If you’ve spent any time around Oakdale, you know it’s the kind of place where people wear a lot of hats. Neighbor, friend, business owner, parent. Caitlyn Hartzell Mahan is all of those things and then some. She’s a lifelong Oakdale local, born and raised, and proud of it. Nearly 29 years of small town roots, strong family ties, and a life built right here in the Central Valley.

You might recognize her from Vena’s & Co., where she works as a cosmetologist, or from her farm stand, Modern Meemaw. And if you’ve ever driven past her place, chances are you’ve seen at least a few of the animals that make up her very full, very lively home life. Cows, chickens, ducks, geese, dogs, and a horse are all part of the crew. At the center of it all is her daughter, Lydia.

At just two years old, Lydia Mahan already fits right into Oakdale life. “She’s a farm girl through and through,” Caitlyn says. Lydia spends her days outside with her papa, Ed Hartzell, checking cows, feeding her horse Too Too, collecting eggs, and helping care for baby chicks. It’s the kind of childhood that feels straight out of a storybook, only it’s real life, right here in town. Caitlyn shares that life with her husband, Blake Mahan, whom she met while they were both working at the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department. She worked as a property and evidence technician, and he was a deputy. A very Oakdale way to meet.

From the outside, her life looks full, busy, and grounded. And it is. But in 2023, everything shifted in a way no one could have expected.

Back in 2022, Caitlyn noticed a mole on her left temple and was initially told it was nothing to worry about. About a year later, she started to notice changes. It was growing, itchy, and flaky. Trusting her instincts, she made another appointment, and that decision made all the difference. The mole was removed and tested, coming back as melanoma in situ. Around the same time, other symptoms began to appear, including swelling in her jaw and worsening pain in her ribs. After several doctor visits, she ended up in the emergency room on July 26, 2023. An ultrasound revealed masses on her liver, and the next day she was airlifted to UCSF, where doctors confirmed she had Stage 4 metastatic melanoma. She had also been internally bleeding for several days without knowing it.

At the same time, Caitlyn was pregnant. What followed was a fight on two fronts, for her life and for her baby’s. Doctors moved quickly to stabilize her, performing a procedure to control bleeding in her liver while she was still pregnant. To give her baby the best possible chance, Caitlyn went through multiple rounds of steroid shots to help her baby’s lungs develop faster. She was then faced with an emergency C-section so she could begin life-saving treatment.

On August 7, 2023, Lydia Lorraine Mahan was born at just 26 weeks, weighing 2 pounds and 4 ounces, and was immediately taken to the NICU at UCSF. While Lydia was fighting her own tiny battle, under the watchful eye of her Mimi Vena Hudgins, Caitlyn began aggressive treatment for cancer that had spread to her liver, spine, breast, and parotid gland. The road was anything but smooth. There were infections, ICU stays, and serious complications from treatment. At one point, her body swelled dramatically, and her spine fractured in two different places from tumor damage, making it incredibly painful to move.

There were moments when her family was told to prepare for the worst. “One night they didn’t think I would make it,” Caitlyn recalls. “They brought my baby down from the NICU to say goodbye. They placed her on my chest, crying. I woke up scared.” It is a moment that has stayed with her.

Her recovery came slowly, and not without more challenges. She later developed a brain metastasis and experienced seizures. At one point, she had to relearn how to walk. Even simple things, like holding her baby, were difficult. But step by step, she kept going. With the help of her medical team, including Dr. Lee at UCSF, she continued treatment through targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

In November, Caitlyn and Lydia were finally able to come home to Oakdale, back to the community and life that had always grounded them. Then, in August of 2024, Caitlyn received the kind of news that once felt out of reach. She was in remission. “I owe my life to my family, and the amazing staff who helped me through this journey,” she says.

Today, Caitlyn is back to doing what she loves, working with clients, running her farm stand, raising Lydia, and embracing the everyday moments that mean so much more now. She is also sharing her story through organizations like the AIM at Melanoma Foundation and the Melanoma Research Foundation, hoping to raise awareness and encourage others to take sun safety seriously. “I hope my story gives people hope and educates people about sun safety,” she says.

What makes Caitlyn’s story so special is not just what she went through, but where she is now. She’s still here, still part of the Oakdale community, still living the life she loves. She’s the neighbor you might see at a local shop, the mom chasing a toddler through the yard, the small business owner pouring her heart into her work.

Her story is a reminder to trust your instincts, take care of your health, and lean on the people around you. And in a place like Oakdale, that support runs deep. If you have any questions regarding skin checks or melanoma, please check out the Melanoma Research Foundation at Melanoma.org