I have been dealing with skin cancer since I was 19. My most recent surgery was in January of this year (2010). Here is my story:
I grew up in Texas . My youth was spent outside. I have been a swimmer and athlete all my life. My family spent the weekends windsurfing on the beach. I was on the tennis and swim teams, which practiced daily for a few hours. Swimming and tennis had no off season because the weather was always suitable for outside practice. I was tan all my life. I did not go to tanning salons. I did not need to.
When I was a freshman at University of Texas, I noticed a sore on my forehead. I made an appointment with a dermatologist who diagnosed it as acne with a bacterial infection. This was a logical diagnosis because I was still an adolescent with normal skin problems. The antibiotics helped, but the sore never fully went away. I assumed that it was a scar. Over a year later, I consulted another dermatologist who chose to do a biopsy. Within a few days of that visit, I was told that I had cancer. This was the beginning of over a decade of battling this disease.
Because of the original misdiagnosis, the cancer spread below the skin’s surface (which was why I did not return to the doctor for a year). It had unnecessarily become a serious, life-threatening condition. I have since had multiple treatments, including a skin graft and many plastic surgeries. The cancer keeps returning to other places on my face, chest, arms and legs. Fortunately I have a type of cancer that can be easily detected and treated, and I have been vigilant in seeing my skin cancer specialist.
I am always happy to share my story because I think that skin cancer is viewed as a disease for older people. I have lived in Utah for only a few years, and I am shocked by the popularity of tanning. The idea that tan skin looks healthier and prettier than pale should be an antiquated idea. I am so concerned for these women and men who embrace the tanning lifestyle. I am also concerned about athletes and recreationalists who are cavalier in their use of sun protection. I participate in winter sports because I can cover my whole body with protective gear, but I know among skiers and snowboarders the “goggle tan” is a status symbol. This is a dangerous trend. I have a family friend who died of Melanoma just a few months ago. She was in her early 30s.
I want the youth especially to know that they are not immune to the harmful effects of the sun, especially irresponsible exposure like tanning. I was a teenager when I got skin cancer, and it has affected my life dramatically. I have lots of visible scars, about which I am self conscious. I cannot spend time in the sun. I’ve had to limit or cease the activities that I hoped to spend my life doing (tennis, surfing, swimming, kayaking, etc.). In the past, I have been cavalier about my protecting myself from sun exposure, and inevitably a tumor appears. I have not let myself become a victim of my disease, but I limit my exercise to indoors, at night, or in shaded areas. Otherwise, I put myself at risk.
So what should you do about it?
- Start with a self exam - instructions
- Don't tan! - here's why
- Be smart - Smartness
Mohs Micrographic Surgery... the procedure I've had most often. This is a very cool video. I recommend watching all 7 parts. It's only a couple minutes lon
