So today is Melanoma Monday. And this is Melanoma Month. I just checked my mailbox — no one sent me a card. I’ll live, though. Because I have gotten 15 years of life since my diagnosis.
That’s the greatest gift of all.
Mine is not a story of great courage. Or struggle. No, mine is a story of early detection. My persistence kept me going from doctor to doctor until I felt like I had been adequately screened. I took charge of my health. And I am still alive because of it.
Melanoma is cancer of the melanocyte — or to put it simply, what gives you your pigment. It’s skin cancer. Very aggressive and deadly skin cancer. If not caught early, you can face a quick demise. While it does affect pasty, reddish-haired, blue-eyed folks like me, it also can can strike people who aren’t as ghostly as me. Bob Marley got a mole under his toenail. Bob Marley died of melanoma. It also can strike your eyes, too. That’s ocular melanoma. And while most melanomas are caused by UV radiation damage, you can get one where the sun don’t shine. Genetics play a factor, too. If you’ve had a family member who has had the disease, you are more likely to have the disease.
My poor sisters are toast.
Nah, actually they aren’t. Because they are smart and get checked by their doctors. You should, too. To put it in terms that a Mississippian can relate to, think of melanoma like you would that rock ding in your windshield. Get it fixed quickly and you get to keep your windshield. Melanoma is that way, too.
I’ve had three. Two in-situs (very early melanomas) and one malignant one. I’m here because my doctor caught them early.
I want you to have that blessing, too.
If a mole changes, itches or bleeds, get it checked out immediately.
Get a yearly skin screening. Do self exams (your skin is pretty easy to see after all). Look for ABCD (Asymmetry (make sure the mole is asymmetrical) Border (if it’s ragged), Color (black or multi-toned), Diameter (mole bigger than a pencil eraser). Google ABCD and what a melanoma looks like.
WHEN IN DOUBT, CUT IT OUT.
Stay the heck out of the sun between 10 and 4. And if you do have to be out, wear hats, sun shirts (preferably long sleeves) and sunscreen.
I’ve had about 80 spots removed. Eighty. My scars have faded and I’ve had 15 bonus years. Now I want you to have the same blessing.
Melanoma isn’t “just skin cancer.” It’s deadly, sneaky, nasty, cruel and vicious. I’ve seen it rob my friends of their lives. I’ve seen it come back 20 years later and kill people. But like ol’ Ben said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Catch it early.
This Melanoma Monday, I don’t want a card. I want you to take charge of your health. Because I want you to have the same chance at life I had.