The Nowra couple chose a name they loved, and one that uses the acronym of the Melanoma Institute of Australia (MIA) – an organisation they credit with saving Mr Drover’s life. 

Four years ago, the then 30-year-old Mr Drover saw a doctor at the insistence of his wife, who had spotted a lump on his head that had split and was not healing properly. 

A week later Mr Drover received a call from the doctor asking him to return – and to bring someone with him. 

“They said it was melanoma and it was so surreal,” Mr Drover said. 

In just a few days, Mr Drover was in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital having tests and underwent surgery by the end of the week. 

Surgeons cut a 30 centimetre incision from the bottom of his head to the top. 

While recovery only took a few weeks, 12 months later Mr Drover noticed a lump behind his ear.

A biopsy revealed cancer cells had spread to his lymph nodes, while a PET showed cancer cells in his lungs. He was diagnosed as stage four. 

“I don’t know how to describe what I was feeling,” Mr Drover said. 

“I tried to remain positive because you read a lot of stories that aren’t great but then there’s people out there who get through it so I focused on that.” 

Mr Drover qualified for an immunotherapy clinical trial with the Melanoma Institute of Australia and travelled from Nowra to the Mater Hospital every month for two-and-a-half years to receive treatment. 

Within a few months of being on the treatment, Mr Drover said the cancer cells began to shrank and in January this year, he received his last dose of treatment.  

Without the help of the Melanoma Institute of Australia, Mr Drover said he might not be here today.

“The drugs I received (pembrolizumab and ipilimumab) weren’t listed on the PBS at the time so without the Melanoma Institute I wouldn’t have gotten that treatment,” he said. 

“It varied but the cost would have been tens of thousands of dollars.”

While Mr Drover has always made every effort to ensure he was protected from the sun, he encouraged others to continue to be sun smart and most importantly, get regular skin checks. 

“I had not being doing the skin checks regularly and although I would have done to the doctor eventually, if it wasn’t for my wife insisting I go, I wouldn’t have gone anywhere near as soon as I did,” he said. 

Michelle and Josh were married in April 2014, just a few months before Josh was initially diagnosed, and the couple decided not to put their lives on hold. 

They welcomed their beautiful daughter Mia in May 2016. 

For the past two years the couple, and now Mia, have participated in the annual Wollongong Melanoma March.

The seventh event will be held on Sunday, March 11 and Mr Drover encouraged everyone to turn out and show their support. 

“There’s two parts to it – one is marching to remember those who are suffering or have lost their battle with melanoma and the second part is to raise funds for melanoma research,” he said.  

“It’s also to inspire others who are suffering with melanoma and to bring attention to the fact that there’s a treatment out there and it’s working but we need to keep funding research. 

“Five to ten years ago there was no treatment like this and I wouldn’t be here today without it.”

To register for the Wollongong Melanoma March on Sunday, March 11 from 7:30am at Northbeach, or to sponsor someone marching, visit www.melanomamarch.org.au