WI Summer Sun Means Skin Cancer Risks
July 18, 2012
MARIBEL, Wis. - As the summer sun beats down on the Badger State during this long heat wave, a college student has some words of advice: Be careful!Samantha Hessel of Maribel is a senior at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. A couple years ago, she was diagnosed with melanoma. A phone call from the doctor triggered an office visit she'll never forget.
"All you can think is, 'What if it's cancer? If it is cancer, what happens?' I'm a student, I'm a sophomore at this point, I'm just freaking out the entire time. So, I get to the office and they sit down, and they're like, 'Oh, you know why you're here, right?' and I said, 'No.' She goes, 'Well, you have melanoma.' "
The American Cancer Society says skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer, and its incidence is on the rise.
This year, nearly 1,400 Wisconsinites will be diagnosed with melanoma. Hessel says a lot of young people think it will never happen to them.
"Oh, completely! I thought that. I tanned in high school and I admit it, and I'm not proud to admit that, because I think that's where I got melanoma from. I think that I caused my own heartache."
Hessel says she's learned to take precautions when going outside, even on cloudy days, by using sunscreen, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and avoiding the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when its light is most intense.
So many people associate a deep tan with being healthy, Hessel says, but that's not the case, and it's a mistake a lot of young people make.
"They don't wear sunscreen, and they think that getting a sunburn is going to give them a little bit of protection when it doesn't, because the sunburn is actually showing you that you already have damaged your skin, and so does a tan."
The American Cancer Society suggests people check themselves once a month, to learn their own patterns of moles, blemishes, freckles and other marks, and report any changes in size, shape or color to a doctor. More guidelines are available online at cancer.org.
Tim Morrissey, Public News Service - WI
If you click on the link you can listen to the audio portion:http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/27487-1
This now leads to another wonderful opportunity. Thursday morning at 9:10 am I am being interviewed by Greg Stensland from WFDL Radio! Nick(my boyfriend) says he better hold onto me becuase I am becoming a celebrity. HAHAHA! When I make to Oprah or Ellen then we'll talk :) To all, hopefully you will be listening in tomorrow :)
