Each Chemo Love Tote is filled with comfort items, healing tools, and love — a reminder to women in treatment that they are seen, supported, and never alone. Our biggest champions? You.
Before cancer reshaped her life’s purpose, Melanie Shatner Gretsch lived many lives on screen. An actress and daughter of television icon William Shatner, Melanie appeared in a range of film and television projects from Star Trek to Camp Cucamonga, carving out a career that embraced creativity, storytelling, and performance. She starred in cult classics like Bloodstone: Species II, made guest appearances in series like Knots Landing and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, and shared screen time with her father in several productions, including Tek War and Perversions of Science. After marrying actor Joel Gretsch, she gracefully stepped away from acting in 1999 to focus on family life, eventually opening a boutique store in Studio City.
But Melanie’s most defining role began off-camera — as a Stage IV breast cancer survivor. After enduring 18 months of grueling treatment at UCLA (chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, and targeted therapy), she now channels her strength and compassion into advocacy and patient support.
What she brings to The Zero Negative Foundation: Melanie’s unique journey — from Hollywood sets to hospital rooms — gives her a deep, empathetic perspective that few others carry. She knows what it means to feel seen, held, and loved during life’s darkest moments. Her presence on the board infuses our programs with authenticity, warmth, and the wisdom of someone who has walked the walk.
Passion: Today, Melanie is committed to making sure no patient feels alone. With every Chemo Love Tote gifted, she pays forward the care, hope, and healing that helped her transform her pain into purpose.