Belgrade Woman, 56, Lives Fully After 11 Years and 16 Surgeries for Melanoma

Beba Basta, a 56-year-old from Belgrade, refuses to let melanoma define her life, even after 11 years of battling the disease and undergoing 16 surgeries. She lives actively, traveling, cycling, and cherishing moments with her daughters and friends between treatments and check-ups.

"It's difficult, but it's possible. On one hand, 11 years is a long period, and on the other hand, it's 11 years of life. I am grateful to be here," Basta said in a FoNet series. Initially confused about her diagnosis, she has since learned to live with the uncertainty.

Basta acknowledges past negligence regarding sun exposure, including tanning beds, which she now recognizes as risk factors. "I have fair skin and my skin is more sensitive. As a teenager, I wanted a tan, I sunbathed and used tanning beds to prepare my skin for the sea. Back then, there wasn't much talk about melanoma. Today we know much more, and it's important for young people to hear this," she stated.

She emphasizes that while prevention is crucial, a cancer diagnosis today is not a death sentence. "The word cancer is often equated with death. But today there are innovative therapies and drugs that allow the disease to be kept under control and for people to live quality, fulfilling lives," Basta testified. She credits her daughters for their unwavering support, which has helped her navigate the challenges. "My two daughters have been with me from day one. They went through difficult times with me, but together we learned to live with it."

Basta now views hospital visits not as a stigma but as a routine part of her life. "The hospital has become like going to work for me. It's an obligation I have to finish, and then we move on." She fills her days with joy, cycling, dancing folklore, and traveling, demonstrating a powerful will to live life to the fullest. "I try to make my days beautiful. I cannot control the disease, but I can control my attitude towards what is happening to me. After interventions, results, and check-ups – comes the more beautiful part of my life. And I truly enjoy it," she concluded.