Skin Cancer Awareness: What I Wish I'd Known

I have been battling skin cancer and the repercussions of habitual tanning since 2007. I have learned some devastating lessons and cultivated relationships with some of the most wonderful people I have ever had the pleasure to meet, and that includes all of you.

Our bond, this bond we have via our skin cancer journey, is a strong one. It sounds wrong to say I am glad I had skin cancer, but it led me to this place and I’m grateful for that.

Now, enough of that. Down to the nitty gritty–the summary of a life spent with skin cancer and the advice I wish I had been given in the ‘80s.

Advice from a skin cancer veteran

• Stop letting others influence you to be tan. Just let it go in one ear and out the other. You are beautiful in the skin you have. Pale or otherwise.
• Wear sunscreen. Wear it every single day. Use a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 and protect your lips as well. Sun damage knows no season and it does not discriminate.
• Find a friend who will hold you accountable. This is a really important one. If you are trying to fight the urge to tan or you find yourself shirking sunscreen, get a friend involved. Have them text you daily reminders and words of encouragement. It works.
• Find a dermatologist you can trust. This goes for everyone, whether you have had skin cancer or not. Regular skin checks are a must.
• Learn how to do self-exams. Watch for new or changing moles, spots, flakes of dry skin that don’t disappear, and small spots that tend to break open and bleed.
• When in doubt, have it checked out. Don’t leave suspicious spots unchecked by a doctor. It’s always better to err on the side of caution. Some of the most benign-looking spots can be cancerous.
• Stop living scared. Enjoy your life and the outdoors. It’s entirely possible to be an outdoor person and still be smart about sun safety. Wearing sunscreen and covering up go a long way toward keeping you safe and allowing you to live a full life.
• Look for support groups. One of the most helpful and life-changing things for me was the discovery of a Facebook support group for Efudex users. Using topical chemotherapy is incredibly difficult for many of us. Finding a group of people who know the ins and outs and ups and downs of this treatment was a game-changer and lifesaver for me.
• You are more than your scars. Skin cancer surgery can be disfiguring, but the scars it leaves in its wake do not in any way define you as a person. If anything, your scars demonstrate how strong you are, how much you have learned about sun safety, and how dedicated you now are to staying on the healthy side of life.
• Last but not least, look in the mirror every day and say, “I am enough. I am worthy, and I am better than yesterday.” Because every word of that is true.

Show the way for others struggling with skin cancer

Life is hard, but you are equipped with everything you need to be a survivor! Let the way you live your life be an example to those around you who are still struggling to see the impact of skin cancer!