Dennis Rapp at Jordan Lake, NC 2010

DENNIS RAPP MIRACLEPATIENT

First post: Feb 14, 2012 Latest post: Nov 1, 2021
DENNIS RAPP is a 7+ Years Stage 4 SURVIVOR of Melanoma Cancer.JULIANNE NILAN is my Advocate & Partner of 24 yrs.We Thank Oncologist Dr. Fran Collichio of UNC Chapel Hill,Our Hero & Angel! Thank you Dr.James P. Allison, Head of Immunology at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in NY who developed the drug YERVOY (IPILUMUMAB) that saved Dennis' Life. DENNIS is a MIRACLE PATIENT & Ju!ianne a MIRACALE WORKER! 



I'M KNOWN AS THE MIRACLE PATIENT AT UNC CHAPEL HILL ONCOLOGY. I AM A 5+ YEARS SURVIVOR OF IPILIMUMAB(IPI) A CLINICAL TRIAL DRUG WHICH WAS FDA APPROVED ON MARCH 25, 2011. NOW IPI IS CALLED YERVOY & MADE BY BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB. I TOOK ONLY ONE DOSE ON MAY 3, 2007 TO HELP FIGHT OFF 5 MELANOMA TUMORS IN MY BODY THAT 2 BRAIN SURGERIES, CHEMO & FULL BRAIN RADIATION COULDN'T FIGHT OFF. CLINICAL TRIAL RESULTS WERE PUBLISHED IN THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 8/19/2010. IPI WAS DEVELOPED FOR MELANOMA BUT IS VERY PROMISING FOR OTHER CANCERS.  I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT  MY ONCOLOGIST DR. FRAN COLLICHIO GOT ME INTO THIS TRIAL. I AM ALIVE & I AM A 7+ YEARS SURVIVOR OF STAGE 4 MELANOMA!

I WANT TO HELP MELANOMA & YERVOY PATIENTS. TO ME YERVOY IS EARTH SHATTERING & HOPEFULLY WILL TURN THE TIDE ON CANCER TREATMENT. I AM LIVING PROOF THAT YERVOY IS A VALID TREATMENT. WITH THE AVERAGE SURVIVAL ONLY 10 MONTHS FOR STAGE 4 MELANOMA, YERVOY EXTENDS IT 2 MONTHS. LATEST INFO IS AT YERVOY.COM

I AM AN EXCEPTION & AN EXCEPTIONAL PERSON. I AM FEELING STRONG & FEEL THE WORST IS FINALLY OVER. I AM MOVING FORWARD, LOOKING UP & WANT TO LEAD THE WAY TO CONQUERING CANCER. THE BIG C SHOULD GO OUT TO SEA!

AS A MERCHANT SEAMAN I LEARNED TO BE A SURVIVOR. I HAVE BEEN TO 80+ COUNTRIES & THE USA IS THE BEST IN THE WORLD! LETS LEAD THE WAY TO CURE ALL CANCERS. 

I NEVER KNEW I WAS SICK UNTIL I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 4 MELANOMA WHICH HAD METASTISIZED INTO 2 BRAIN TUMORS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. LUCKILY A MINOR FENDER BENDER ON 4/9/2005 LED TO A HELICOPTER RIDE TO UNC CHAPEL HILL NC.

MY 1ST SURGERY WAS A CRANIOTOMY 4/13/2005 WHEN A 2.2 CM BRAIN TUMOR WAS REMOVED IN THE RIGHT FRONTAL LOBE, FOLLOWED BY BLOOD CLOTS TO BOTH LUNGS & LEGS. NEXT WAS 14 WHOLE BRAIN RADIATION TREATMENTS TOTALLING 3500 CgY. AFTER 3 WEEKS OF RADIATION  I WAS PARALYZED ON THE LEFT SIDE.

WITH NO OTHER OPTIONS TO TREAT THE 2ND BRAIN TUMOR, A 2ND CRANIOTOMY WAS PERFORMED ON MY 53RD BDAY! A 2.4 CM RIGHT PARIETAL LOBE BRAIN TUMOR WAS REMOVED. UNBELIEVABLY THE PARALYSIS WAS REVERSED. I RELEARNED HOW TO WALK, BUT WAS IN CONSTANT PAIN. THERE WAS MORE MELANOMA.

I SWALLOWED A CAPSULE CAMERA & A COLON TUMOR WAS RESECTED IN OCT 05. FROM NOV 2005 TO MAY 2006 I HAD 6 MONTHS OF CHEMO (TEMADOR 200 MG/M2).

MELANOMA CAME BACK IN 5 TUMORS IN 2007, MY ONLY OPTION WAS A CLINICAL TRIAL FOR IPILUMUMAB (IPI).  I HAD 1 DOSE ON 5/3/2007. I SUFFERED LEG SWELLING WHICH REQUIRED ER VISITS, INPATIENT STAY & WAS TAKEN OFF THE CLINICAL TRIAL AFTER JUST ONE DOSE. TRULY SCARY! 

I HAD KIDNEY STONE ESWL SHOCK FOLLOWED BY KIDNEY STONE SURGERY IN 10/2007 & 1/2008 & URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS. 

IN 10/2010 I SUFFERED A SERIES OF COMPLEX PARTIAL BRAIN SEIZURES & SPENT 4 NIGHTS IN THE STROKE UNIT PARALYZED ON THE LEFT SIDE & MY LEFT EYE BLIND. IT WAS THE SCARIEST THING JULIANNE HAS SEEN ME GO THROUGH. THE PROGNOSIS WAS POSSIBLE PERMANENT PARALYSIS. AFTER GOING HOME ANOTHER SEIZURE & AMBULANCE RIDE. 

I NOW TAKE ANTI SEIZURE MEDS. I SUFFER FROM NECK & BACK PAIN & HAVE BALANCE ISSUES & FALLS BUT AM STANDING TALL & PROUD.

DR. FRAN COLLICHIO HAS GUIDED US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. YOU ARE A TRUE ROLE MODEL, FRIEND & SOMEONE BOTH JULIANNE AND I TRULY ADMIRE.

KEEP THE SUNBLOCK & A GOOD HAT ON & PLEASE DON'T SUNBATHE & NO TANNING BEDS! THIS RED HEADED FRECKLED FACE GUY HATES TO SEE NEEDLESS SUFFERING WITH MELANOMA. SEE A DERMATOLOGIST EARLY DETECTION IS NEEDED.

TO MY MOM LULU MARGARET RAPP, WHOSE MAIDEN NAME WAS KING. I AM YOUR LITTLE PRINCE! LOVE TO MY BROTHER ROBERT, ANOTHER PRINCE!

THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS & FAMILY & TO OUR DEAR FRIENDS OF 40 YRS KENNY & LINDA KOZLIK FOR STANDING BY US.

THIS WEBSITE IS A WAY FOR US TO UPDATE OUR JOURNEY & SHARE OUR STORY. PLEASE ENTER YOUR THOUGHTS IN 'MY GUESTBOOK'. DENNIS CAN BE REACHED AT MIRACLEPATIENT@GMAIL.COM (mailto:MIRACLEPATIENT@GMAIL.COM) 

SEE UNC STORY ON DENNIS AT http://newfaceofcancercare.org/stories/391

YOU CAN RECOGNIZE DENNIS WEARING HIS TRADEMARK INDIANA JONES HATS & HAWAIIN SHIRTS STARRING IN THE ADVENTURES OF OUR LIFE! WE FINALLY GOT IT MADE IN THE SHADE! PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PASS ALONG OUR STORY.

DENNIS RAPP & JULIANNE NILAN

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