JEM3110

Hey guys, I am posting this not because I want to freak anyone out, but because it is a subject very close to my heart. A bit of a taboo subject actually - Cancer, the big “C” or whatever you want to call it….in this case Skin Cancer or Malignant Melanoma.

I am or was, 1 of 3 children – the only girl with 2 older brothers. 5 years ago we lost the younger of my brothers to Skin Cancer. 7 years prior, he had a mole removed and due to some **** up at the hospital/labs whatever, he never received the follow-up needed; apparently all of the cells were not removed at the time. He was also told by his GP it was not malignant. The cancerous cells that were left behind spread slowly, quietly (as they do) to the area around his abdomen and well, you know the rest. He was 42 years old, a nicer guy you would never meet. When he died he left behind a young wife and 2 daughters 7 and 9.

Yesterday, I got an email from another family member to say that he had a mole removed back in January – it was tested and it was very early stage melanoma. Obviously, he will be receiving 3 month checks and was assured that they got all of it out. I am so shocked today and am feeling really down in the dumps. Obviously with the family history, I am going to book myself an appointment and get myself checked out i.e. a skin test. You see, I too, am very “moley”, freckle-faced, pale-skinned, redhead – definitely in a high-risk group.

I guess, what I’m trying to say to my fellow Brits in America is please be careful in the sun - make sure you slap on the sunscreen, wear a hat, don’t go out in the sun in the middle of the day etc. If you have already got moles on your skin, monitor them for any changes in shape, size and colour. Watch your kids, too, don’t let them burn and blister….

Here are some facts from the Skin Cancer Foundation:

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than one million skin cancers are diagnosed annually.

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.

Please, have a safe, happy summer everyone!

MsElui

a message always worth repeating!

mellybrown

Thanks for that, im gonna be more active with the sunscreen!!

Roland Hulme

Mad Dogs and Englishmen...

I was chatting about the sun with my father - he grew up in Jamaica and moved to Africa after serving in Cyprus. Got sunburnt ridiculously and even though he's blonde, turns mahogony in the summer. But is a wee bit leathery.

As a ginger, I don't turn brown and after Jem's warning, won't make an effort too, either!

Jerseygirl

I'm sorry to hear about your brother...unfortunately most of us know someone close who have become a victim to cancer.

I posted a similar thread 2 yrs ago after my husband had a routine skin check-up and a precancerous mole was removed. I know my thread prompted at least 2 members to have a skin check-up. My husband also had another precancerous mole removed last year after the annual routine check-up.

I know of several people, including 2 doctors who have died from skin cancer.

I would encourage everyone to have regular skin checks by a dermatologist.

scrubbedexpat097

So sorry to hear what happened to your brother.

Last week a friend had a mole removed that was a Basal Cell malignancy. It covered a very large area on her chest and although we were all relieved it was not melanoma it was a wake up call. Myself and two other friends now have "full body" checks scheduled with a local dermatologist.


Your post is a reminder to us all to take care of ourselves. Thank you.

cybersecretary

Scary stuff. I dont always put sunscreen on the kids before sending them to school and I know I should, after all we are in Southern California. I am going to be much more vigilant. I was brought up in Bermuda and in those days sun protection didnt really exist, only some tropical smelling (wonderfully so) oil that the grown ups put on to get a deep tan. Needless to say I am absolutely covered in permanent freckles and have already had a benign skin growth removed - it grew from nothing to the size of a 5p piece within 2 months - I was lucky.

Thank you for the reminder.

One Hung Lo

Sweet Jesus, I honestly never knew that!!

Thank you for your post JEM3110, I do hope that you have nothing to fear and that things work out well for you and your family.

Jerseygirl

According to the dermatologist the damage is done in childhood.

cybersecretary

Yeh, thats what I thought I had heard too.

britvic

I am no sun lover and cover up & hide at every chance I get. I'm an English Rose as they say with fare skin I use fake tan if needs be, my Son is caked in sun screen as this is something as a Mother I feel very strongly about, I forgot his mosquito spray while he was camping

JEM3110

Thanks everyone for your comments and kind words. I hope I didn’t come across as lecturing anyone– I am not expert in this matter at all and can only speak from my personal experiences! But, like everything in life,I suppose, when something like this happens to our loved ones, it acts as the “boot up the bum” we need to do something about it!

My brother was no angel by the way, he LOVED the sun,on holidays to Spain and the Med, he would always “go for the burn” as he called it, and was convinced he needed to burn before he got his tan….He was also a builder and in the summertime he would be on a job – shirt off, little or no sunscreen (as he didn’t want to appear soft, to the other guys?) Absolute recipe for disaster!

Most of the damage, they say, happens during childhood. My son, hates wearing a hat as “none of his friends wear them” Arghhh!!!! and when he stands for me to put sunscreen on him, you’d swear I was torturing him – it’s a constant battle….

Like I said before, I don’t want to freak anyone out – just a little message from the heart

britvic

Lovely Lady

Jerseygirl

My daughter always wore a tee shirt with at least short sleeves when she was in the pool.

Roland Hulme

I read statistics that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer. Scary stuff.

How come men get it more than women?