tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-842615676280536482024-03-19T01:48:20.485-07:00Pretty in PaleKatie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.comBlogger174125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-15582054318261915342016-07-21T19:30:00.000-07:002018-11-02T10:31:17.549-07:00SolSurvivors Oregon receives $50,000 to partner with researchers on melanoma study<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2Xw-Zz_MUTJiA4IFDepNZzYp8C4zeua44UixxfsePVry6ZSyUrF69711z9jAb25a7HOCyIoSAjEKFSsVR4fd43dMGVVZcRqL_BSriUyZsU0yLu10JWw3r_FPDM7td35ZrzZlojLAtcs/s1600/SolSurvivors+Oregon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo2Xw-Zz_MUTJiA4IFDepNZzYp8C4zeua44UixxfsePVry6ZSyUrF69711z9jAb25a7HOCyIoSAjEKFSsVR4fd43dMGVVZcRqL_BSriUyZsU0yLu10JWw3r_FPDM7td35ZrzZlojLAtcs/s400/SolSurvivors+Oregon.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The SolSurvivors Community Engagement Committee.</td></tr>
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Exciting news! The <a href="http://www.pcori.org/research-results/2016/developing-infrastructure-patient-centered-melanoma-research-tier-iii">project I've been leading</a> in collaboration with Oregon Health & Science University and SolSurvivors has been selected to receive $50,000 from the <a href="http://www.pcori.org/">Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)</a>. Funds will be used to develop a research study that reflects the needs and interests of melanoma patients and their families.<br />
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The award comes from PCORI’s Pipeline to Proposal program, which enables individuals and groups who are not typically involved in the scientific research process to develop partnerships with researchers and spearhead the design of a patient-centered research proposal. Since 2013, we have been awarded a total of $90,000 to build a Community Engagement Committee and support the OHSU Department of Dermatology on engagement activities related to the <a href="http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/dermatology/war-on-melanoma/melanoma-community-registry.cfm">Melanoma Community Registry</a>.<br />
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Last fall, our project team jointly hosted a <a href="http://www.solsurvivorsusa.org/past-events.html">Melanoma Community Research Forum</a>, where over 90 participants gathered in Portland and Bend to learn about the latest melanoma research and participate in small-group discussions about their experience with melanoma. Themes identified during the event are being used to shape a collaborative research project, as well as a community event to be held in November 2016.<br />
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Want to get involved? Send me a note at <a href="mailto:katie@prettyinpale.org">katie@prettyinpale.org</a>.<br />
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<b>About PCORI </b><br />
PCORI is an independent, non-profit organization authorized by Congress in 2010 to fund comparative effectiveness research that will provide patients, their caregivers, and clinicians with the evidence needed to make better-informed health and healthcare decisions. PCORI is committed to seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders to guide its work.Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com101tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-86876214695170445242015-10-20T19:26:00.000-07:002015-10-22T09:41:40.212-07:00A patient’s perspective on a patient-centered conference: Highlights from #PCORI2015 (Part 2)<div>
<a href="http://www.prettyinpale.org/2015/10/a-patients-perspective-on-patient.html"><i>Check out my summary of Day 1 of PCORI's Annual Meeting.</i></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6V8AGPV6Gz8aaw-ChA-YCiBClfTrT5CDHVLDEsDhIJN1nabMFfUptkNcldtVe6WthvyLoNJ81mrDTlC08Z3GWdUD0RgCTPd8dIT6IrnvHhoqN1n36qaJRoTRe9AWHrW_4kvHl4Hy1vM/s1600/IMG_5533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6V8AGPV6Gz8aaw-ChA-YCiBClfTrT5CDHVLDEsDhIJN1nabMFfUptkNcldtVe6WthvyLoNJ81mrDTlC08Z3GWdUD0RgCTPd8dIT6IrnvHhoqN1n36qaJRoTRe9AWHrW_4kvHl4Hy1vM/s640/IMG_5533.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Patients are changing from research subjects to research partners. -Dr. Harlan Krumholz, PCORI board of governors and faculty member at Yale School of Medicine</i></blockquote>
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<b>Day 2</b><br />
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Dr. Joe Selby, executive director of the <a href="http://www.pcori.org/" target="_blank">Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute</a>, opened day 2 the PCORI Annual Meeting by giving an overview of the type of research PCORI funds: patient-centered<i> comparative effectiveness research</i>. CER, he said, compares two or more options about things that matter to patients. According to Dr. Selby, this research should be conducted in "real world" settings and should ideally pay attention to differences in effectiveness for different sub-groups of people (e.g. does a particular treatment work better for women than men).</div>
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When PCORI began awarding research contracts just a few years ago, most of the funding they offered fell into four broad categories: (1) assessing prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options; (2) addressing disparities; (3) improving health care systems; and (4) communication and dissemination research. Now, PCORI funding mechanisms are becoming increasingly targeted, addressing specific diseases or other topics that have been identified as high priority. These include programs that focus on asthma, MS, and reducing long-term opioid use, among others. PCORI has also become increasingly interested in funding large studies that better represent the entire population.</div>
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The morning's keynote presentation was given by Dr. Victor Montori, an endocrinologist and health services researcher at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Montori gave a compelling presentation on the importance of involving patients in decision making. What's best for a person, he said, depends on what that person values. Dr. Montori also lamented the curent research funding process, which leaves about 85% of scientific proposals unfunded. To do the type of large studies PCORI aims to fund, he argued, research institutions need to end competition and encourage collaboration instead.</div>
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During the following panel, which included a number of stakeholders from various health care organizations, Nancy Brown of the American Heart Association said that if patients really understood how the research process worked, they would be horrified. She also said that people don't want to waste their time thinking about their health--it's only when they become sick that health care becomes the center of everything. In the same panel, former U.S. congressman Tony Coelho spoke about the role patient advocacy organizations play in bringing the patient experience to our legislature. He also noted that we all need to advocate for PCORI so that it doesn't disappear in 2018.</div>
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After a series of several plenary presentations, I was eager to break out into smaller group sessions. The two breakout sessions I attended on Day 2 highlighted examples of successful awardees from the Communication and Dissemination Research (CDR) program and the Eugene Washington Engagement Awards. In the CDR panel, shared decision-making tools featured prominently as a means of improving communication between patients and their doctors. Some awardees used focus groups to develop and refine their decision-making tools. Research teams found it was crucial to solicit feedback from providers like doctors and nurses in addition to patients so that these tools could realistically be used in the clinic. In the second breakout session, Engagement Award recipients shared examples of "pre-research" activities they had conducted. Some projects used Engagement funds to conduct a needs assessment in their target population. Other projects used their award to build a curriculum to train people to better understand and conduct patient-centered comparative effectiveness research.<br />
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During the final breakout session of day 2, I presented as part of a panel discussion on the <a href="http://www.pcori.org/funding-opportunities/programmatic-funding/pipeline-proposal-awards" target="_blank">Pipeline to Proposals</a>. The Pipeline program provides funding to individuals or groups who would not ordinarily receive research funding from PCORI, and trains us step-by-step, so that--theoretically--in three years we will have built the foundation for a successful, full-scale PCORI award application. (<a href="http://www.prettyinpale.org/2015/03/facilitating-survivor-involvement-in.html" target="_blank">Read more about our project.</a>) I enjoyed participating in this session because it gave me a much-needed opportunity to connect with follow Pipeline awardees, but also because I believe this program is truly emblematic of the type of patient-driven research collaborations PCORI was designed to support.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHdyINnVRSUdxOSYdLr-syZR_M2XMx_6C1Rw0rTky-eYd86hOyVuTdx29h5_ThYugfG14lUjTtsqQUQO5OW0BwZclgWhHjh2cYXD7jvo8jqxvayvb56jBBtT9DNf4J9GFIouvl2H2Yuc/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHdyINnVRSUdxOSYdLr-syZR_M2XMx_6C1Rw0rTky-eYd86hOyVuTdx29h5_ThYugfG14lUjTtsqQUQO5OW0BwZclgWhHjh2cYXD7jvo8jqxvayvb56jBBtT9DNf4J9GFIouvl2H2Yuc/s1600/Capture.PNG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> recent </span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">Time </i><a href="http://time.com/4057310/breast-cancer-overtreatment/" style="font-size: 12.8px;" target="_blank">magazine article</a><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> (that I found in the airport on my way home from the PCORI conference) addresses a patient-centered research question about breast cancer treatment.</span></td></tr>
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<b>Day 3</b><br />
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Day 3 of the meeting featured a keynote presentation by NIH director Dr. Francis Collins. Even though PCORI is technically a nonprofit entity, not a federal agency like the National Institutes of Health, it was impactful to have the head of AHRQ and the head of NIH lend their time to this conference. I think it helps legitimize PCORI as a credible, scientifically rigorous organization, even though the work they fund is quite a bit different.<br />
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On day 3, I attended two very different breakout sessions: one on comparative effectiveness research methods and one on how to use your patient story to make a difference in research.<br />
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Over the past few years, PCORI has developed comprehensive methodology standards that govern all aspects of the proposal, from how to involve patients in the research process to how to analyze the data collected during a study. The purpose of following these standards is to ensure research findings are valid and can be replicated. Scientific methods are evaluated based on data quality, study design (e.g. randomized controlled trial or observational study), and how the data is interpreted. The PCORI staff member who lead the session emphasized that, while there is no such thing as the perfect study--there will always be trade-offs--it's important to be cognizant of where weaknesses might be so that you can consider how those weaknesses might impact your results.<br />
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The last session I participated in was by far the most hands-on. PCORI's engagement staff spoke about storytelling as a "method" of sparking engagement and collaboration. They also shared a tool they created to walk patients through the process of teasing out bits of their patient story that might be relevant to a research question. While the tool was still in draft form, I loved the concept. I also loved to have something tangible I could take home with me after the conference given that so many of the other sessions were very philosophical and not immediately applicable to my daily work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgas5gCNzKftB-eAynH7vkJuylA6HSBWR2O4Btrx6AaYxy3exSV9-2FCwEvTeCx4eUBJLxF8VqDeu513vyKG0CVUcHt55A7M-DmY4E5K-ANyS6K4psWRwPp9TNVQdzUlgZthsbzDWvr0Lk/s1600/DC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgas5gCNzKftB-eAynH7vkJuylA6HSBWR2O4Btrx6AaYxy3exSV9-2FCwEvTeCx4eUBJLxF8VqDeu513vyKG0CVUcHt55A7M-DmY4E5K-ANyS6K4psWRwPp9TNVQdzUlgZthsbzDWvr0Lk/s1600/DC.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally took the time to do some sightseeing while visiting Washington D.C.</td></tr>
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<b>Major themes and takeaways</b><br />
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<li>Communicating research results back to the community is essential for building and maintaining trust (bonus points for involving patients and other stakeholders in developing a plan for sharing research results).</li>
<li>PCORI funding announcements are becoming increasingly more targeted and aimed at creating large, pragmatic clinical trials that more broadly reflect the "real world."</li>
<li>Rigorous research methods and meaningful patient engagement are equally important to PCORI, even though they can sometimes feel at odds with one another. Many applications they reject are dinged, though, because of their lack of the latter.</li>
<li>There's no one-size-fits-all model for engagement, but here are some activities that have been successfully used by PCORI awardees to create meaningful engagement: </li>
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<li>(1) Including a patient partner as a co-investigator on the project and compensating them financially as such,</li>
<li>(2) Include patients, caregivers, and other stakeholders like physicians on project advisory committees, and</li>
<li>(3) Address research questions of interest to patients as identified by online surveys, focus groups, or other meetings.</li>
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As I mentioned in my <a href="http://www.prettyinpale.org/2015/10/a-patients-perspective-on-patient.html">first recap post</a>, overall it was a great event. I'm glad I was given the opportunity to attend. I also look forward to seeing further progress towards socializing and truly implementing patient-centered principles in research and clinical practice.<br />
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To learn more or view archived videos from the 2015 PCORI Annual Meeting, visit <a href="http://www.pcori.org/events/2015/pcori-annual-meeting">www.pcori.org</a>.</div>
Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com62tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-71051382109509311602015-10-14T21:14:00.000-07:002015-10-14T21:14:47.292-07:00A patient’s perspective on a patient-centered conference: Highlights from #PCORI2015 (Part 1)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbLWIfCzL5WlM6rPX9ninM9M7br_qotjlVwRW3JAjNJZKTGHyHS9XjzwNVpYcaWGevDKhf8vtqsshS7QPRtcQgSC423HJ7uuD6WNxmw1Q_CBxk1PBG9AhG1hZO9mG7kzdwcxs4wyCPEI/s1600/IMG_5538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbLWIfCzL5WlM6rPX9ninM9M7br_qotjlVwRW3JAjNJZKTGHyHS9XjzwNVpYcaWGevDKhf8vtqsshS7QPRtcQgSC423HJ7uuD6WNxmw1Q_CBxk1PBG9AhG1hZO9mG7kzdwcxs4wyCPEI/s1600/IMG_5538.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elizabeth Stoos and I at the PCORI national meeting. Elizabeth is the coordinator of the Melanoma Community Registry at OHSU and a partner on my PCORI project.</td></tr>
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Last week, I was one of about 200 health care consumers (i.e. cancer survivor, caregiver of a person with a chronic condition) to participate in the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute’s, or PCORI’s, first national meeting in Washington, D.C. Although some of the work PCORI does is fairly complex, the basic concept is simple:<br />
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<li>Fund research that will help answer questions that are important to real people</li>
<li>Involve real people in the doing research to answer these questions</li>
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To do this work, PCORI relies heavily on input from a variety of people: patients and their caregivers, of course, but also physicians, nurses, and health insurers, among others.<br />
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As someone who was treated for melanoma more than five years ago, I may not be a “patient” in the most traditional sense of the word, but because of my experience and my relationships with so many others who have been touched by the disease, I can help represent the collective voice of all my “mole mates” to the research world. One way I’ve done this has been by reviewing grant proposals; another way has been by partnering with Dr. Sancy Leachman at Oregon Health & Science University to obtain our own patient-centered research award from PCORI. PCORI invited me to attend this conference to share some of our lessons learned during a panel discussion. Of course, this also gave me access to participate in other sessions and network with other PCORI funding recipients.
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In the spirit of helping create a two-way conversation between researchers and the general public, I’ve attempted to summarize some of the highlights from the conference below. PCORI has made some great progess since its inception in 2010, but I think we still have a long way to go to and lots to learn from one another before patients and their families become true partners in the health care decision-making and research process. I’m very thankful that I was given the opportunity to participate in this conference, and look forward to seeing the progress we all make in the coming years.<br />
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<b>Day 1: Change is Hard: Challenges and Opportunities in Turning New Evidence into Clinical Practice</b><br />
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<i>“Everything about PCORI is having the right people involved.” –Dr. Eugene Washington</i> </blockquote>
The first day of the conference was an optional, 5-hour session that was hosted by PCORI in conjunction with AHRQ (another health care research funder) and AcademyHealth. The session included large-group presentations by several of the major players who helped get PCORI off the ground, including AHRQ director Dr. Richard Kronick, PCORI executive director Dr. Joe Selby, and former PCORI board chair Dr. Eugene Washington.<br />
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Day 1’s panel discussions were all about dissemination: how do you take a topic that’s already been studied and turn the results of that study into practice? For example, if a team of the nation’s top researchers did a study on skin cancer, and found that eating 10 gummy bears per day prevented skin cancer in adults under 30 years of age, we assume we’d all be stocking up on Haribo. But in the complex world that is our health care system, implementing evidence into practice can take years, sometimes even decades. As the session’s title suggests, implementing research findings into real life practice is <i>hard</i>.<br />
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Dr. Mark McClellan, an experienced health care strategist and advisor, spoke about things that might help dissemination of research findings, such as reforming Medicare payment models. He also acknowledged that often times we’re working up against culture change, which inevitably takes time. Bottom line? Although it can be slow-moving, working directly with patients can have a huge impact on effectiveness of dissemination.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chip Heath, author of <i>Made to Stick</i>, inspires conference attendees to be agents of change.</td></tr>
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Panelists during Tuesday’s session agreed that just because something is published in a prestigious medical journal, doesn’t mean it will lead to change in practice. Systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines can be helpful, particularly for busy clinicians who don’t have time to read 50+ journal articles per day, while others argued that physician assistants and nurses should be able to play a larger role in implementing findings into every day practice.
The second panel brought up a few more suggestions: write materials at a reading level that people can actually understand (easier said than done), create materials that are tailored to the population they are targeting (also not as intuitive as you’d expect), encourage clinicians to become more comfortable admitting uncertainty to patients, as well as empowering patients to challenge the system and ask questions (e.g. Do I really need this very expensive MRI?)<br />
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One of the panelists, Tara Montgomery from Consumer Reports, challenged us to <a href="http://consumerhealthchoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/CWPosterGeneralSmall.pdf">think about diagnostic tests and medical treatments</a> the way that we buy things like cars and new electronics. She also emphasized that humanizing data and turning it into a story can make it more compelling to the consumer. Some of this responsibility, the panelists said, falls to journalists who can and should be reading the original journal articles.<br />
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The afternoon concluded with a totally different type of presentation by bestselling author and Stanford business school professor Chip Heath. After hours of interesting but relatively dry, academic panels, Chip came up on stage and delivered a TED-style talk on how all of us in the room are agents for change. He explained that we all have a “rider” and an “elephant”—one of which is rational and the other more instinctual. Change, he said, happens when we align the elephant and the rider. He explained this using a series of funny anecdotes and examples such as the old vs. new food pyramid and Amazon.com vs. Borders bookstore. His talk, which was viscerally different from any of the preceding talks that day, sent a message that perhaps the medical research community needs to “think outside the box” when it comes to disseminating and implementing evidence-based research.<br />
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Overall, it was an intellectually stimulating—albeit long—afternoon, but I left the session feeling a bit powerless and overwhelmed. How can I help bring about change if this group of highly educated, experienced professionals hasn’t quite figured it out yet? Every time I participate in a PCORI review meeting or training, I feel both welcomed by fellow participants, but also a bit intimidated given my lack of post-graduate credentials. Despite being a conference about the importance of consumer engagement, this session still felt very "academic." I hope that in the future, PCORI meetings will become increasing accessible to lay audiences, so that we can more widely start to do the paradigm-shifting work it was created to accomplish.<br />
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Change is tough indeed.<br />
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<i>Stay tuned for more on Day 2 and Day 3!</i>Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com63tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-85537277631567596322015-06-23T21:01:00.000-07:002015-06-23T21:01:18.254-07:00Sunscreen Review: Supergoop Setting Mist with Rosemary, SPF 50<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you're like me, you're religious about applying sunscreen in the morning but loath to reapply on top of your makeup. What to do? Finally, the beauty product industry has developed a broad spectrum sunscreen that can be applied on top of your foundation and face powder. Two new SPF-infused setting mists became available this spring from sunscreen brands Supergoop and Coola. Sephora stocks a mini bottle of the Supergoop version, so I decided to give it a try before committing to a full-sized bottle of either. </div>
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<b>The basics: </b>$12 for 1 oz. or $28 for 3.4 oz. at <a href="http://supergoop.com/">supergoop.com</a>, <a href="http://sephora.com/">sephora.com</a>, etc.</div>
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<b>Pros:</b> I've taken the purse-sized bottle with me to work every day and given my skin a quick spray before heading outside for lunch or leaving my office for the day. It's lightweight and easy to apply. Smells a bit like sunscreen, but also a bit like rosemary, so the sunscreen scent isn't unbearable. It doesn't make my face shiny or do anything weird to my makeup, so it's perfect for mid-day touchups.<br />
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<b>Cons: </b>As with any spray-on sunscreen, it's hard to know if you've applied enough or missed a spot. It can also make the hair around your face sticky if you're not careful, so spray with caution or cover your hairline before spraying.<br />
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<b>The verdict: </b>I'm absolutely planning to purchase more of this when I run out. It's the perfect size to keep in my purse, and I've used it almost daily since I bought it. Some reviewers on Sephora.com have complained about stickiness or stinging, but I haven't had any real issues with it. Will keep you posted as I continue using it!<br />
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Have you tried any of the new facial sunscreen mists yet?</div>
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D84261567628053648%23editor%2Fsrc%3Dsidebar&media=https%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-nlX_uJq9mPE%2FVYOCBooPBfI%2FAAAAAAAACYg%2Fw-rJ2lH2Gws%2Fs320%2FScreen%252BShot%252B2015-06-18%252Bat%252B7.42.39%252BPM.png&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 246px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 18px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D84261567628053648%23editor%2Fsrc%3Dsidebar&media=https%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-nlX_uJq9mPE%2FVYOCBooPBfI%2FAAAAAAAACYg%2Fw-rJ2lH2Gws%2Fs320%2FScreen%252BShot%252B2015-06-18%252Bat%252B7.42.39%252BPM.png&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 246px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 18px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-40822992372123357272015-05-27T20:20:00.000-07:002015-05-27T20:20:49.422-07:00The wanderlust: Australia<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jrYBqAzybV-pgQEDUxBcCut3dC3dIzfbXNAOqIgcd5QuezTLXoDld8ncfyfdbBWeCbDJGb2srN7sM-16WpYbNnwOK37b3ZGWncgtJH2WrK45fTW2Cfk6MXM7ioeGrBWzansz4kUNJGY/s1600/IMG_4318+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7jrYBqAzybV-pgQEDUxBcCut3dC3dIzfbXNAOqIgcd5QuezTLXoDld8ncfyfdbBWeCbDJGb2srN7sM-16WpYbNnwOK37b3ZGWncgtJH2WrK45fTW2Cfk6MXM7ioeGrBWzansz4kUNJGY/s1600/IMG_4318+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beach where we went snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef.</td></tr>
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The day before I flew to Australia, I went to happy hour with a couple of friends who spent the entire time trying to convince me I was going to be (a) bitten by a poisonous spider, (b) stung by a box jellyfish, (c) eaten by a shark, or (d) bulldozed by a 6-foot-tall kangaroo. I'm disappointed to report that I didn't see a single dangerous monster my entire two weeks abroad, unless you count Australia's merciless sun.<br />
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While Australia is known for some of the <a href="http://www.melanoma.org.au/understanding-melanoma/melanoma-facts-and-statistics/">highest skin cancer rates in the world</a>, they've also become a leader in melanoma prevention, <a href="http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/838407">banning indoor tanning beds</a> and encouraging sun safety in schools. As someone who has been very active in advocating for melanoma prevention here in the states, I've often looked to Australia for inspiration.<br />
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The purpose of my trip was pleasure, not business, so I ended up doing more sightseeing than research. But I'm pleased to report that I survived two weeks sans sunburn, thanks to SPF 50 and some of my favorite UV-protective hats and scarves.<br />
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I hope you'll enjoy some of the photos from my trip below. I think it's important to acknowledge that, even though I've been impacted by skin cancer, I won't let that scare me from snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef or taking a walking tour through the rainforest. Nature is gorgeous and I feel blessed to be able to experience as much of it as I possibly can. Here's to checking another box off my bucket list.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HJeSu335_v6O_j4OMK3PNDkI5-iQ4f9jYIWHUjeQELPn_FZvpuQbICsRC1EQL3jgKFVBr3oPI3iABJ4dKRSZPyNpblx-jHLjLG2L8JUOtMJyvX4IZE5QwtKay1o3t8X-lzVuB0CM2Hw/s1600/IMG_4323+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HJeSu335_v6O_j4OMK3PNDkI5-iQ4f9jYIWHUjeQELPn_FZvpuQbICsRC1EQL3jgKFVBr3oPI3iABJ4dKRSZPyNpblx-jHLjLG2L8JUOtMJyvX4IZE5QwtKay1o3t8X-lzVuB0CM2Hw/s1600/IMG_4323+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My bestie from college and host while I was visiting Australia.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZwQrtEPXxJDs0xzS4k7GjzHt3s3u6QdwmXBFZ-rsZaqCjBG2QHYlgtjrJy99FRBjArfiHsQGkLwh5_WD_4tzcBQsuj9DKmA64mLkmRHU80VnE8nSHvcC7y7BIFOfcmBkOrK5llGy2Y8/s1600/IMG_4331+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTZwQrtEPXxJDs0xzS4k7GjzHt3s3u6QdwmXBFZ-rsZaqCjBG2QHYlgtjrJy99FRBjArfiHsQGkLwh5_WD_4tzcBQsuj9DKmA64mLkmRHU80VnE8nSHvcC7y7BIFOfcmBkOrK5llGy2Y8/s1600/IMG_4331+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koala! Hands down, absolute highlight of my trip.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6vo5Ir-owTkSiuqBS7dpzNIaEV9wNmO_2PkE8RJIJRCWwH9LxdOsu66pE6uIShZ0eGvco4LifSn1eHdLwO-O6SmRc6aJyPcoRztf7uQI-rINJs9Ly5Di1dsd_Wt3RniODrFk7sLr0M4/s1600/SAM_0025+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii6vo5Ir-owTkSiuqBS7dpzNIaEV9wNmO_2PkE8RJIJRCWwH9LxdOsu66pE6uIShZ0eGvco4LifSn1eHdLwO-O6SmRc6aJyPcoRztf7uQI-rINJs9Ly5Di1dsd_Wt3RniODrFk7sLr0M4/s1600/SAM_0025+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opera House.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpUFY4fK-ur9JOtOoeBFURqfYlz26oMjn58_0_T4Co2xx5JXVB1CQ1pn6J5fI7w7vajTRl_17IKMOlSL16FxAdNrN8-i7wep_2nuD85E0YJMbXHrfY761FA5cB3PBbn9QrSMQVA3BiYs/s1600/SAM_0100+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpUFY4fK-ur9JOtOoeBFURqfYlz26oMjn58_0_T4Co2xx5JXVB1CQ1pn6J5fI7w7vajTRl_17IKMOlSL16FxAdNrN8-i7wep_2nuD85E0YJMbXHrfY761FA5cB3PBbn9QrSMQVA3BiYs/s1600/SAM_0100+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sydney Harbour Bridge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3TbdDZk7FuUQ6GjPLIWBbmIJCkM2MVqG0JbkO-raTpxS0Ux5Wma_3Mt3gYJj4IgKr8jMo_2OnOAJzZg09rEWaYWklu2Yaf00pe-x5y6ygjQihb-14bg0sZ_SpKU8Hl87SPAyeHuVFOQ/s1600/IMG_4365+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3TbdDZk7FuUQ6GjPLIWBbmIJCkM2MVqG0JbkO-raTpxS0Ux5Wma_3Mt3gYJj4IgKr8jMo_2OnOAJzZg09rEWaYWklu2Yaf00pe-x5y6ygjQihb-14bg0sZ_SpKU8Hl87SPAyeHuVFOQ/s1600/IMG_4365+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Whitsunday Islands from above.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlgGdHsnO98SdUuKftX_zg_hAu6_mrAB-ZOjDPIDOhSHQme51H7A4cJ7Of1rtz9WvyhHYIBKLEQTmpqQwgudRQBd7TJFXMPviVZfcb4FfAm-97bKCbuuU3Kp44Ypt0JHBJbUGy6zoCJY/s1600/SAM_0203+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjlgGdHsnO98SdUuKftX_zg_hAu6_mrAB-ZOjDPIDOhSHQme51H7A4cJ7Of1rtz9WvyhHYIBKLEQTmpqQwgudRQBd7TJFXMPviVZfcb4FfAm-97bKCbuuU3Kp44Ypt0JHBJbUGy6zoCJY/s1600/SAM_0203+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Twelve Apostles. Photo doesn't do it justice - it was stunning!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucPgIUASrtBKESNMHLyfrKf_BZKQD8SgI0Yy0agzCgpJrgiODBzTcUqOBh0CVO6Ic39SZ0Q26Bp1W0RIH3yc-s07uuQ8hmPBVDcdUhPKL6yw2ufX4jch7wusZsfiRyJfvITEUZehVtpE/s1600/SAM_0212+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjucPgIUASrtBKESNMHLyfrKf_BZKQD8SgI0Yy0agzCgpJrgiODBzTcUqOBh0CVO6Ic39SZ0Q26Bp1W0RIH3yc-s07uuQ8hmPBVDcdUhPKL6yw2ufX4jch7wusZsfiRyJfvITEUZehVtpE/s1600/SAM_0212+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More from the Great Ocean Road.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFzd6zNqVSJdgX7r51GjU_LXLOUmvKHye3rcd5gSR0HREAnsV7yjpSAijR_hFG4N8Z5JhwZaP9sAsNdwwM4CG_dG9t3gcwiVyQNqsCSrgzXgWJiAOarm6Bw-V0H0hfSCpCZMIwD3u0-o/s1600/IMG_4277+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFzd6zNqVSJdgX7r51GjU_LXLOUmvKHye3rcd5gSR0HREAnsV7yjpSAijR_hFG4N8Z5JhwZaP9sAsNdwwM4CG_dG9t3gcwiVyQNqsCSrgzXgWJiAOarm6Bw-V0H0hfSCpCZMIwD3u0-o/s1600/IMG_4277+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practicing safe sun in Australia.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBc7fGDbgXV2xqiWva_9kk36XIvGQf-9kiM56Riv_lTeCwtPbbfEjGem-iVSraBqFT2UF2cvBRVCUZdz58wJfdBkLNfyAIU52f65hBLd-DzHUkJOTbTbplOtkOG4txNN-9pYnPk-aMtE/s1600/SAM_0260+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBc7fGDbgXV2xqiWva_9kk36XIvGQf-9kiM56Riv_lTeCwtPbbfEjGem-iVSraBqFT2UF2cvBRVCUZdz58wJfdBkLNfyAIU52f65hBLd-DzHUkJOTbTbplOtkOG4txNN-9pYnPk-aMtE/s1600/SAM_0260+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wallaby!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvGIQX9MQaahXWbYAnG4owHNj-YQHmPygUUNA2G7Qg5e-DCOf0vldmBlZAdXIZ9QFzczWslMQtlc2h2nwRV6ypATKkBd3E547jccwjE815VyC1QLGGJKdgmCzGI6e1MRwu5rIPkKHWpM/s1600/SAM_0301+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLvGIQX9MQaahXWbYAnG4owHNj-YQHmPygUUNA2G7Qg5e-DCOf0vldmBlZAdXIZ9QFzczWslMQtlc2h2nwRV6ypATKkBd3E547jccwjE815VyC1QLGGJKdgmCzGI6e1MRwu5rIPkKHWpM/s1600/SAM_0301+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Street art in Melbourne.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNksBeCZDp1EoN9t9UD7a1g-HwZ73rkfqhNjdknu_1JnS2eJ9Andp1lVrUzng3spC1CIosRsh-kQRJg4pXMeWFrlTuZtUu1OTKpChEr-FmR0r8G59hSvVZ3YEy7HQ74MbyHZ6xSKRvH4/s1600/SAM_0372+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNksBeCZDp1EoN9t9UD7a1g-HwZ73rkfqhNjdknu_1JnS2eJ9Andp1lVrUzng3spC1CIosRsh-kQRJg4pXMeWFrlTuZtUu1OTKpChEr-FmR0r8G59hSvVZ3YEy7HQ74MbyHZ6xSKRvH4/s1600/SAM_0372+copy.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aussie Rules Footy game.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D84261567628053648%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D4082299237212335727%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-AtkxmOxYsZY%2FVVvyhE1CmPI%2FAAAAAAAACW0%2FJfD4zqMkzKQ%2Fs1600%2FIMG_4277%252Bcopy.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 103px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 4350px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D84261567628053648%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D4082299237212335727%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-AtkxmOxYsZY%2FVVvyhE1CmPI%2FAAAAAAAACW0%2FJfD4zqMkzKQ%2Fs1600%2FIMG_4277%252Bcopy.jpg&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 103px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 4350px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-14430837173345685542015-03-31T19:55:00.000-07:002015-04-01T14:10:19.915-07:00Getting survivors involved in the design of melanoma research: Our PCORI project advances to Tier 2Great news to share! The project I've been working on in collaboration with Oregon Health & Science University and SolSurvivors has been selected to advance to Tier 2 of PCORI's <a href="http://www.pcori.org/content/pipeline-proposal-awards">Pipeline to Proposals Program</a>. Tier 2 awards provide up to $25,000 to help recipients strengthen community partnerships, develop research capacity, and hone a comparative effectiveness question that could become the basis of a large-scale research project.<br />
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Pipeline to Proposal Awards enable individuals and groups that are not typically involved in research (like me!) to develop the means to produce community-led funding proposals focused on patient-centered comparative effectiveness research. In 2014, I was part of the inaugural Tier 1 cohort of this program.<br />
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Our project, <a href="http://www.pcori.org/research-results/2015/developing-infrastructure-patient-centered-melanoma-research-tier-ii">"Developing Infrastructure for Patient-Centered Melanoma Research,"</a> aims to involve patients and other critical stakeholders in the development of strategies for preventing and detecting melanoma at an earlier stage, thereby decreasing death rates. When melanomas are detected early, patients have a 98% five year survival rate, but if the cancer has spead to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body, survival rates drop to a mere 16%*. Because of its origins in the skin—where doctors and patients can see it—melanoma should be one of the most easily recognized and detectable of all cancers. Unfortunately, barriers still exist to early detection of melanoma. During Tier 1, we learned that many patients don’t know what to look for when conducting a skin self-exam. Other barriers to early detection and treatment may include a lack of knowledge that melanoma can be life-threatening, poor/no insurance coverage, lack of transportation/distance to a provider, and treatment by a doctor that lacked expertise in melanoma.<br />
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During Tier 1, we began building an “army” of volunteers to attack melanoma prevention from new angles and perspectives. Our greatest accomplishment during the nine-month award period was to support the launch of the <a href="http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/dermatology/melanoma-community-registry/index.cfm">Melanoma Community Registry</a> at Oregon Health & Science University. As of January 2015, the Melanoma Community Registry had 2,374 patients, 446 family members of patients, and 146 friends of patients signed up. As director of the project, I contributed by participating in brainstorming meetings, drafting text for recruitment materials, reviewing informed consent language, appearing in TV and newspaper articles promoting the registry, promoting the registry at community events such as the Portland Melanoma Walk, as well as cost-sharing IT development.<br />
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In this next phase, we plan to build upon the progress we made in Tier 1, with the ultimate goal of working toward a large-scale research study in collaboration with researchers at OHSU. Specifically, we plan to use surveys and focus groups to identify issues that are the most crucial to melanoma patients and those who care for them. We are also continuing to develop our network and would love to meet others with an interest in contributing to this effort. Want to get involved? Send me a note at info@solsurvivorsusa.org. <br />
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View this video to learn more:
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PCORI is an independent, non-profit organization authorized by Congress in 2010 to fund comparative effectiveness research that will provide patients, their caregivers, and clinicians with the evidence needed to make better-informed health and healthcare decisions. PCORI is committed to seeking input from a broad range of stakeholders to guide its work.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*<a href="http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/melan.html">National Cancer Institute SEER</a></span></span>Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com150tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-84841961438884965672015-03-31T18:29:00.000-07:002018-11-02T10:25:06.578-07:00So, I'm in a long-distance relationship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_rLUy3eQRH_i0ZCcKEcQK6BlY9jGq4aaHgljaKS7CMbY-1MrvY3MqskklrLd-Asjd-QLsrrvA9qI1eW2rGyR01oW-Nx7bWz8IxrAItLUzvE_wQgmcJpY6DkcAvh3TOXDWZbY8fM4wqU/s1600/10891513_10100821941479576_8515885934750190154_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_rLUy3eQRH_i0ZCcKEcQK6BlY9jGq4aaHgljaKS7CMbY-1MrvY3MqskklrLd-Asjd-QLsrrvA9qI1eW2rGyR01oW-Nx7bWz8IxrAItLUzvE_wQgmcJpY6DkcAvh3TOXDWZbY8fM4wqU/s1600/10891513_10100821941479576_8515885934750190154_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Tim before he moved to SF earlier this year.</td></tr>
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Three years ago, when I first started dating Tim, my biggest fear was that I'd fall for him and then he'd leave. Not long before we met, he had moved to Portland to be a supply chain analyst for a large tech company. Much like I was in my early 20s, he was uber-ambitious and willing to relocate just about anywhere if the job was right. Surprisingly, he stuck around for a while--or at least long enough to become an integral part of my day-to-day life. Imagine my chagrin when he came to me last April and told me he'd been offered the opportunity to move to San Francisco ($#&@!^#@#$).<br />
<br />
He asked what I thought he should do. <i>Take the job. Duh.</i> It's a fantastic career move, I told him. Plus, he had no reason to stay here except for... er... me. My Portland roots, unlike his, are deep. I knew that pursuing this promotion would make him happy, so I chose to support it 100 percent.<br />
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He accepted the job, but then weeks turned into months and the move itself kept getting postponed. While I'm not one to complain, the planner in me kept wondering when he was actually going to leave.<br />
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If you're like me, you often take more pleasure or pain in the anticipation of an event than the event or situation itself. Not surisingly, I spent much of those nine months freaking out over a situation I had absolutely no control over, probably to the detriment of that time we did have left together living in the same place.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1l2zIY6xjx7IiEJXc6NpTkoKJs-f3ta8tBIuMW4n8ZZjjP8dPz8K3rR0Uz5JCn0pHBeC-cZQ1A3Mz1V7dhs1stFfdg_BRUJlkeJUe-4y_a822lyR3cu_B_BdzHanyVA1LgkymCFMdqLI/s1600/10348607_10100855749652726_7228865911962421919_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1l2zIY6xjx7IiEJXc6NpTkoKJs-f3ta8tBIuMW4n8ZZjjP8dPz8K3rR0Uz5JCn0pHBeC-cZQ1A3Mz1V7dhs1stFfdg_BRUJlkeJUe-4y_a822lyR3cu_B_BdzHanyVA1LgkymCFMdqLI/s1600/10348607_10100855749652726_7228865911962421919_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two of us at a friend's wedding over the summer.</td></tr>
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When he left in late January it was difficult but not unbearable. I spent 12+ hours helping him sort, fold clothes, and pack up his U-Haul. By the end, we were both a bit delusional, but it was nice to spend those last few hours together. It didn't feel like he was saying goodbye permanently because I knew I'd see him again in less than a month.<br />
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In all honesty, those first few weeks sucked. I felt discouraged and completely lost. I found myself googling "how to survive a long-distance relationship" the way I google things like "how long should I boil eggs?" and "how do I contour my cheekbones?" He was the one still living out of a suitcase, what right did I have to be worried about the current state of affairs?<br />
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Clearly, it's only March, and I'm sure I've only scratched the surface of how to truly survive a long-distance relationship. I've had more emotional ups and downs in the past eight weeks than I did my junior year of high school, but I'm hopeful and open-minded. Tim will be visiting me once a month, and after I get back from Australia, I plan to do the same. I'm learning how to be patient, how to be more forthcoming about my feelings, and to not take everything so darn seriously.<br />
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D84261567628053648%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D8484196143888496567%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F-2qv4D8QPK8Y%252FVPtlMfp_3LI%252FAAAAAAAACS8%252FbXYHAGNvrmE%252Fs1600%252FScreen%25252BShot%25252B2015-03-07%25252Bat%25252B12.52.44%25252BPM.png%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 153px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 777px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D84261567628053648%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D8484196143888496567%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dallposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dallposts%3BpostNum%3D0%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F-2qv4D8QPK8Y%252FVPtlMfp_3LI%252FAAAAAAAACS8%252FbXYHAGNvrmE%252Fs1600%252FScreen%25252BShot%25252B2015-03-07%25252Bat%25252B12.52.44%25252BPM.png%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 153px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 777px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com74tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-32870216712355249472015-01-19T22:12:00.000-08:002015-05-27T20:42:15.652-07:00Oh, the places you'll go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAd_wV3il7Wcv2VczilpKKAI1krBnOtytuVUTCz0VzL8wzLL8tHHJ-Or9GuK4t0gwm1N3J3JvCZ-h0JmVSnSrwv4pop3HgdAvAv4wRYUL7Gfj-I_RNy4LPgEhsbOUjdSL28DaYWhr_4ls/s1600/10620637_10152439489320876_8139160483063586327_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAd_wV3il7Wcv2VczilpKKAI1krBnOtytuVUTCz0VzL8wzLL8tHHJ-Or9GuK4t0gwm1N3J3JvCZ-h0JmVSnSrwv4pop3HgdAvAv4wRYUL7Gfj-I_RNy4LPgEhsbOUjdSL28DaYWhr_4ls/s1600/10620637_10152439489320876_8139160483063586327_n.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last week, I was sitting in my office, reading through a proposal for a grant, when I looked up at my calendar and realized it's been exactly five years since I was diagnosed with melanoma. How funny it is to think back five years. In some ways, I feel like I'm the same person, but in so many other ways, I feel like I'm not.<br />
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I watched a TED Talk over Christmas break called, "<a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_you_are_always_changing">The psychology of your future self.</a>" The premise of the talk is that--because we can't imagine where we'll be in the future--we underestimate how much we'll change five, ten, or twenty years down the road.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="https://embed-ssl.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_you_are_always_changing.html" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="560"></iframe><br />
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Here's a snippet:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>At every age, from 18 to 68... people vastly underestimated how much change they would experience over the next 10 years... Why does this happen? We're not entirely sure, but it probably has to do with the ease of remembering versus the difficulty of imagining. Most of us can remember who we were 10 years ago, but we find it hard to imagine who we're going to be, and then we mistakenly think that because it's hard to imagine, it's not likely to happen. Sorry, when people say "I can't imagine that," they're usually talking about their own lack of imagination, and not about the unlikelihood of the event that they're describing.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>The bottom line is, time is a powerful force. It transforms our preferences. It reshapes our values. It alters our personalities. We seem to appreciate this fact, but only in retrospect. Only when we look backwards do we realize how much change happens in a decade. It's as if, for most of us, the present is a magic time. It's a watershed on the timeline. It's the moment at which we finally become ourselves. Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they're finished. The person you are right now is as transient, as fleeting and as temporary as all the people you've ever been. The one constant in our life is change.</i></blockquote>
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This year, instead of coming up with a traditional New Years Resolution (or in my case, usually about 15), I decided to set one goal: Travel to Australia to visit my good friend from college.<br />
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Sounds simple enough, right? Then why have I been putting it off for the past year and a half? Perhaps the thought of spending a whole paycheck on a flight is scary and it's inconceivable for a work-a-holic like me to take 12 days of PTO in one fell swoop. But I'm doing it! I booked my flight over the weekend, and now I have a little less than three months to plan my trip to the other side of the world. I'm giddy with excitement, and yes, a little scared, but I hope that by continuing to push myself a little outside my comfort zone, I'll become an even better version of myself in 2020, 2025, 2030, and beyond.Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-81035588347076157732014-11-26T17:08:00.000-08:002014-11-27T08:49:24.683-08:00Be thankful, be happy<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9FBkQC-ahz_gDbQh0w1TEADNNn_IsD38RbrrsPQjq-1HoRkRVq4MBBodAzxKQ-mopS8gDw9CZwBPnV3cmdzoxwR7PggaTtbWnB2P0JbRxokz8f61kfAfn0R5I_2ppoI02MOm68XknIU/s1600/10809950_833510310005046_361426308_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9FBkQC-ahz_gDbQh0w1TEADNNn_IsD38RbrrsPQjq-1HoRkRVq4MBBodAzxKQ-mopS8gDw9CZwBPnV3cmdzoxwR7PggaTtbWnB2P0JbRxokz8f61kfAfn0R5I_2ppoI02MOm68XknIU/s1600/10809950_833510310005046_361426308_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image: <a href="http://iconosquare.com/viewer.php#/detail/862475370465338119_19976799">Julep Instagram</a>.</td></tr>
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Some research suggests that the <a href="http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/expandinggratitude">key to happiness is gratitude</a>, so I'm making a point to try to recognize the people and things I am thankful for--not only on Thanksgiving, but year round. Here are a few of the things in my life I'm grateful for right now:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Living so close to my mom.</li>
<li>My job.</li>
<li>Dark chocolate.</li>
<li>My iPhone 6.</li>
<li>Friends who are having babies!</li>
<li>Weekends with absolutely nothing on the agenda.</li>
<li>Exploring new restaurants with Tim.</li>
<li>Cabo 2014.</li>
<li>Oprah chai tea lattes from Starbucks.</li>
<li>My first wine club shipment.</li>
<li>My health.</li>
<li>New episodes of <i>Homeland</i>.</li>
<li>Having a network of friends and family who are supportive of my personal and professional goals.</li>
<li>Birchbox. Because is still makes me smile every month.</li>
<li>Puppies.</li>
<li>My Invisalign treatment is almost done!</li>
<li>The never-ending source of entertainment that is my Kindle.</li>
</ul>
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Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving with all of your favorite things.</div>
<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D84261567628053648%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D8103558834707615773&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F-f8Sve1ukgvA%252FVHZ3s7tcCqI%252FAAAAAAAACO0%252FsDfzGfWS3x4%252Fs1600%252F10809950_833510310005046_361426308_n.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 24px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D84261567628053648%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D8103558834707615773&media=https%3A%2F%2Fimages-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com%2Fgadgets%2Fproxy%3Furl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252F2.bp.blogspot.com%252F-f8Sve1ukgvA%252FVHZ3s7tcCqI%252FAAAAAAAACO0%252FsDfzGfWS3x4%252Fs1600%252F10809950_833510310005046_361426308_n.jpg%26container%3Dblogger%26gadget%3Da%26rewriteMime%3Dimage%252F*&xm=h&xv=sa1.35&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 193px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 24px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><br />
<a href="" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-91167941657558856112014-10-09T08:25:00.000-07:002014-10-09T08:25:01.397-07:00#TBT: Super blonde<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilN4_uZWS1sV9zcAx85GC2MiVCmsUG97FDAEr0LQtmbBR-q0WafOEdLn5KYM-1tCBFAeGzmHHXSO1Sw4khIVdaDrliwABc91GyxvRm90jTQbNi-nN_KJOmMoXzPs0PNfR9LpU3FCW6rbk/s1600/2004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilN4_uZWS1sV9zcAx85GC2MiVCmsUG97FDAEr0LQtmbBR-q0WafOEdLn5KYM-1tCBFAeGzmHHXSO1Sw4khIVdaDrliwABc91GyxvRm90jTQbNi-nN_KJOmMoXzPs0PNfR9LpU3FCW6rbk/s1600/2004.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long blonde hair freshman year of college in 2004.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Blame it on Pinterest, but lately I've had a mysterious urge to highlight my hair. To give a little context, I first started coloring my hair when I was 14. I brought pictures of platinum blonde celebs with me to the hair dresser, and predictably cried when I left the salon looking anything less than a John Freida model.<br />
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In my teens, it was never just about being blonde. It was about being blonde-and-tan. One was not sufficient without the other. There was no such thing as being too blonde or too tan. It wasn't until my senior year in college that I got fed up with the split ends and meandered back to the dark side. Shortly thereafter, I cut back on and soon quit tanning altogether, embracing a new, more natural look.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVN62gKv9AoyJPMt5_3TH7gVp5A5r4vQH6d1a0eaO92IwqaBgjk1v68PcbkCok78y7cVU37GdAkRrF_f3c_Bhyga0LCNN0BGDMgcwaQ-cPqqVE6P8Lch-Mng2iQTvG4v1FiGEBCU1hqk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-10-08+at+10.03.24+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVN62gKv9AoyJPMt5_3TH7gVp5A5r4vQH6d1a0eaO92IwqaBgjk1v68PcbkCok78y7cVU37GdAkRrF_f3c_Bhyga0LCNN0BGDMgcwaQ-cPqqVE6P8Lch-Mng2iQTvG4v1FiGEBCU1hqk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-10-08+at+10.03.24+PM.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and a friend in NYC in 2007.</td></tr>
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Fast forward six years: my hair has grown about a foot, and I haven't gotten close to a foil or box of hair dye in several years. For no reason in particular, I find myself daydreaming about subtle caramel highlights or a touch of ombre. Until now, I would have blown off the urges and stuck with my usual routine, but sometimes its nice to make a change.<br />
<br />
You may have noticed that I've been a "bad blogger" lately. The reason for this is twofold: (1) the trackpad on my MacBook has been broken and driving me crazy, and (2) last month, I started a new job! After nearly five years working in grant development and communications, I've shifted into an entirely new role doing community relations for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. It's been incredibly exciting for me to try something new, as well as to get paid to do the type of work I've spent so much time doing as a volunteer for the past few years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcH9iiCkT4YdY9XVg2C7k0PAKyOBmWMEGsEc6iwwrAKe3yqCK9rucS53RwKKK6-uScNuW9u9XfREf4lqPLgWQTWKt8DhhIgRdomvNFKR5dKwQhtlbQdCGrQwAqOF2HJTz0apoyHGGjfw/s1600/1934318_517009816116_2804_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcH9iiCkT4YdY9XVg2C7k0PAKyOBmWMEGsEc6iwwrAKe3yqCK9rucS53RwKKK6-uScNuW9u9XfREf4lqPLgWQTWKt8DhhIgRdomvNFKR5dKwQhtlbQdCGrQwAqOF2HJTz0apoyHGGjfw/s1600/1934318_517009816116_2804_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With the little broski at my college graduation in 2008.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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As I've made this move, it's been the perfect time for me to step back and evaluate my continued involvement in extracurricular activities like planning the Portland Melanoma Walk and even writing this blog. These activities have been immensely therapeutic for me, but as life goes on, I've felt less and less compelled to spend all my free time working on these projects. It's gotten to the point where every time I plan a melanoma-related meeting or event, it feels like a nagging reminder of something I've worked so hard to overcome. When I feel this way, I have to remind myself, this is a good thing. It's not quitting. It's coping. It's finding a way to make the best of a bad situation and then passing the torch to others who need that outlet. My job will continue to keep me connected to some great cancer prevention and early detection initiatives, but I'm definitely ready to step out of the spotlight and let the focus be on others.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAkooeJ_tbQS6AktBAzmZj_Dpx-IWwkMS2ajMHAI0NV0-6gBdDmByPaH-x3_f7ZdQUC-9BCezidN4O0vKlLQ-TQVLBPv3zvNzhiw_6w7P5mTXlNrbrjDwPocX1iV4YJkDkoy9z-7j1Vk/s1600/10351231_10100777418973036_6116192195082166668_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtAkooeJ_tbQS6AktBAzmZj_Dpx-IWwkMS2ajMHAI0NV0-6gBdDmByPaH-x3_f7ZdQUC-9BCezidN4O0vKlLQ-TQVLBPv3zvNzhiw_6w7P5mTXlNrbrjDwPocX1iV4YJkDkoy9z-7j1Vk/s1600/10351231_10100777418973036_6116192195082166668_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last weekend up at Mt. Hood. Hair au natural.</td></tr>
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You can see why I'm tempted to switch up my look. I know I haven't escaped melanoma for good. Just last week I had a minor surgery on my left shin to remove an abnormal mole, but overall, I feel like I'm in a really great place right now, and I'm excited to see where life takes me next.<br />
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xo Katie<br />
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P.S. Will share pics if and when I do highlight my hair.Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-18521487338478264102014-08-17T10:33:00.000-07:002014-08-17T10:33:17.175-07:00I detoxed... and then I ate a Big Mac<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVdUdOiL3mIYNOruKgJ5ZSoJ4oGlIuBDvo68RHlpHUdu1fH4bNm_GVP3UpOaBBWN8SsA9Vkd0OlmT3UDbkceHvU8n6lhv1rz1SulOCvRxMyg_FWfPtZ8euDqMnZ5-TnsBcoOWLfxksZE/s1600/Picture+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVdUdOiL3mIYNOruKgJ5ZSoJ4oGlIuBDvo68RHlpHUdu1fH4bNm_GVP3UpOaBBWN8SsA9Vkd0OlmT3UDbkceHvU8n6lhv1rz1SulOCvRxMyg_FWfPtZ8euDqMnZ5-TnsBcoOWLfxksZE/s1600/Picture+9.png" height="397" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After completing my first 10k on Aug. 11.</td></tr>
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This spring, I found a rather delectable-looking <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/christinebyrne/clean-eating-challenge#7u3qkx">clean eating meal plan</a> on Buzzfeed and followed it religiously for about five days. It was a bit burdensome to cook three meals a day (usually I buy lunch at work or grab take out on the way home) but it was fun to try news things in the kitchen, like roasting fennel and adding unexpected ingredients like blueberries to my salads.</div>
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Eating healthy made me feel better for a split second, but by the time the weekend rolled around I was exhausted and too busy to cook. One night, I went out on the town with friends and inadvertently ended the night in the McDonald's late-night walk-up window. As I sat on my futon eating a Big Mac, french fries, and a sugar-laden soda, I decided that something needed to change.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken, snap peas, and cucumber salad.</td></tr>
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As a patient advocate and health blogger, I spend a lot of time thinking and writing about health, beauty, and self esteem, so how had I become someone who was binging on junk food and feeling awful about my waistline?</div>
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In June, I joined my cousin and signed up for a 21-day fitness challenge. During the month of June, I ended up exercising 19 out of 30 days. Whether I was weight lifting, jogging, or doing pilates, I got off the couch and made myself sweat even when it hurt. For three weeks, I cut about 95 percent of the crap out of my diet. In doing so, I learned that I can survive without sharp cheddar and that the world won't end without ranch dressing. I can look Ben & Jerry's in the face, drool a little, and then walk away. More importantly, I learned some pretty interesting things about my body, like it's easier to wake up in the morning when I don't go to bed with a full stomach, and my energy levels vary based on what types of foods I eat.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indulging in an occasional post-race beer? Fine by me.</td></tr>
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Every time I read the news, there's a new article saying that exercise prevents cancer, that it lowers our risk for dementia, or that sitting at a desk all day is probably killing us. But working out every day? Easier said than done. </div>
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Three months after my "you shouldn't be doing this to yourself" epiphany, I'm not perfect by any means, but I've made strides to challenge my body and mind in new ways. On Aug. 11, I ran my first 10k, which was a rugged, off-road trail run. It was by far the hardest race I've ever done, but I finished it and it felt awesome. I've also been taking a ballet class for adults, which has been a great way to meet new people and learn something completely new and different. (Side note: ballet is way harder than it looks.)</div>
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Why am I telling you all this? As friends and regular readers of my blog, you are the people who hold me accountable for my actions. When I quit tanning, you helped keep me on track. I hope that by sharing this with you, I'll be less likely to slip up and fall back to old habits. We all have room for growth and improvement, but I hope that I never forget to keep loving and taking care of myself.</div>
Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-86612112809095979442014-07-15T21:50:00.000-07:002014-07-16T11:40:34.304-07:00Tips for staying safe and stylish in the sun<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/safe_stylish_in_sun/set?.embedder=5833312&.svc=copypaste&id=127032316" target="_blank"><img alt="Safe and stylish in the sun!" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/5WAIw28Holx35pmRjTlQ/cid/127032316/id/RodKMJkB5BGh5wmRZFZllw/size/c500x381.jpg" height="381" title="Safe and stylish in the sun!" width="500" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.yoursummerskin.com/sun-protective-tops/cardigans-dolmans/dolman-top-kiwi.html" target="_blank">Summerskin Dolman top in kiwi</a> / <a href="http://bananarepublic.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=950256002&tid=braff2687457&ap=2&siteID=brafcid105" target="_blank">Banana Republic Zoe hat</a> / <a href="http://www.sephora.com/everyday-sunscreen-broad-spectrum-spf-30-P386193?icid2=Whats_new_bb_sku_grid_P386193_image&om_mmc=aff-linkshare-redirect-Hy3bqNL2jtQ&c3ch=Linkshare&c3nid=Hy3bqNL2jtQ&affid=Hy3bqNL2jtQ-BiXSbvZijzE8cpRUkbWm2w" target="_blank">Supergoop Everday Sunscreen SPF 30</a> / <a href="http://www.shopbop.com/foldable-clubmaster-sunglasses-ray-ban/vp/v=1/1552704277.htm?currencyCode=USD&extid=affprg_CJ_SB_US-2205077-Polyvore-2687457" target="_blank">Ray-Ban Clubmaster sunglasses</a> / <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/bareminerals_ready_foundation_broad_spectrum/thing?id=69070680" target="_blank">Bare Minerals Ready Foundation SPF 20</a> / <a href="http://www.lordandtaylor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/lord-and-taylor/beauty--fragrance/makeup/long-last-glosswear-spf-15/?avad=68853_a6be924d&al_affid=52293&utm_campaign=52293&utm_source=Avantlink&utm_medium=Affiliates" target="_blank">Clinique Glosswear SPF 15</a> / <a href="http://www.yoursummerskin.com/sun-hats-and-scarves/sun-protective-scarves/sun-protective-scarf-grey-os.html" target="_blank">Summerskin Endless Summer scarf in Grey</a></i><br />
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We're in the midst of a 90-degrees-until-the-end-of-time heat wave here, so when I'm not locked up in my air-conditioned office, I like to spend as much time as I can outdoors. Delightful as it can be, too much sun exposure leads to premature aging and ups risk for skin cancer. <a href="http://www.hsn.com/shop/skin-care/bs0011">HSN</a> recently launched a campaign to encourage bloggers to share their tips for staying both safe an stylish in the summertime. As both a beauty and sun safety devotee, here are a few that I swear by:<br />
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<li><b>Indulge in an SPF you love:</b> One of the easiest ways to protect your skin from UV rays is to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that's SPF 30 or higher. I used to look at $20 tubes of sunscreen and run the other way, but now I think of it as an investment in my health and beauty. Like any beauty product, if you buy a sunscreen with a cute bottle or a fun fragrance, you're 10x more likely to reach for it at the beach. (Looking for a new SPF? Check out <a href="http://www.hsn.com/shop/sun-care/bs0018">these picks from HSN</a>.)</li>
<li><b>Look for clothing with SPF built in:</b> Once upon a time, cute sun protective clothing was an oxymoron. Now, more and more brands (hello, <a href="https://www.jcrew.com/womens_category/swim/solids/PRDOVR~38755/38755.jsp">J.Crew</a>) are making clothes and swimwear with sun protection built in. I recently purchased one of these <a href="http://www.yoursummerskin.com/sun-protective-clothing-featured/sun-protective-scarf-kiwi-os.html">versatile scarves</a> from SummerSkin and I love it. </li>
<li><b>Seek the shade:</b> Sometimes, sitting in the sun is inevitable, but if I'm lounging by the pool, I always try to snag a spot next to an umbrella. Not only do you avoid the sun, but you can keep your cool (i.e. sweat less) under an umbrella. You can also create your own shade with a cute floppy hat.</li>
<li><b>Enjoy happy hour: </b>The sun's rays are strongest from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., so I like to hit the pool between 4 and 6 p.m. Bonus: The pool is less crowded after 4 p.m., which means you don't have to fight for a lounge chair with an umbrella.</li>
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How do you stay sun safe and without sacrificing your style?Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-89303012824522771522014-06-27T07:52:00.000-07:002014-07-15T21:56:25.010-07:00Road trippingI just got back from a four-day road trip down to Southern and Central Oregon with Tim. Even though it's only a few hours away, I hadn't been to Crater Lake or Bend since I was a a kid. Our trip wasn't as glamorous as my trip to <a href="http://www.prettyinpale.org/2014/04/where-did-april-go.html" target="_blank">Cabo</a> or <a href="http://www.prettyinpale.org/2013/09/labor-day-in-napa-valley.html" target="_blank">Napa Valley</a>, but it was AWESOME. <br />
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Our first stop was <a href="http://www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm" target="_blank">Crater Lake</a> in Southern Oregon. In case you've never heard of it, Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the U.S. and the 9th deepest lake in the world. Because the water is so deep (and clean) it's the most jaw-dropping deep blue you could imagine. While we were gaping at the view, Tim and I met a lovely couple who was visiting from New Mexico. They snapped this picture for us.<br />
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Tim and I did a hike from the rim of the crater down to the water. It looks like an innocent, 2-mile hike, but the steep drop in elevation makes for a beast of a walk back up. (In case you were worried, I'm wearing SPF 50 in this picture.)<br />
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After Crater Lake, we drove up to Bend, which is a growing town in Central Oregon. About 15 miles south of Bend, we found these incredible lava caves. Apparently, tubes of lava from nearby volcanoes carved out tunnels in the rock. Now, you can rent a lantern and hike about a mile deep into the lava caves. Needless to say, it was pretty freakin' cool. I'm also quite proud of myself for overcoming my claustrophobia and not totally freaking out about being 30-minutes deep into a cave full of bats and goodness knows what else.<br />
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In the decade since I've visited Bend, several trendy microbreweries have also sprouted up. We visited a few of them, including <a href="http://www.10barrel.com/" target="_blank">10 Barrel</a> and <a href="http://www.cruxfermentation.com/" target="_blank">Crux Fermentation Project</a>. Rumor has it they're opening a 10 Barrel taproom in my neighborhood soon. I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of their flagship beer--the Apocalypse IPA--but the food was great and I can never say no to a taster tray.<br />
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As you can see, it was a pretty action-packed weekend. Not to sound like too much of a cheeseball, but I feel pretty lucky to live within driving distance of mountains and lakes and rivers and waterfalls and so many other beautiful natural resources. If you've never visited the Pacific Northwest, I highly suggest you book a trip.Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-6298738614108603532014-06-07T22:02:00.000-07:002014-06-07T22:02:10.021-07:00The 5 stages of event planning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Whether its a giant fundraising gala, a business conference, or a wedding in your parent's backyard, event planning can be incredibly stressful. Last month, I was involved in planning three big events, and let me tell you: I'm exhausted.<br />
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If you've done any event planning yourself, you know it isn't all about the big day. There are months and months of preparation that go into planning that one three-hour meeting or that one two-day trip. I've discovered that I experience several stages of emotion during the months leading up to and following a big event. In fact, they share some similarities with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCbler-Ross_model" target="_blank">five stages of grief</a> described by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. (I'm kidding! Kind of...)<br />
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1. Denial</h4>
Commonly characterized by: "My event is still nine months away. I don't need to start planning for it yet." Or, it's still two months before the big event and you still haven't sent in the required site permits. You'd rather drain your phone's battery on Pinterest than figure out which vendor to work with. Sometimes, the list of to-do's is so long that you don't know where to start. But it's OK. You've still got time.<br />
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2. Anger</h4>
Your event planning committee is driving you nuts. Your volunteers are driving you nuts. Your boss is driving you nuts. Your boyfriend is driving you nuts. The person who messed up the floral arrangements is driving you nuts. Basically, everyone including your dog is driving you nuts!!!<br />
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3. Bargaining</h4>
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You find yourself asking everyone and their second cousin for a favor. "If you buy a ticket to my event I'll buy you a drink!" "If you sign up to volunteer I'll be forever in your debt!" "If you print 100 color copies I'll take you out for coffee!" "If you help me make these centerpieces I'll sell you my soul for half price!"</div>
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<div>
<h4>
4. Depression</h4>
</div>
<div>
A few days after the event, it hits you like a brick: Now that your event is over, there is no meaning in life. What is the point of breathing if you don't need to micromanage a team of 12 volunteers anymore? You're totally burnt out from working a 16-hour shift on Saturday. Oh, and you'd rather not have to think about all those thank you notes you still need to write.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h4>
5. Acceptance</h4>
<div>
Now that it's been a month or two since your event, the whole event planning process doesn't seem so bad. Looking back at the photos, you give yourself a little pat on the back. Maybe you won't mind doing the whole thing over again next year...<br />
<br />
Fellow event planners: Can you relate?</div>
Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-12170515748586410782014-05-07T17:45:00.000-07:002014-05-07T17:45:30.222-07:00Is there such a thing as cute UV-protective clothing?I'll be the first person to admit, even with my history of skin cancer, I'd rather wear a teensy weensy bikini to the beach than dress like this:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJ0W-OyGGmluiotb-cgpMYvuqYAa2eIEQ3OQpwXA8OZ8aOd48mvAeRyuqI5AVwMZqfysvmUA-vdBypzEnh-CawluAIxanrogAJ1uNUyz4IpsDUiUaILj630amGfQ5Ic5XlcujdfyyxfQ/s1600/Kids-sun-clothing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJ0W-OyGGmluiotb-cgpMYvuqYAa2eIEQ3OQpwXA8OZ8aOd48mvAeRyuqI5AVwMZqfysvmUA-vdBypzEnh-CawluAIxanrogAJ1uNUyz4IpsDUiUaILj630amGfQ5Ic5XlcujdfyyxfQ/s1600/Kids-sun-clothing.JPG" height="241" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;">Cute on the kiddos. Less so on me. (<a href="http://www.sun-togs.co.uk/" target="_blank">Image credit</a>)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I <b>know</b> that sunscreen is not perfect, but it's hard to cover up when everyone else is flaunting it.<br />
<br />
When <a href="http://www.yoursummerskin.com/" target="_blank">SummerSkin</a>, a Portland-based sun protective clothing company, became a sponsor of the <a href="http://www.aimatmelanoma.org/en/aim-for-action/1158/1159/portland-2014.html" target="_blank">AIM walk</a> I'm organizing later this month, I promised I'd give it another shot.<br />
<br />
Since then, I've been introduced to Summer Kramer, the creator of SummerSkin. Like me, she's a patient-turned-advocate who is doing great things both locally and nationally to raise awareness about melanoma.<br />
<br />
I am very excited to share that Summer and her team have just launched an <a href="http://igg.me/at/summerskin" target="_blank">Indiegogo campaign</a> where you can test out items from SummerSkin's clothing and accessories line at a fraction of the normal retail price. Plus, 10% of proceeds go to <a href="http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/cancer/" target="_blank">OHSU Knight Cancer Institute</a> melanoma research program.<br />
<br />
Here's a sampling of what she's offering:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCF0zV8y-AiMCRE0n0iGu0JDxMC1Qj8Km1Kwh4B-sjCG9Rbx7w00eNcdjmj4IGaAzJ4G8Hg3LFPDbUGaOVaEfrFV1s5y5IIMBuqkPZsl4fVWufn6YjewgM8k_qWtXOE0431XDQHqrPjEo/s1600/20140501141034-Scarf_-_DK_ALL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCF0zV8y-AiMCRE0n0iGu0JDxMC1Qj8Km1Kwh4B-sjCG9Rbx7w00eNcdjmj4IGaAzJ4G8Hg3LFPDbUGaOVaEfrFV1s5y5IIMBuqkPZsl4fVWufn6YjewgM8k_qWtXOE0431XDQHqrPjEo/s1600/20140501141034-Scarf_-_DK_ALL.jpg" height="400" width="350" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmbg52SHuFJTcIPOcjH9kt0bCro-Ye87jf1B-WGK1yaTZ59ekmmJXh4ZJNiWt_pet2aoYHBDHJYJUl6GMBdY4n234Q8znl6JNzRX4p4t_vaTqB4wKExT1cBITVYQPf01qiq4Hpw7hc_s/s1600/20140501135113-thedolmanmockup_rev2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVmbg52SHuFJTcIPOcjH9kt0bCro-Ye87jf1B-WGK1yaTZ59ekmmJXh4ZJNiWt_pet2aoYHBDHJYJUl6GMBdY4n234Q8znl6JNzRX4p4t_vaTqB4wKExT1cBITVYQPf01qiq4Hpw7hc_s/s1600/20140501135113-thedolmanmockup_rev2.jpg" height="640" width="371" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rppjwAZ3pj5TQ_zc-05VOQBDEp0K6k9vbbvl_pETaQPYB2p2N8Qfwg_seq3hUXM0WTx8w7vs3iBGL_g_-aDR23XIUGACmY5_q6OwOOrHCLD5xlpfKv6jin04y7G8Df7xxRvbIAz3uZ0/s1600/20140501124005-theglassesmockup_rev1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rppjwAZ3pj5TQ_zc-05VOQBDEp0K6k9vbbvl_pETaQPYB2p2N8Qfwg_seq3hUXM0WTx8w7vs3iBGL_g_-aDR23XIUGACmY5_q6OwOOrHCLD5xlpfKv6jin04y7G8Df7xxRvbIAz3uZ0/s1600/20140501124005-theglassesmockup_rev1.jpg" height="640" width="322" /></a></div>
<br />
I don't usually plug brands on my blog, but this is a company and a cause that I am 100% supporting. Please help spread the word on Facebook and Twitter: <b><a href="https://twitter.com/search?f=realtime&q=%23SPFyRevolution&src=typd" target="_blank">#SPFyRevolution</a></b><br />
<br />
And, of course, <a href="http://igg.me/at/summerskin" target="_blank">get shopping</a>!Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-32917470575398347962014-04-23T20:15:00.000-07:002014-04-23T20:15:58.580-07:00Where did April go?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0KSfPZXYYJy4YcdjiwW4OeJe0beospK8YTOEh7ThU2RuSuDfbrCszVRkR6Y6gmDha9p9afRuFp3WQKcskh2oHE6_GfgKYk2l95II5QxLUh6Io3JjqnoU7I41JDY4sLzbW-dSAnmOLM4/s1600/DSCN3877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf0KSfPZXYYJy4YcdjiwW4OeJe0beospK8YTOEh7ThU2RuSuDfbrCszVRkR6Y6gmDha9p9afRuFp3WQKcskh2oHE6_GfgKYk2l95II5QxLUh6Io3JjqnoU7I41JDY4sLzbW-dSAnmOLM4/s1600/DSCN3877.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When life gets tough, I just need to remind myself: I climbed this!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I can't believe it's almost May. This month has been a blur. It probably seems like I've gone MIA, but I've just been really, really busy with melanoma-related activities. Earlier this month, I traveled to Utah for a meeting with SolSurvivors, a patient advocacy organization based in Salt Lake City. (This is the group I'm working with on the <a href="http://www.prettyinpale.org/2013/12/big-news-ive-been-approved-for-pcori.html" target="_blank">PCORI-funded project</a>.) Then today, I had a chance to meet with <a href="http://blog.ted.com/2014/03/19/want-to-prevent-genetic-disease-study-the-healthy-right-now-stephen-friend-at-ted2014/" target="_blank">this guy</a> in Seattle. Everyone I've met since I began working on this project has been incredibly receptive to the idea of involving patients in the design of cancer research and outreach projects. There's still lots of details up in the air and lots to figure out, but I'm feeling very confident about being able to engage more laypeople in the melanoma research process going forward--and that's incredibly, incredibly exciting to me.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, it's crunch time as we prepare for the <a href="http://www.prettyinpale.org/2014/03/3rd-annual-northwest-melanoma-walk-and.html" target="_blank">Northwest Melanoma Walk</a>
on May 31. I've connected with several new partners for the the walk
this year, so it'll be interesting to see how the event evolves from last year.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluiJIV3G-4AoFVVHoI6Mc-ak5Gz024jHkzE095_GHjVyddwXou_gQcO1T7XS7sEnmy-GYwNNqspr7Boyez9SU-w9ehPAlP-ozA_nvuvWcjs6Fl3PHsunSPdSRaUnDBVPXtXE-aGQQiPw/s1600/DSCN3883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgluiJIV3G-4AoFVVHoI6Mc-ak5Gz024jHkzE095_GHjVyddwXou_gQcO1T7XS7sEnmy-GYwNNqspr7Boyez9SU-w9ehPAlP-ozA_nvuvWcjs6Fl3PHsunSPdSRaUnDBVPXtXE-aGQQiPw/s1600/DSCN3883.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protecting my skin from the hot Cabo sun.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On a slightly unrelated note, this month I also accomplished something I never thought would be possible: <b>I turned off my iPhone for five full days</b> while I was in Mexico.<br />
<br />
Coming from someone who checks her email at least 50 times a day and practically cuddles her phone when she goes to sleep, I was expecting to go through withdrawals. But, surprisingly, the company I kept while I was vacationing was enough to distract me from that constant nagging feeling that I needed to check my email. I suppose the margaritas and shrimp tacos didn't hurt either.<br />
<br />
Disconnecting during an incredibly busy time--both at work and for my patient advocacy activities--was oddly liberating. I embraced relaxation to the point where I barely felt like myself anymore. I danced until 4 a.m. and climbed a huge mountain of rocks (see photo above), even though I'm ordinarily scared of heights. I heard people talk about their tans and sunburns, and I barely batted an eye.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3eZw4_n9C84lqscFvNetIuZBFewfBR6FyknLO2ydJ8l-kECo36NLNvgpNVl2AhEa5hS-H5lvX2YhHjeF043CSePzER6hsFSaRiWGDImOG2gKUZK25OcLC1VTT0pdvAEqp9rimJ_qeBk/s1600/photo+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja3eZw4_n9C84lqscFvNetIuZBFewfBR6FyknLO2ydJ8l-kECo36NLNvgpNVl2AhEa5hS-H5lvX2YhHjeF043CSePzER6hsFSaRiWGDImOG2gKUZK25OcLC1VTT0pdvAEqp9rimJ_qeBk/s1600/photo+1.jpg" height="400" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My amigas!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I think one of my strengths as a human being is my ability to be empathetic and compassionate to others. But let's be real: caring is exhausting. It was nice to know that I could almost "turn it off" for a few days, just so that I could get a little down time.<br />
<br />
Coming back to work on Monday was a bit of a rude wake up call. My inbox was full and I had several major deadlines to meet. Regardless, Cabo '14 will go down as one of the best trips <i>ever</i>. Crazy adventures with great friends--and I was finally able to chill out enough to enjoy it. Definitely just what I needed to get me through my busy season.Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-22699710755820802672014-04-02T20:14:00.000-07:002014-04-02T20:17:48.107-07:007 things that drive me absolutely crazyWhile I'm typically the kind of gal whose glass is half full, there are a handful of things that drive me completely and totally batty. I pre-apologize if your pet peeves list includes bloggers' pet peeves lists. Mine includes:<br />
<br />
<b>1. Anything (or anyone) that stands in my way of being on time</b><br />
I absolutely hate being late for meetings, appointments, events, etc. Even worse, I hate when being late is completely out of my control. For example, if I'm getting a ride from a friend to a birthday party and she shows up late, making both of us late to the party... %&#$@ Beware, you will feel my wrath.<br />
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<b>2. People who are rude to bus drivers</b><br />
This morning, I witnessed a man yell profanities at my bus driver for no apparent reason. I don't care if your wife just left you, if you just went bankrupt, or your March Madness bracket is busted--don't take it out on people who are simply doing their job. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbI2Okl9ATi_TVERXVHoCUMzzhMNOs5EgG4ip8-v4ZnjqCUq4cUoZOwDaGTbzYW32232RiihsxEAjABiwRL1NpOdj1hiNO2usnMp9-mQsjWZO7PnKM6P8RFv2Km9-KvWJ2CgqBSgRxGck/s1600/How-Rude-Stephanie-Full-House.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbI2Okl9ATi_TVERXVHoCUMzzhMNOs5EgG4ip8-v4ZnjqCUq4cUoZOwDaGTbzYW32232RiihsxEAjABiwRL1NpOdj1hiNO2usnMp9-mQsjWZO7PnKM6P8RFv2Km9-KvWJ2CgqBSgRxGck/s1600/How-Rude-Stephanie-Full-House.gif" /></a></div>
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<b>3. These absurd "Got Vitamin D?" ads</b><br />
These ads are in virtually every ladies room at every bar in downtown Portland. It's also currently on the billboard I have to walk past in order to get to the gym.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKHVfODKi0w82cl_UeCqdQYYCRCzAubP_irR1RHHwsw5K40UggJbT1sQNZMMP1hGj-1rULL2hKFHQKHiHCLR2npUx4PgnSjoV_bdokc2NOSmb8DJFTK6zMohfBLerRjr6G5_Y6rwKw78/s1600/Picture+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKHVfODKi0w82cl_UeCqdQYYCRCzAubP_irR1RHHwsw5K40UggJbT1sQNZMMP1hGj-1rULL2hKFHQKHiHCLR2npUx4PgnSjoV_bdokc2NOSmb8DJFTK6zMohfBLerRjr6G5_Y6rwKw78/s1600/Picture+9.png" height="320" width="242" /></a></div>
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Stop trying to tell me that tanning is healthy. Because it's not. Just stop.<br />
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<b>4. The words "We'll find out...... After the break."</b><br />
I'm looking at you Chris Harrison. I cancelled my cable recently, so I missed the bulk of the most recent season of <i>The Bachelor</i>, but is it REALLY necessary to have that show go on for TWO HOURS?! No. Stop dragging it out. Just send the girl home.<br />
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<b>5. #hashtags</b><br />
Sorry folks. I don't like them. #sorryimnotsorry<br />
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<b>6. Blogs that have so many ads on the sidebar that it takes 20 minutes to load</b><br />
I came here to read your content, but now I can't, so I'll catch you later (or not).<br />
<b><br /></b>
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<b>7. When people cancel at the last minute</b><br />
Saving the best for last. I think my all-time biggest pet peeve is when people cancel on me at the last minute. I'm like the dentist - I need 24 hours notice or I'm still going to send you the bill.<br />
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What drives you crazy?Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-64438480962933066852014-03-14T06:02:00.000-07:002014-03-24T20:47:16.569-07:003rd Annual Northwest Melanoma Walk and Fun Run, May 31<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">This May, </span><a href="http://www.aimatmelanoma.org/en/index.html" target="_blank"><span style="text-align: left;">AIM at Melanoma</span></a><span style="text-align: left;"> (with help from yours truly!) will be hosting the 3rd Annual AIM for a CURE Northwest Melanoma Walk and Fun Run in Portland, Oregon. New for 2014, all net proceeds will benefit the Melanoma Research Program at Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute and Department of Dermatology. Specifically, the event will raise funds for Portland's first Melanoma Tissue Bank, widely believed by the oncology community to be a key to major breakthroughs in melanoma research.</span>
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<b>Northwest Melanoma Walk and Fun Run</b><br />
<b>Saturday, May 31, 2014 from 8:30 to 12 p.m. </b></div>
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<b>Wallace Park, NW 25th Ave. & Raleigh Street, Portland, OR </b><br />
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<b> Register at: <a href="http://bit.ly/melanomawalk14" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/melanomawalk14 </a></b><br />
<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/melanomapdx" target="_blank">Follow us on Facebook</a> for news and updates</b><br />
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The event is free and will include a health fair, hosted by OHSU's <i>Let's Get Healthy</i>, where the whole family can learn about sun safety, how to detect suspicious spots on the skin, as well as how to participate in life-saving research.<br />
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Questions? Contact <a href="mailto:melanomapdx@gmail.com">melanomapdx@gmail.com</a>. Not local? <a href="http://www.aimatmelanoma.org/en/aim-for-action/1158/1159.html" target="_blank">Find an event in your area</a>.</div>
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Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-28358902781353962322014-03-07T20:36:00.001-08:002014-03-07T20:36:48.061-08:00Spring break state of mind<div style="margin: 0 auto; width: 500px;">
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<a href="http://www.polyvore.com/spring_break/set?.embedder=5833312&.svc=copypaste&id=115640993" target="_blank"><img alt="Spring break" border="0" src="http://cfc.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-set/.sig/U6G7AvDEbbxIw6pfMeszw/cid/115640993/id/CrUz8Hem4xGTgujFtP8JyA/size/c500x391.jpg" height="391" title="Spring break" width="500" /></a></div>
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<small><a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=5833312&.svc=copypaste&id=81655781" rel="nofollow">Sun Bum sunscreen</a> / <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=5833312&.svc=copypaste&id=102943781" rel="nofollow">Butter london nail polish</a> / <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=5833312&.svc=copypaste&id=103308192" rel="nofollow">Vintage cateye sunglasses</a> / <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=5833312&.svc=copypaste&id=101071471" rel="nofollow">Stella Dot beige leather handbag</a> / <a href="http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/thing?.embedder=5833312&.svc=copypaste&id=103377928" rel="nofollow">Gap loafer shoes</a></small><br />
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The past few weeks have been busy, busy. I have lots of exciting things in the works that I can't wait to share, but for the time being I'm going to keep my lips sealed and simply blab about my upcoming vacation plans.<br />
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When I was in college, I never went on *spring break.* My family paid to fly me across the country to go to college, so they couldn't rationalize spending $1,000 to put me up in an all-inclusive resort when I was 19. Fair enough. Nearly ten years later, I finally have the opportunity to travel to Mexico for the first time this April. After all the traveling I did last year, I've been getting a little stir crazy the past couple of months. Plus, I need an excuse to shop for shorts when it's still nearly freezing outside. Needless to say, I'm stoked.<br />
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Because of the whole skin cancer thing, traveling to exotic, sun-filled locations continues to present some challenges. I'm obviously not going to have a tan when I arrive in Cabo, and I'm probably going to be paranoid about getting a sunburn while I'm there. But that doesn't mean I don't like visiting tropical islands or drinking piña coladas on the beach. I <i>love </i>going on vacation. I wish I could travel more frequently than I already do. In fact, at some point during the next year or so, my heart is set on visiting a good friend of mine who is currently living in Australia. What this means is that I usually end up spending a fair amount of time under the beach umbrella and I pay extra to check luggage because I have too many bottles of SPF to fit in a quart-sized plastic baggie. Sometimes I wish I could be more "normal," but what does normal really mean, anyway?Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-15928979480450526592014-02-18T21:27:00.000-08:002014-02-18T21:27:47.768-08:00Life goal #578: Learn how to line dance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A couple of weeks ago, we celebrated my friend Jessica's birthday by going to a bar where they do line dancing. We got all dolled up in our cowboy boots and headed out for a night on the... errr... country. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was definitely not a dance floor FULL of people who all appeared to know exactly what they were doing. My little city girl jaw was on the floor. I felt like I was in a movie where all of a sudden the whole cast busts out in a choreographed dance routine.<br />
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Not one to be a wallflower, by the end of the night, I was determined to learn how to line dance. Two weeks later, I am nowhere near closer to crossing this item off my bucket list, but the bar we went to offers lessons, so I'm excited to go back at some point to give it a try.<br />
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The moral of this blog post? It's easy for me to get stuck in the "same ole same ole" routine. Same restaurants, same stores, even the same route to and from work. Routine isn't bad--it helps keep life on track. But I don't ever want to forget how much I love trying new things, even if I fail, and even if it's something as simple as learning the two-step.Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-18010344970062687772014-02-12T21:26:00.000-08:002014-02-12T21:27:58.343-08:00When business meets pleasureA few weeks ago, I was recognized at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute's annual awards ceremony for all the melanoma outreach work I did last year. It was kind of fun to have my name called amidst a room full of people I admire, but believe it or not, the intent of this post isn't to gloat. Instead, I need to spill about how my work life and personal life are becoming completely incestuous.<br />
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It all started a little over a year ago when there were rumblings that Oregon Health & Science University--my employer--would be lobbying for a teen tanning ban during the Spring 2013 legislative season. In addition to testifying, I agreed to share my story on OHSU's website and to do a number of media interviews.<br />
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To put it plainly: it's one thing to spill your guts to thousands of people you'll never meet in real life. It's an entirely different thing to do so in front of your boss, your boss's boss, your colleagues down the hall, and pretty much everyone else you know in a professional capacity. My landlord saw me on TV and sent me a note. I got Facebook messages from people I hadn't spoken to since 2008. Almost a year after those interviews, I'm still running into people at meetings that say, "Hey, I saw that <a href="http://www.ohsu.edu/blogs/96kmiles/2013/03/13/tanning-and-melanoma-patient-stor/" target="_blank">article you wrote about melanoma</a>." Suddenly, my personal life isn't so personal anymore.<br />
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For the most part, people have reacted positively, although I have had a few people make offensive comments. In a way, bringing my personal life with me into the workplace has been a bit like dating a roommate. And you know what they say about s@!#$ing where you eat.<br />
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As my work and err... "outside of work" work become more deeply entwined--I'm now collaborating with OHSU on the Northwest Melanoma Walk, too--I've become hyper conscious about how my patient advocacy activities will impact my work and vice versa. It's been my lifelong dream to do work that I'm passionate about, but making myself vulnerable to colleagues has and continues to be a bit nerve racking.<br />
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I'd be curious to hear if any of you have gone through similar situations and how you've coped. Do you think that having some overlap between your work life and your personal life is harmful or beneficial? Feel free to shoot me an email at <a href="mailto:katie@prettyinpale.org">katie@prettyinpale.org</a>.Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-74124564168730368532014-02-10T19:24:00.001-08:002014-02-18T21:30:19.954-08:00Check your mate this Valentine's DayI love a slightly provocative public health campaign. Something that catches my attention, but also helps me remember to take care of myself. These clever "Check Your Mate" e-cards from the <a href="http://preventcancer.org/checkyourmate/" target="_blank">Prevent Cancer Foundation</a> do just that--and are available in time for v-day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCMG5DZ4Ye2olyGSt2UOW_ycVHjdHw1L6xlPkP5XtrY8Lx-qFjLNvZbj7lwoBYST4o0o7QqAFZp4QKlp_tEkjFLuICjyRtIsjBc45pcMLCEbH07xZSsxilVmq_XoR883p3MHr3W3-v8g/s1600/CYM+e-cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKCMG5DZ4Ye2olyGSt2UOW_ycVHjdHw1L6xlPkP5XtrY8Lx-qFjLNvZbj7lwoBYST4o0o7QqAFZp4QKlp_tEkjFLuICjyRtIsjBc45pcMLCEbH07xZSsxilVmq_XoR883p3MHr3W3-v8g/s1600/CYM+e-cards.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Here's what their website says: "Whether in bed, in the shower or anywhere you might find yourselves in
the nude with your partner, take a few minutes to look for abnormal
changes in your partner’s skin. The ABCDE rule is a quick and easy way
to remember red flags for suspicious moles.
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A word of caution: It would probably be awkward to do this on a first, second or third date. But if you're cuddling up with your hubby or live-in significant other, keep your eyes peeled. Moles or freckles that look abnormal or are changing are worth having looked at by a dermatologist. Skin cancer? Not sexy.<br />
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Visit <a href="http://checkyourm8.org/">checkyourm8.org</a> to send an e-card or share via social media.<br />
<br />Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-33918416851343692972014-01-27T19:24:00.000-08:002014-01-28T11:29:37.123-08:00Meet Amanda from Marry MintI'd like to introduce you all to my new friend Amanda from <a href="http://marrymint.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Marry Mint</a>. Since we started chatting a couple of weeks ago, I've become smitten with her bubbly personality, <a href="http://marrymint.blogspot.com/p/m.html" target="_blank">adorable pregnancy photos</a>, and most importantly, the courage she's demonstrated since being diagnosed with melanoma at age 19. Thank you, Amanda, for sharing your story.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuImZzv9luYv8XmINT-hyAyVieRz3nRQKd5v2aVpD4g2MQvTzEuiePeb_Jv6EIEC3zn0m1mVxGTh0ewv4C2mpAJYjWXRZB77NWS6L3ntVmVIwTtdpHjk1IX16DbW2dtVKWqp4eHF1yGA/s1600/Amanda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZuImZzv9luYv8XmINT-hyAyVieRz3nRQKd5v2aVpD4g2MQvTzEuiePeb_Jv6EIEC3zn0m1mVxGTh0ewv4C2mpAJYjWXRZB77NWS6L3ntVmVIwTtdpHjk1IX16DbW2dtVKWqp4eHF1yGA/s1600/Amanda.jpg" height="248" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hey everyone! I’m so thrilled and honored to be here today :)<br />
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Goodness, putting my “story” into words is much harder than
I thought it would be. I’m FIVE YEARS cancer free and I only recently found the
courage to begin sharing my experiences with melanoma.
So, I’m sure you can tell from my photo that my skin is
quite fair. As a little kid my parents were always careful and kept my skin
covered either by clothing or sunblock. Were they perfect about it? Probably not. But they were certainly cautious.
Then came those awful teenage years… Am I the only one who
wishes I could get a do over? For more reasons than one. Ew. Just ew to being a
teen. Anyway, I still wasn’t a sun worshiper but was definitely self-conscious
about my pasty white mole covered skin. I knew enough to know that I was
someone who was at a higher risk for skin cancer but of course “it won’t happen
to me.” Was I a sun worshiper? No. Frequent tanner? No. Did I always make good choices about sun safety?
Most definitely not.<br />
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The most common question I am asked is: “how did you know?”
The answer is, I didn’t. Even my dermatologist didn’t. I had a new “spot” on my
shoulder that was just weird. It was new, kind of blue-ish in color and got on
my nerves because it was exactly where my seatbelt rested in the car. So new
spot= go see your dermatologist, right? So I did.<br />
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At my initial visit with him we decided to leave it there
and keep an eye on it. It didn’t remotely resemble a melanoma. About a month
later I still had an unsettling feeling about it so scheduled an appointment to
have it removed. Just a couple of days later my dermatologist called saying it
didn’t look good. Pathology showed it could be one of three different things,
one of those of course being melanoma. The next step was to have the area
excised AND complete the sentinel node biopsy while the pathology was being
sent off for multiple opinions. Long story short, I was diagnosed with
malignant melanoma with spitzoid deviation stage 3b.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULo84iTN0TZLG2s5mtVIQpfb4bKHIDre_s4Oj8JdZvgl5ICgCO0yGWaWmM1kO3NBTQxiUDeZX2dw-FNILHqIYZHmheVe6Q0AFED0oNhsSWHmmwLllyxGrmqcJmBItczWlgbCpy6eNFQ0/s1600/Amanda2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjULo84iTN0TZLG2s5mtVIQpfb4bKHIDre_s4Oj8JdZvgl5ICgCO0yGWaWmM1kO3NBTQxiUDeZX2dw-FNILHqIYZHmheVe6Q0AFED0oNhsSWHmmwLllyxGrmqcJmBItczWlgbCpy6eNFQ0/s1600/Amanda2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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{The ‘spitzoid deviation’ is what made my particular disease
complicated. It is a lesion that is most common in very young children and it’s
behavior really isn’t known. SO we had to just treat it as aggressively as
possible even though it is believed to be less invasive than your garden-variety
melanomas.}<br />
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My treatment consisted of a modified radical neck
dissections followed by the standard year of interferon, one month of induction
and eleven months of maintenance. All while having regular scans and check ups
with my dermatologist.<br />
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On my blog I try and open up about life after cancer. My anxieties, my family, different support systems,
lessons, plus million and one photos of my sweet daughter. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=84261567628053648" name="_GoBack"></a>My
hope is to show the world that life can and does go own following something as
horrific as cancer. It isn’t perfect and it isn’t always pretty, but it can be
damn good! :)
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Find me online</h3>
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<a href="http://marrymint.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My blog, Marry Mint</a></div>
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<a href="http://marrymint.blogspot.com/p/pregnancy_30.html" target="_blank">My cancer chronicles</a></div>
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Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-29861078318653530732014-01-25T13:13:00.000-08:002014-02-13T18:44:09.307-08:00Best BB creams for fair skin: Missha, Dr. Jart, Clinique and more<br />
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When BB creams first came on the market they were very "one size fits all." I tried a few but with no luck. Even the formulas for light skin made me look orange. Last year, I set out on a mission to find the perfect BB cream for fair skin. Since then, I logged several hours of watching YouTube videos and visited a number of beauty blogs. I've bought BBs on Amazon.com, tested a few that have come in my Birchbox, and made a few purchases at Sephora. While I'm still partial to my Revlon foundation and Bare Minerals face powder, I'm quickly becoming a convert (especially because of the built in SPF). Here are my thoughts on several popular brands of BB creams.<br />
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My skin tone</h3>
This is what my skin color looks like in natural light:<br />
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Swatches</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aWs2Qe0oQj92gZpJpqbsqBqMxrmXE_gfMJVb3xkY36Puj41n3QYsx5AOTzNnFKhLguEOPpWOwR1Km3OSFbhBs5BVJd3U1nB-VcdgBBvBurQZKWQ7SY0gA5xpneYNhTiS9h4KiYPZ5lE/s1600/BB-creams-fair-pale-skin-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aWs2Qe0oQj92gZpJpqbsqBqMxrmXE_gfMJVb3xkY36Puj41n3QYsx5AOTzNnFKhLguEOPpWOwR1Km3OSFbhBs5BVJd3U1nB-VcdgBBvBurQZKWQ7SY0gA5xpneYNhTiS9h4KiYPZ5lE/s1600/BB-creams-fair-pale-skin-1.jpg" height="376" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h3>
BB Creams I recommend<b> </b></h3>
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<b><a href="http://www.misshaus.com/ctrl.php?page=mainProductDetail&p_code=MSMS1052&ctg=AAA" target="_blank">Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 in #13 Milky Beige & #21 Light Beige</a></b> <br />
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This is one of my favorite formulas for summertime, and my top pick before I discovered Dr. Jart's Renewalist. The formula is buildable like foundation, so it ranges from sheer to medium coverage depending on how you apply it. I've found that applying and blending with my fingers works best (even though I always use a brush when I apply liquid foundation). If you have very fair, porcelain skin, I recommend shade #13. If you have fair to light skin, go with #21. Or, you could do what I did and buy sample sizes of both shades. While #13 matches my neck perfectly, the skin on my forehead and cheeks tends to be much more pink, so if I apply #13 all over it looks a little chalky. While #21 seems like it would be too dark (and it has a grey cast to it straight out of the tube), it's effective at neutralizing the redness on my face. It also blends in effortlessly. With two shades, you can mix a little of each color together to customize the color for your skin tone.<br />
<i>Rating:</i> 4/5 - One of the best BBs I've tried. Knocking it down a point only because I have to mix two shades to get my perfect match and the formula isn't as moisturizing as some others.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.sephora.com/premium-beauty-balm-spf-45-P285403" target="_blank">Dr. Jart Premium Beauty Balm</a></b><br />
Dr. Jart BB creams have a huge following, and the Premium Formula
seems to be a crowd favorite. Unlike Missha, however, Dr. Jart BBs only
come in one shade per formula.
The color of Premium is a hint darker than Missha #21, but it's also a
bit warmer. I would recommend this BB to someone with light (but not
super pale) skin, who is looking for a sheer, moisturizing coverage. I
can't usually wear it alone, but if I mix in a dab of Missha #13, the
color matches my skin better.<i><br />Rating:</i> 3/5 - Lightweight, moisturizing formula but the color is a bit too dark.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.sephora.com/renewalist-bb-beauty-balm-P374569" target="_blank">Dr. Jart Renewalist Beauty Balm</a></b><br />
Of Dr. Jart's four most popular formulas, Renewalist is by far the lightest in color. It matches my skin tone absolutely perfectly. It also offers the fullest coverage, so it feels the most like a foundation. I love the SPF 40 and that the active ingredients are physical sun blockers, titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Because it feels a bit more like a foundation than a BB cream, I've found that I have to apply this with a foundation brush to get the smoothest coverage. With a brush, it's a breeze to blend, but when I just use my fingers, it's a bit harder to blend. My favorite thing about this formula is that my skin looks healthier and my glowing after I wash my face in the evening. Besides the sunscreen, I don't know what they put in it, but it makes my skin very happy. And I can use it to brighten my under eye area without concealer. <br />
<i>Rating:</i> 5/5 - Love it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.sephora.com/water-fuse-beauty-balm-spf-25-pa-P285402" target="_blank"><b>Dr. Jart Water Fuse Beauty Balm</b></a><br />
Coming in at a close second, Dr. Jart's Water Fuse BB is my go-to product for every day wear. Straight out of the tube, the color is a smidge darker than the Renewalist, but the formula is so sheer that it blends into my skin perfectly. I like to use when I'm going for the "no makeup" look. It ever so slightly evens my skin tone and adds a boost of moisture, without looking too obvious. Since I have such a hard time picking a favorite--it totally depends on the look I'm going for--I really like this <a href="http://www.sephora.com/the-original-bb-cream-set-P376218?skuId=1463231" target="_blank">Dr. Jart kit</a>. The Detox formula is way too dark for me, even if I mix it with Missha #13, but my mom loves it, so I can always unload that tube on her.<br />
<i>Rating: </i>5/5 <br />
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<b><a href="http://www.juicebeauty.com/store/stem-cellular-cc-cream.html" target="_blank">Juice Beauty CC Cream</a></b><br />
This cream is the most different from the others in terms of color, texture, and consistency. It has extremely light coverage, so I probably won't wear this alone. I was happiest when I applied to this dry, clean skin for it's moisturizing/nourishing/SPF benefits, but I still had to use my Bare Minerals to cover redness. My skin felt great when I wore it, so I would recommend it as a primer for powder mineral makeup. Of note: The scent on this one is a bit strong. It didn't bother me, but other online reviews mention the scent, so take a sniff or try a sample before you buy.<br />
<i>Rating:</i> 4/5 - Good primer, but I wouldn't wear it alone.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.clinique.com/product/1667/25255/Skincare/NEW-Moisture-Surge-CC-Cream-SPF-30-Hydrating-Colour-Corrector/index.tmpl" target="_blank">Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream in Very Light</a></b><br />
When I first tried this one, I didn't love it. Unlike some of the Asian BB creams I've tried, it doesn't quite melt into your skin. That said, after applying it with a foundation brush, I decided it does offer a nice light-to-moderate level of coverage, and the color is a decent match for my skin tone. It looks a bit more yellow than some, but if you're a Clinique devotee, you might want to give this one a try.<br />
<i>Rating:</i> 4/5 - Not my absolute favorite, but a solid formula.<br />
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<h3>
BB Creams I don't recommend </h3>
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<b><a href="http://www.purminerals.com/CC-Cream-Broad-Spectrum-SPF-40" target="_blank">Pur Minerals CC Cream</a></b><br />
This was a Birchbox sample. Initially, the shade seemed to match my skin tone based on a quick swatch, but I had a <i>really</i> hard time blending this cream into my skin. I tried using my fingers, a foundation brush, and a damp sponge, but nothing made application less burdensome. I also felt like it made me look a little orange. I ended up tossing my sample because I even finished it, so I definitely wouldn't recommend it.<br />
<i>Rating: 1/5 </i>- Definitely not for me.<br />
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/skin79singapore" target="_blank">Skin 79</a></b><br />
These BB creams have a cult following on YouTube. I was
a little bummed because they only come in one shade. It's pretty light,
but it's still too dark for my skin tone. The pink formula works best
for normal to oily skin, while the gold one is best for normal to dry.<br />
<i>Rating: </i>2/5 - Too dark.<br />
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More swatches</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlAzPCdWrFjVqMRMCMbv4YsS0riKYwh0jewQGeaPK8Nr55bNUITgYKh7ZL0KGQWpdtjAEYz29RPUuNmqoJhmrGihcLpvpn_yiciH3fqWfIxAsWaOGi6aRo7WwlVW5fdWO2GUopLDdSzw/s1600/BB-creams-fair-pale-skin2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFlAzPCdWrFjVqMRMCMbv4YsS0riKYwh0jewQGeaPK8Nr55bNUITgYKh7ZL0KGQWpdtjAEYz29RPUuNmqoJhmrGihcLpvpn_yiciH3fqWfIxAsWaOGi6aRo7WwlVW5fdWO2GUopLDdSzw/s1600/BB-creams-fair-pale-skin2.jpg" height="400" width="381" /></a></div>
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Also important to note: With any BB cream, always set with a translucent
powder, otherwise they melt right off your face. I like <a href="http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-item-Amazonian-clay-finishing-powder?gclid=CMn57POHi7kCFTFgQgodPhcAhA" target="_blank">Tarte's Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder</a> because it's completely colorless and doesn't cake. If you're on a budget, <a href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/products.asp?dept_id=2056&ctcampaign=2156&ctkwd=83331&gclid=CJ7VqbqemrwCFUSSfgodpz0A3A" target="_blank">ELF High Definition Powder</a> in translucent is a pretty good dupe.<br />
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Do you have a favorite BB cream? A suggestion for a new brand I should try? Leave me a comment below.Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84261567628053648.post-35166218503293548262014-01-14T20:14:00.000-08:002014-01-14T20:14:03.374-08:00A belated cancerversaryLast week marked four years since I was diagnosed with melanoma. It seems fitting that on my four-year cancerversary I had a meeting with one of the co-founders of <a href="http://www.aimatmelanoma.org/en/index.html" target="_blank">AIM at Melanoma</a> and that later in the evening I had an orientation for my <a href="http://www.prettyinpale.org/2013/12/big-news-ive-been-approved-for-pcori.html" target="_blank">PCORI Pipeline award</a> on patient-driven melanoma research. Somewhere along the way, I've transformed from scared patient to a fierce advocate for cancer prevention. <br />
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Earlier this year, during a period of self-reflection, I struggled with the fact that perhaps all my blogging and fundraising and whatnot was taking up too much of my free time. After four years, I thought, maybe it was time for me to stop obsessing over the past and to move on. But I can't. Every time I try to step back and "take a break," someone makes an ignorant comment about skin cancer, or I overhear two teenagers talking about their tan lines on the bus.<br />
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I've also recently found new ways to become involved in melanoma research. Not just as a subject in a study, but as a patient who can partner with scientists to develop better strategies for prevention and earlier detection. There's lots to learn, which can be a little intimidating, but I'm excited to see where things lead.<br />
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I'll leave you with this fabulous infographic I found on <a href="http://adventurewithmelanoma.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Chelsea's</a> Pinterest today--<a href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/blog/where-to-check-for-skin-cancer" target="_blank">9 Sneaky Places Skin Cancer Hides</a>. Check it out and help spread the word!<br />
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<br />Katie Wilkeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18286648146803495117noreply@blogger.com9