Talking to Family and Friends About Skin CancerSkin cancer can be tricky to bring up. When we talk about skin cancer, too often it feels like loved ones react with callous responses. Many people mistakenly believe that...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Sneak Attack!!! Melanomas Don’t Take Time OffSeptember 23, it’s a huge day for me. It’s my son’s birthday, my first born. Also, it’s the beginning of fall. Baseball playoffs, football, hockey and hoops, back to school...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Skin Cancer Stinks, Ya Know?I just broke my winning streak. It was nice while it lasted, but my visit to the dermatologist this week brought an abrupt end to all that bliss. I can’t...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Slip Slop Slap: Spreading The Word About Sun ProtectionEver since my brush with malignant melanoma, I’ve become rather evangelical about sun care. The easiest way I’ve found to spread the word to my friends and family without being...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Living With: When Your Job Becomes PersonalIn this recent episode of the podcast Living With, I interviewed LB Herbert. In addition to being the executive director of research and analytics for Health Union, LB has personal...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Wear Your Scars With PrideI remember my mother having skin cancer surgery on her nose which left her with a huge scar and a disfigured shape. The doctor swore to her that her nose...Reactions0reactionsComments9 comments
I Saw a Physician Assistant for a Skin Cancer Full Body Exam Scan, and I Will Do It AgainI choose my doctors carefully. I usually ask my gynecologist for a referral when I need a specialist. She, along with my cardiologist and internist, are all affiliated with the same large...Reactions0reactionsComments17 comments
See Something, Say SomethingI barely remember her. I think she had long, straight, light brown hair. Nothing more really stands out. I remember that she was a nurse. About her, I knew essentially...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Walking Each Other HomeLately, I’ve been seeing a particular phrase frequently, and each time it stands out to me. The phrase intrigued me the first time I saw it, but I didn’t give...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Ten Life Saving New Year's ResolutionsIt’s just about that time of the year. Time for well-intentioned resolutions that take flight in January, but too often crash and burn by March. Think about all of the...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Knowing Better But Still Picking At My SkinDon’t try this at home. Look at a tiny black spot on your skin and say, “Hmmm, this could be melanoma. But if I pick at it and it comes...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Smartphones and the Sun?I have to admit that I was not the first person in my community to get a smartphone, nor the first person on my block, nor the first person in...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Finding a Derm in a Derm DesertIt’s a sad fact: The U.S. is a country where available and easy health care is not guaranteed. Especially when it comes to skin cancer treatment. For some, the issue...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
FDA Approves Keytruda for Advanced or Metastatic Merkel Cell CarcinomaThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval for Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as a treatment for advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma in both adults and children.Merkel cell carcinoma...Reactions0reactionsComments2 comments
Recurrence Rates and Risks by Skin Cancer TypeAfter a diagnosis of skin cancer, a person’s risk of having another skin cancer – called a recurrence – is increased. The risks of recurrence vary by the type of...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Efudex: A Probable Culprit in Mystery OutbreakWhen I first got a sore on my lip, I didn’t know what it was, but I was certain that the itching and burning were causing great distress. It got...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Starting Conversations: Getting Your Ducks in a RowTalking about the end of our life can feel taboo, but the fact is we will all be in that stage of life at some point, and having a plan...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
Giving the Gift of Your ExperienceThe holidays are upon us again, and so is the urge to make sure family and friends are suppressing the urge to hate on their pale winter skin. I’ve been...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
One Step Forward, Five Steps BackToday, I’m angry. Typically, I’m an even-keeled person. Usually I have a positive outlook. Today I’m not, and today I don’t. My daughter, who is 20 and loves to go...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments
SPF, the Military's Best DefenseMy wife, Kathy, grew up in a military home. Her dad was a full colonel in the United States Army and was stationed around the world over his career. Kathy...Reactions0reactionsComments0 comments