Why It's Important.

Of course everyone wants their children to Stay Safe in the Sun.  We hear it on television and common sense has taught us that the sun, in large doses, is harmful.  But why have I decided to dedicate a blog event to the subject?  Because...

I'm a Melanoma Survivor.

Surprised?  You shouldn't be.  According to SkinCancer.Org,

•  Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.
• Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for young people 15-29 years old. 

 It's important for me to share my story.  So, I'm going to share with you all today and my hope is that it will touch at least one person and make them open their eyes to the dangers of the sun and be more protective of their own skin and especially their child's.

Rob and I were married in November of 2008.  This is important because that's when I got health insurance!  I was 1 of many Americans that didn't have any because I was self-employed and premiums were just way too high.  There were many things I needed to go to the doctor for when I got the insurance, but one was definitely a mole that had been troubling me.  Frankly, I was self-conscious of it.  It was on the back of my left calf and it seemed to be getting bigger.  I would often wear pants because I thought it was so ugly.

Soo... I showed it to a friend of mine, who's a P.A. in Dermatology and she suggested I definitely get it looked at {she couldn't give medical advice other than that, as we weren't in an office, just hanging out.}  Finally in April of 2009 I went to a dermatologist.  She decided to do a biopsy since I was fair skinned, had quite a few other moles, and because it of it's irregular borders and dark color. {more info on what to look for in moles can be found here.}

Two days later I received a phone call that changed my life.  I was diagnosed with skin cancer.  Not just any skin cancer... Melanoma, the deadliest type.  

I found this news out the day before I went on a "Girls Getaway" to the beach with my mother and two aunts.  We still went, but the trip took on a different theme.  I bought a sun hat and sunscreen of 50 spf and enjoyed other things at the beach instead of tanning {like I had planned}.

The week we came back home, our county's Relay For Life organization held it's annual Relay.  I walked the Survivor's Lap.  I had so much hope that we had caught it early, that I would join the ranks of a Survivor.  I was embarrassed, emotional, and proud to walk in that circle of men and women.  Embarrassed because I felt like I didn't belong... it was a mistake, I was too young.  Emotional because I had only lived with the diagnosis for a week.  Proud because as I looked to the left and right of me I knew there were so many people who loved me, and who were supporting and praying for me.

I was referred to a plastic surgeon.  They were pretty sure that they had actually gotten all of the cancerous cells out with the biopsy, but the American Cancer Society's standards is to remove 1 cm around {in all directions} to be sure all melanoma cells are removed.  The surgery was a major surgery.  It was quite a recovery.  I was on crutches for a few weeks.  I had to learn to walk without a limp {even though it hurt tremendously} so the skin wouldn't grow back too tight.  

We got great news.  According to the results, all of the melanoma was removed with surgery.  We had caught the cancer early enough so that it had not spread to my lymph nodes.  This is extremely important for so many reasons.  If it had spread to my lymph nodes, the next course of action would have been chemotherapy. 

The five-year survival rate for people whose melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 98 percent.  This dramatically decreases for patients who aren't as lucky as I, in catching it early. The survival rate falls to 15 percent for those with advanced disease.

So, as newlyweds, Rob and I faced this disease and won.  I'm a stronger person because of the diagnosis and am proud to be celebrating my 2nd birthday this year.  It's important to me to teach my family, friends, and especially Sophia the dangers of too much sun exposure and how to keep Safe in the Sun.

Worried about Melanoma?  Want to know why I was more at risk for developing it?

The image to the right is a good gauge and were the exact questions my initial dermatologist asked.

I'm very fair skinned, have lots of freckles and moles.  Before my diagnosis, I was not aware that my grandmother {who passed away when my mother was 6 months pregnant with me} had a history of Melanoma.  I spent lots of time in the tanning bed as a teenager and young adult.

I promise not to make this event a somber one.  Instead, it's a celebration.  A celebration of life and ways that we can make having Fun in the Sun... remain fun and safe!