Some of you may know my story when it comes to melanoma. I wrote about it in detail here and I’ve shared stories of some special people in my life who died young from melanoma.
Marty and Jennifer both had an impact on my life well before cancer took them, but that they both died from melanoma connects me to them in ways deeper than just the good times we shared.
This video is one that has been making the rounds this month and I’ve seen it on a few blogs I visit. I almost skipped it thinking what else do I need to know about this dreadful disease, but I discovered a few facts I hadn’t known and it prompted me to write this post.
No matter if you’re 16 or past 70 like my friend Patrice’s mom, Marilyn, who died only seven months after her diagnosis, you need to know what melanoma looks like and how quickly it can take your life or the life of someone you love.
Spend a few minutes on The Skin Cancer Foundation’s site and forward this post or parts of it to people you love.
May is Melanoma Awareness Month and awareness can save your life. I know because it saved mine.
With my melanoma history, my daughter’s chances of skin cancer increase by 50%. Sunscreen and skin checks by a dermatologist are vital along with a good awareness of how her moles normally look so she can tell if they change in any way. She would likely say I was a bit of a nag as much as I talk to her about checkups and sunscreen, but watching people you love die from something that might have been preventable is a horrible thing to witness.
Most people think they know enough about melanoma or they think it only affects you when you’re older, but sites like this one meant to educate a younger generation say that melanoma is the second leading cause of death in 15 to 30 year-olds. Facts like these are worth paying attention to so please listen and please talk to the people you love.
Don’t say goodbye to someone too soon.
A Last Goodbye - Patrice & Joe At Their Mother's Grave
Gifts Of The Journey 
So Powerful. My girls see their dad with almost yearly now (at least the last 4 years) new scars from another questionable mole being excised. And thankfully, except for that first one 6 years ago (at age 34) they have all been benign. But even with that, all his sunscreen lectures, his full SPF clothing coverage from head to toe to in hot, humid, Texas heat as a cattle rancher, in order to take the utmost care of his skin….they still roll their eyes and as teens, report back to us after swim times with friends at sleepovers that they somehow “forgot” or just hate to sunscreen or coverup when out of the water. This video is another help for these beautiful tall, blond, blue eyed, and oh so fair skinned girls whose dad, as a sixteen year old farm boy, worked hard in the blazing Texas sun without a shirt many times and with more than a handful of blistering sunburns in his youth….that leads to now. Our every other month full body checks and from time to time throat gulping times of finding that questionable mole among the near hundreds on his body. Thank you Elizabeth…they will see this and if I get my blogging act together I will post and link to your tale just to get this message of hard truth and love out, too. Thank you.
Thanks for the gentle reminder, and helping educate others about Melanoma.
Its a subject near and dear to my heart.
Love,
David
Great post, keep on spreading the word about looking after your skin. Skin cancer incidence is increasing particularly here in Australia. People need to know that a tan isn’t healthy.