suddenly changing, she decided to call her dermatologist.

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Melanoma Awareness Month: Ways to Get Involved

By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 29 April 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Events, Melanoma Stories, News, Prevention, Science, Treatment

Melanoma Awareness Month, held each May, is an occasion to connect and be in community with others who have been touched by melanoma. With this month brings the opportunity to join forces with other melanoma advocates to raise awareness of melanoma research, the importance of early detection, and the many...

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Why I Step – Jeff Heaser

By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 18 April 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Events, Melanoma Stories, Prevention, Science, Treatment

In the summer of 2017, Jeff Heaser's eldest son, Jake, received a devastating diagnosis: Stage 4 melanoma. Over the following several years to treat his melanoma, Jake underwent multiple surgeries, radiation treatment, BRAF targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and countless blood tests and scans through Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

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What Melanoma Patients Need to Know About AMTAGVI

By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 28 March 2024 In News, Science, Treatment

You may have heard of AMTAGVI, also known by the generic name lifileucel, a new therapy that recently earned FDA approval. AMTAGVI is a type of cellular therapy that uses Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) to treat patients with advanced melanoma whose melanoma hasn’t responded – or quit responding – to PD-1 based immunotherapies and BRAF/MEK targeted therapy if their melanoma has the BRAF mutation.

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Melanoma Research Alliance and Antidote Improve the Clinical Trial Navigator Experience for Patients and Caregivers

By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 26 March 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Science, Treatment

In an effort to empower and assist melanoma patients in their clinical trial search, MRA first joined forces with Antidote in 2017 to provide a streamlined, easy-to-use clinical trial search tool. Recently, we launched a major update to the tool with enhancements to make searches more patient-centric, especially for individuals who are impacted by rare melanoma subtypes and those seeking systemic therapy at earlier stages of disease.

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Overcoming Melanoma and Finding Purpose: Brittanny Groover's Story

By Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager | 21 March 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Melanoma Stories, Prevention, Treatment

Growing up as a child in the 2000s and even later into her teens and early 20s, Brittanny Groover wanted what many other young girls and women want: to be tan. Whether it was using tanning beds with her high school friends or laying out by the pool with her...

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About the Author
Renee Orcione, MRA Digital Engagement & Communications Manager


Renee Orcione joined the MRA team as a Development Associate in February 2020 and was promoted to Digital Engagement & Communications Manager in September 2022. In her role, Renee provides substantial communications and programmatic support and is responsible for creating, executing, and optimizing content and campaigns to advance MRA’s mission and vision through digital channels.

Renee graduated with a BA in Public Communications and Spanish from American University’s School of Communication in 2016. While in college, she discovered her passion for non-profit work while interning with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance and was involved with several other mission-based organizations, including Run Hope Work and City Dogs Rescue & City Kitties. Renee joined MRA after spending two years at Child Care Aware of America, a nonprofit focused on advancing quality child care for all families.

Outside of the office, Renee enjoys traveling, visiting her family in Massachusetts, and spending time with her dogs Linus, who she adopted through City Dogs Rescue, and Rony, her husband's retired military working dog.

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