OT..I lost a dear person to a preventable disease today

Dear Friends...I lost a family member today to malignant melanoma.  She was 56, a wife, mother,community volunteer and battling this horrific disease for 5 yrs. nonstop.  It all started with a mole on her face and was the result of sun exposure during her teen years in upstate NY. 
Eileen has tried through her entire battle of courageously fighting this cancer to get more funding and research for Melanoma..it is the least funded and least studied cancer as of today....because it is so preventable with early education and screening.  I for one will not benefit from early education because I was a sun-worshiper in AZ when it was the thing to oil ourselves up with baby oil....remember!!??  I will however, be one of the lucky ones who may never have to face the challenges and pain that Eileen did, because I have already once, 4 yrs ago,..been diagnosed with malignant melanoma.  I have an 8 inch scar across my ribcage to prove it..I will be better at seeking my dermachecks every 3-4 months because of Eileen's sacrifice.
PLEASE heed the sun exposure warnings available..and the tanning bed warnings...use sunscreen and get body screenings if you notice anything unusual..or even get one just as a preventative measure.
Many Blessings...
Kim in Fontana

Hi Kim,  I am so sorry to hear about the lose of one of you family members.  May God be with her family and friends during this difficult time.

Hugs, Michele

Kim, I am so sorry for your loss. Malignant melanoma is one of the worst things a person can go through. I did the baby oil thing once, by accident, when I was 18 years old. Boy did I get toasted. I still fear getting skin cancer from that one incident even though I make sure to stay out of the sun because I am so fair-skinned. You and Eileen's family will be in my thoughts and prayer during this difficult time.

KIm,
I am sorry to hear about Eileen. It is a terriable disease. Perry lost his Mother in 2005 to Melanoma, so we understand what you and the family are going through. You are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Kim, I am so sorry for your loss. Melanoma is a nasty cancer. I am a hater of the sun which is proabily a good thing, being the pale face that I am. My sons and I all have regular screening and have had some spots removed to be on the safe side. Plus, I use sun block daily.
It is a horrible way to go, and again I am so sorry.

HUGS
JOY

Kim,
I am so sorry for the loss of Eileen.  I believe in early education and taking actions to prevent this terrible and preventable illness.  I went to the dr this year because I found some spots on my face and lip.  They did take biopsies they came back as precancerous.  I told the dermatiologist that i am religious about putting on sunscreen, this includes my ears, back of my neck, tops of my hands and onward.  Like you said Kim, it was what we did in our teens.  My kids are reliqous about sunscreen.  I am religous on sunscreen as is my bald hubby.  So the moral of this story is put on the sunscreen.  Even when it is cloudy out you need to do it.
Liz

Kim,
  I am sooo sorry for your loss- she was much to young!  I am 46 and also did the baby oil tanning in my teens- what were we thinking?  It is hard because I am a big sun lover and love to get a nice tan, but always use the sunscreen and I now make sure my kids and grandkids use it.  It is great because my grandkids will not step in the pool without it!

                                   sincere condolences, Chris R

I'm sorry for your loss.

I, too, was a baby oil sun worshipper on the beach in NJ as a child.  I do check out every strange bump that appears and so far, so good. 

Thank you for the reminder to stay ever vigilant.

Hugs,
---jan---

Kim I'm sorry to hear the news of Eileen's passing. Thats such terrible news. My thoughts are with you and your family and friends.

Thank you everybody for your kind words and prayers.  Eileen had been a sister to me from the foster family system ..I went to her home at age three and she never let me out of her site while I was growing up with her family and she has been "big Sissy" to me my entire life.  I could not love her any more if she were blood,  Her daughter and granddaughter call me Auntie Kim.
I think this might be a crusade I will take up, Melanoma screenings and safety, while I'm morphing into a new physical me...many Blessings to you all...
Kim in Fontana