Relay for Life, as I am sure you know, is about fundraising to put and end to cancer and to help cancer patients through their journey. What you may not know, is that it is also an event to raise awareness. This month is Melanoma Awareness Month. Melanoma, in case you do not know, is a cancer of the skin cells. It is very aggressive and invasive and often spreads quickly to other tissue and organs. Like all other cancers, it can be very dangerous and yes, even deadly. Though it can be prevented it is running rampant and the American Cancer Society is doing something about it through fundraising and awareness.
May is the perfect time to talk about prevention and the great strides that have been taken to lower the risk of skin cancer. One blistering sunburn can double your chances of skin cancer. Tanning beds, laying out in the sun unprotected for hours, burning because you don’t wear sunscreen; all risk factors. According to melanoma.org (a foundation for skin cancer research) “As many as 90% of melanomas are estimated to be caused by ultraviolet (UV) exposure. This includes UV exposure from the sun and from artificial sources, such as tanning beds. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies tanning beds and tanning lamps into its highest cancer risk category – carcinogenic to humans, the same category as other hazardous substances such as plutonium and certain types of radium.” Tanned skin is damaged skin and damaged cells can become cancerous.
How many times have you had a sunburn in your life? What about a blistering one? How many times did you lay in a tanning bed? More than you’d care to think about I’d wager.I have very sensitive skin and burn very easily. I have had NUMEROUS blistering sunburns and family members have had several forms of skin cancer. Anyone who says “it is only skin cancer” does not realize the staggering statistics. “Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for young people 15-29 years old. Melanoma is the leading cause of cancer death in women 25-30 years old and the second leading cause of cancer death in women 30-35 years old.” If you go outside, you need SPF, even if it is cloudy. Protect your skin, eyes and lips and keep your body healthy!
Relay for Life of New Fairfield is walking all day and night on June 2nd (with sunscreen!), and we welcome you to join us! We walk to make an impact on the community. We walk to educate. We walk to raise funds. We walk so one day no one will have to fear the words “You have cancer”, no matter the kind. We truly believe cancer will be eradicated in our lifetime and that is because of the efforts of the American Cancer Society, events like Relay for Life of New Fairfield and YOU.