The man tan

Jake Gibb, Olympic beach volleyball player is
a melanoma and testicular cancer survivor.

When I was in college, still an avid tanning bed user, my girlfriends and I used to giggle every time we saw a guy at a tanning salon. Call me old fashioned, but I've always preferred my men to be more rugged and outdoorsy. If a guy is more high maintenance than me (think waxed chest and designer denim)--I'll pass.

Come to find out, many of my guy friends have been to a tanning salon. And many of the ones who haven't are notorious for shunning sunscreen when they spend time outdoors. While I spend most of my time educating young women about the dangers of UV radiation, I wanted to take a moment to remind you: guys get skin cancer, too. Men are actually more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma than women.

To quote a U.S. News article from a few years back:

"Why men? 'Part of it is because men tend to get more [ultraviolet] exposure because of their jobs, part of it is that they use sunscreen less, and part of it is later detection,' says Barbara Gilchrest, chair of the dermatology department at Boston University. Many of her male melanoma patients, she says, come in only after being nagged by family members. Forty-seven percent of men report they never use sunscreen, one survey found. That's part of the reason, no doubt, that researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say men have higher rates of sunburn."

I hate, hate, HATE to stereotype, but so many guys I know are (a) too cool to wear sunscreen or (b) totally invincible and don't need to go see a dermatologist--or so they think. Even if you do stay out of the sun, be careful that you don't fall into the latter category. Make skin checks part of your regular routine, especially as you age. I imagine that checking your back in the mirror every so often is less of a pain than an annual colonoscopy. There are undoubtedly people in this world who care about you, so please take care of yourself.

Steve Hock, father of these two, passed
away from melanoma on July 16, 2012.
Men: You are not immune.

With age comes wisdom (and wrinkles if you forget your sunscreen)

Celebrating my birthday a few years ago.

As of 12 a.m. this morning, I am 26 years old. How did that happen? It feels like five minutes ago I was sipping my first legal beer. Birthdays have always been a huge stressor for me: Another milestone, another opportunity to over-analyze my life and criticize myself for not doing more. Because I still struggle with this feeling a little bit, I've decided to give myself (and you, my lovely readers!) the gift of motivation to live each day like it really counts. Yesterday, I contacted a few of my "mole mates" (a.k.a. my melanoma buddies) to ask if being diagnosed with cancer has changed the way they think about birthdays. The result? Poignant, useful advice that's worth a read whether your life has been touched by melanoma or not. Thank you to everyone for sharing!

How has melanoma changed the way you think about birthdays?

 

"I'm one of these that loves to celebrate every birthday, small and simply, but celebrate nonetheless. Until melanoma I celebrated on the day (Sept 3rd) and on my half birthday (yes, I celebrate March 3rd, too). NOW, everyday is my birthday. I just don't add a year to my age with each passing day though. I've become cognizant that I really am not guaranteed to see another Sept 3rd, so I relish each one I do see, but more than that, I've come to appreciate each new day like I never did BC. And every day is a new gift to be opened and enjoyed. So, I have lots of birthdays and lots of presents. Even on those days when they aren't the "best of days." I know a new day is coming. Melanoma changed my attitudes about a lot of things!" -Rev. Carol Taylor, Stage IIIb melanoma survivor from Attitude of Gratitude

"In August 2003, shortly after I turned 50, I was told I wouldn't see Christmas. Every subsequent birthday has been a gift. I turned 59 last month, and have every intention of becoming a Social Security and Medicare on the next generation. I've paid for the Social Security and Medicare benefits of the WW II generation. Now it's YOUR turn!" -Rich McDonald, Stage IIIc melanoma survivor from Welcome to The Hotel Melanoma

"Cancer has changed everything. At first my goals were 3 months at a time (of course I was told I had 6-12 months to live and I was told on my 50th birthday so it's even more special). Every birthday of my kids, and family was such a gift. Making it to my 51st was incredible, you appreciate everyday. There's a saying, "I look forward to getting old, so many of my friends did not have this opportunity," and its so true. I know how very blessed I am to be here. Really everyday is my birthday." -Mark Williams, Stage IV melanoma survivor

"Cancer has CERTAINLY change the way I feel about birthdays. I relish every one of them!!! I guess I've felt that way for a while because my brother died at 49 so I've had perspective since I was 34 but after cancer is totally different! Every birthday is a gift from GOD. I feel that way with not only my birthday but with my kids birthdays. They were on 12 and 14 when I was diagnosed so each birthday they reach is a huge achievement. I need to be here for them so every birthday they have is one more year I was blessed to be in their lives!!!!" -Diane Melius, melanoma survivor

"Cancer has definitely changed the way I view birthdays. I used to have a love/hate relationship with my birthday after my 18th. I felt like I wasn't where I needed to be at that particular moment. I was scared of becoming 'old' because I felt like life was rushing by! How was I really turning 23 when I wasn't engaged and entering the career I always wanted? Then I got that diagnosis and thought, 'I may not live to blow 30 candles off my cake.' Fear. That's what I felt in those moments (and still today!). I can't tell you how many people joke with me, 'Getting old is no fun!' or 'Don't get old!' Now, I politely smile and say, 'It's better than the alternative.' So many people do not have the privilege to grow older. I consider it a blessing. Truly." -Chelsea Price, Stage III melanoma survivor from Adventures With My Enemy... Melanoma

"I've always loved birthdays and have never dreaded getting a year older. I was happy to turn 30- I was married and pregnant with my first child, so life was great! My 33 birthday, however, was a blur. I had been diagnosed with Melanoma 3 months earlier and was living in a fog. I couldn't think about the future because I was not sure I would be in it. Thankfully, by my 34 birthday was much different. I had a new appreciation for the year that had passed and looked forward to the year ahead. I was once again planning for a future and living each day more joyfully because I knew it was a blessing. So, to sum it up, while I have always loved birthdays, I now treasure each one. Another year older? Heck yeah!!" -Anne Stokes Bowman, Stage Ib melanoma survivor


Do you have something to add? Share your story below.

Dare to wear: Cobalt blues

Button up at Jcrew.com.

Every season, there's a color: A color that's all over the runways and that I pin and pin obsessively. This season, that color is cobalt blue. I can't get enough of it. I love it for being so rich and bold, but I also love it because it literally looks good on everyone. Pale skin, olive skin, dark skin--I dare you to show me someone who doesn't look pretty in a richly pigmented royal blue.

Tinley Road Silk Blouse at Piperlime.com.

Steve Madden Vegass shoe at Piperlime.com.

Accordion Pleat Skit at Bananarepublic.com.

Cobalt crops via Thesimplyluxuriouslife.com.

Heart and arrow earrings at Etsy.com.

Looking for more summer brights?

Melanoma and particle physics

Human melanoma cells.
Image: Paul J.Smith & Rachel Errington.

Even the indoor tanning industry admits that UV light causes the most common forms of skin cancer, basal and squamous cell carcinoma. They claim, however, that there is insufficient scientific evidence to prove that UV radiation causes melanoma, a much more rare but lethal form of skin cancer. In a way, they're right. Forgive my far-fetched analogy here, but pinning down the exact molecular mechanism that causes melanoma has been kind of like the physicists at MIT hunting down the Higg's boson. We can see all this evidence suggesting that it exists, but we don't have the technological capacity to prove it. Now that we found the Higg's boson, surely it isn't too much to ask that we determine once and for all that yes, UV radiation causes melanoma? After all, in epidemiological studies, severe sunburns and tanning bed use significantly increase a person's risk for developing the disease. We just need that final bit of information that explains why.

A group of scientists from M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the Broad Institute are getting closer. A new paper published this week in Cell identifies six new "melanoma genes," three of which are described by one of the paper's author's as, "The first 'smoking gun' genomic evidence directly linking damage from UV light to melanoma."

This line of research may also guide scientists toward more effective treatments for advanced-stage melanoma. I guess it's not quite as monumental as the discovery of the "God particle," but I'll take what I can get.

Me on UV Skinz

Don't miss my guest post on UV Skinz's blog today! Spoiler alert--you get to see this: #embarrassingphotosforagoodcause

Me at age 13.

Everything causes cancer

When are we going to start seeing these as one and the same?

Over the weekend, I spent a few hours catching up on my magazine reading. I'm one of those people who swaps airline miles for magazines subscriptions, so there's a lot of junk for me to sift through (guilty pleasure, whoops!)

Every month, it's the same: eat blueberries, they protect against cancer. Drink wine, it's good for your heart. Drink coffee, the caffeine is good for you! Then two months--if not two weeks later--it's the opposite. Don't drink alcohol, it's bad for you! Caffeine is bad for you. Smoothies are bad for you and so is Diet Coke (OK, I already knew about that one, but still.) Admittedly, science is a moving target. Our knowledge base is constantly evolving, and it's only fair for the media to share the latest research with the public. But with so much conflicting health information out there, how do we know what to do?

For example, doctors tell us we need vitamin D for bone health and to support our immune systems. On the other hand, one of the easiest ways for our bodies to synthesize vitamin D is to sit outside in the sun. Well, guess what? Sun causes skin cancer. It's a real "damned if you, damned if you don't." So what do we do? Because UV radiation has been proven to be carcinogenic in numerous studies, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends adjusting your diet or taking supplements instead of getting vitamin D from sunlight. The key here is that UV has been proven to be dangerous. Vitamin D from the sun versus from a supplement is still up for debate. Just one or two publications don't mean something is a fact. It can take years to establish compelling evidence that something is truly beneficial or harmful (and even then, sometimes we don't know for sure.) Based on a large number of studies over a long period of time, there is a clear link between UV radiation and skin cancer.

This all leads me to an article I read recently about teenagers rationalizing risky behavior like tanning bed use. More than half of the teens questioned in a study by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center said that they tanned because "everything causes cancer." To many, using a tanning bed seemed to hold about as much risk as walking across the street or eating a burger (cholesterol, hello!) Sure, tanning has been in the news a lot lately, but what makes using a tanning bed seem any more dangerous than the hundreds of other warnings we receive on a weekly basis? I fear that if every time I read one of my magazines that all the dos and don'ts are diluting warnings against behavior that is truly dangerous. The importance of taking care of our skin and avoiding tanning beds needs to rise to the level at which we educate our children about smoking, doing drugs, and driving without a seat belt.

I also found it interesting that 32% of teenagers said: "If tanning bed use was so bad for you, the government would ban tanning beds." Kids: have you taken a look at our government lately? Take health matters into your own hands, and don't trust the government to do it for you.

Hot dogs and health care

Happy 4th of July! As a side note, I was up in Vancouver, BC, over the weekend (which happened to coincide with Canada Day) so I feel like I'm double dipping in Independence Days. Oh well, fine by me. Let the BBQs begin!

I also wanted to throw a little belated celebration for the Supreme Court's recent upholding of the Affordable Healthcare Act. Politics aside, if more and more young people continue to develop melanoma (as trends suggest), then it is essential we have insurance so that we can detect malignancies as early as possible and treat them.

A little story of my own: A year or so after I graduated from college, I was working lots of lots of different temp jobs. I also decided to do a third unpaid internship, hoping I would be able to leverage my experience into a paid position--with benefits. Graduating from college in 2008, as you might imagine, made it difficult to find a job. Finding a job with health benefits and a retirement package? That was even harder. In the meantime, I was kicked off of my parent's insurance plan. I tried to secure my own coverage from several different companies, but was rejected everywhere I applied (not unlike the job market, eh?) I ended up being offered a COBRA-like insurance plan with a monthly premium of $330. I had a difficult decision to make: do I pay the $330 a month in case I get sick or do I take a risk and go without insurance?

It was during this time period that I went to the dermatologist for a routine skin check. As a frequent tanning bed user with a family history of skin cancer, I felt like I could rest easier if a doctor told me I was totally fine. Well, many of you know the rest of the story. I had a mole biopsied, and it turned out to be an early-stage melanoma. My overpriced insurance also came with high deductibles, but without it, I could have gotten myself into some major, major debt. I know I say this frequently, but most young people never imagine they'd be diagnosed with cancer in their 20s. I didn't see it coming. By letting young adults stay on their parents health insurance plans until their 26 and by guaranteeing health coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions, we may be able to catch more melanomas before they metastasize--and prevent a myriad of other health conditions.

Have a great 4th everyone! Don't forget your sunscreen/sun-protective clothing!