Labors of Love

Labor Day ... marks the unofficial end of summer (but no excuse to stop using your sunscreen!) and the welcoming of the Fall season. Not only is it celebrated with cookouts and a 3-day holiday but tons of sales, sales, and more sales! According to Wikipedia, Labor Day "is a celebration of the American labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of workers."

Okay, so we have a holiday to pay tribute to the American workforce and economic achievement, and don't get me wrong, working for a wage and being financially stable is important ... but does everything have to be about making a buck? What about a long weekend designated to celebrate  "labors of love"?

I define labors of love as meaningful actions that you do with no financial compensation, and we could come up with a long list of those. Giving birth (the true meaning of LABOR), raising a family, being a loving and patient caregiver to an elderly parent or a loved one with illness, adopting a pet, volunteering ... all extremely important although none makes us wealthy.

We have probably all performed many labors of love throughout our lives, but there is still time to do so much more ... and so much more is needed.

There are small labors of love that are simply random acts of kindness that we all should remember to do ... smile at a stranger, say thank you to a store clerk, call or send a card to someone who would be cheered by just knowing you are thinking of them, take a meal to someone who is sick or grieving, hand a cold bottle of water (in summer heat) or a cup of hot chocolate (in winter cold) to your mailman, make a donation to your favorite charity. The possibilities are endless, and they truly make a difference to someone's day!

But I'm really thinking of larger labors of love that take more effort and time and commitment ... plan or participate in a fundraiser, donate blood, volunteer at a nursing home or hospital or school or animal shelter, become a coach for a kid's sports team or a leader for a scout troop, teach a Sunday school class. Get the idea?

I've always been a little (okay, a lot) obsessive about volunteering ... so much so that my efforts were acknowledged with the Volunteer of the Year award in my community of Plano, TX, many years ago. I didn't set out to be so involved in our schools and community; there's just so many wonderful projects that need (wo)manpower that I couldn't resist. Volunteering can be addictive!

When my only daughter Jaime died from melanoma 7 years ago, that following week I did what I swore I would never, ever do. I became a melanoma advocate and the indoor tanning industry's worst nightmare. Watching her struggle with this evil disease, I had thought that once her fight was over, I never wanted to hear the word melanoma again. But over the 9 years of her journey with this cancer, it is what I had come to know and experience, and what I had come to hate ... and something I didn't want other families to have in their lives.

So melanoma advocacy has been my constant labor of love since my last labor of love as Jaime's caregiver ended. I didn't choose it; it chose me. Some think I do this to heal ... but if you have ever lost a child, you know that you can never heal, no matter what actions you take or don't take!

To be honest, I don't even particularly enjoy this labor of love that has attached itself to me, especially as I shed tears watching wonderful people die (too often young adults) and friends and families suffer on what seems like a daily basis. I question why I do what I do when I hear the lies and deception that comes out of the indoor tanning industry and sun worshipers. I scream when I hear the false reasoning of many state legislators regarding the protection of their youth from tanning bed use. I beat my head against the wall when I hear the excuses coming from schools about why the kids can't bring sunscreen to school or wear hats when outside. But this is MY labor of love so I keep doing it, hoping to make a small difference, ... and I will continue to do so until I am no longer able or until melanoma no longer exists.

But you have lots and lots of choices for your own labor of love. Don't worry about "what's in it for me," because what you get out of your labor of love will be so much greater than what you put in ... even if you can't take it to the bank.
 
Just pick something already, something you are passionate about or have a curiosity to learn more about. Maybe even step out of your comfort zone and try something challenging. You can't fail and many can benefit. Don't wait for a designated holiday ... make the effort to participate in a labor of love as often as you can!

 Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)

Sunscreen Complements Every Outfit!

Summer has officially arrived, and we all enjoy being outside for fun in the sun ... swimming and sports, picnics and BBQs, gardening, etc. No question about it: the sun's rays make us feel good. Recent studies have even shown that we can become addicted to UV radiation. 

But too much of a good thing is ... well, never a good thing. It is important to understand sun safety and how to protect your skin and possibly save your life or that of a loved one. I know, I know ... we all think we know the rules. We've heard them before. But they are constantly changing, and as I was researching the facts for this blog, I even learned some new things. So pay attention, just for a minute -- there will be a quiz (not really, but pay attention anyway)!

What Is UV Radiation?

The main source of ultraviolet radiation (UV rays) is the sun, but it can also come from man-made sources like tanning beds.

According to the Amercian Cancer Society, scientists divide UV radiation into three wavelength ranges:

• UVA rays are the weakest of the UV rays. They can cause skin cells to age and can cause some indirect damage to cells’ DNA. UVA rays are mainly linked to long-term skin damage such as wrinkles but are also thought to play a role in some skin cancers.

• UVB rays are slightly stronger. They are mainly responsible for direct damage to the DNA and are the rays that cause sunburns. They are also thought to cause most skin cancers.

• UVC rays are the strongest UV rays. Fortunately, they react with ozone high in our atmosphere and do not reach the ground. Therefore UVC rays are not present in sunlight and are not normally a risk factor for skin cancer. But they can be found in some man-made sources, such as arc welding torches and mercury lamps. In the past, sunbeds were also a source of UVC rays.

Why Should This Be Important to You?

More than 3.5 million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year. It is the most common form of cancer in the US. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than 90% of all non-melanoma skin cancers and 65% of melanomas are a direct result of exposure to UV radiation and could have been prevented. (See my blog Every Day Should Be Melanoma Awareness Day for more information about melanoma, the deadly form of skin cancer that took my daughter Jaime's life when she was only 29.) 


Besides skin cancer, UV exposure can cause wrinkles, sagging, and premature aging of the skin; skin discoloration; dilation of small blood vessels under the skin; benign tumors; immune system suppression; cataracts and other eye problems impairing vision; rash or allergic reaction; and even infections and reactivation of herpes. 

What Can You Do to Protect Your Skin?

• Avoid excessive sun exposure, especially between the hours of 10am - 2pm. Remember that water, snow, cement, and sand reflect damaging UV rays to increase your chances of sunburn. UV rays can also go through windows and clothing and reach below the water's surface.

• Seek shade when your shadow is shorter than you are. "Watch your shadow -- Short shadow, seek shade."

Use Sunscreen  

• Apply sunscreen with a broad-spectrum (with both UVA and UVB protection) sun-protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. No sunscreen blocks out all the UV rays, but they do protect you from them. There has been much controversy over the past few years about toxic chemicals in sunscreen. Weigh the pros and cons of the various brands ... but pick one you are comfortable with and USE it.  

• Apply 1 oz (a shotglass full) sunscreen 15-30 minutes before going out. Do not apply to palms and rub together but instead squeeze a line of sunscreen on an area of your body and rub it in ... and then repeat. It is best to apply before putting on your bathing suit to protect the skin underneath and to avoid missing the areas around the edges of the suit. Also apply sunscreen before insect repellant or makeup. Reapply every 2 hours, even if it's cloudy (UV rays travel through clouds), or more often after swimming or sweating. The biggest problem with sunscreen is not applying enough ... so use a heavy hand!
  

• Do not consider sunscreen to be waterproof or sweatproof, but it can be water resistant, meaning it will stay on longer when you are in the water or sweating. It still must be reapplied when you towel off.

• Check the expiration date on your sunscreen. It is usually effective for 2-3 years, less if exposed to high temperatures. Be sure to shake it up good to remix the ingredients. And if it has expired and no longer effective as a sunscreen, Real Simple Magazine suggests using the leftovers as shave cream!

• Don't neglect high-risk areas of your body: eyelids, back of neck, tops of feet, ears, calves, back, and scalp are areas most missed with sunscreen. Lip protectors with a minimum of SPF15 should also be applied.

• Spray sunscreen is not recommended because of breathing in the mist and poor coverage. It can also be flammable.


• Keep babies under 6 months old out of the sun, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. When they are older than 6 months, you can use sunscreen on them but pay particular attention to tender young skin exposed to the sun. Sunburns in children put them in the high risk bracket for melanoma.

Other Forms of Sun Protection

• Clothes do not block out all UV rays. If you can see light through the fabric, then UV rays are getting through it. Dark colored, tight weave fabrics are best. Special sun protective clothing is also available.

• Sunglasses should be labeled to block 99-100% of UVA and UVB rays, and most sold in the US meet these standards. Large-framed or wraparound types are best because they keep protect the eyes from light coming from different directions. UV-blocking contact lenses are not sufficient to protect the entire eye from UV rays. Toy sunglasses for children are a NO-NO; they need smaller versions of the protective adult kind. 

• Hats should have a minimum 2-3 inch brim all the way around. Baseball caps only protect the front and top of the head so are not effective for sun protection. Straw hats are also not protective because of their loose weave.

• Beach umbrellas do not block all UV rays, usually only providing a protection factor of 30.

• Check the UV Index (http://www2.epa.gov/sunwise/uv-index). Special care needs to be taken when the UV Index predicts exposure levels above moderate.
  


• Examine your skin often and take note of any changing or new moles.


• NEVER, never, never use indoor tanning beds or sunlamps. According to the World Health Organization, ultraviolet radiation is a proven human carcinogen. First exposure to tanning beds before age 30 increases melanoma risk by 75%. Of the 28 million people using tanning beds in US each year, 2.3 million are teens. 

Bottom line: Remember to Slip! Slop! Slap! Wrap!: Slip on clothing, slop on sunscreen, slap on a wide-brimmed hat, and wrap on sunglasses. Protect your skin and that of your loved ones ... and enjoy this summer and many more to come! Matter of fact, don't just follow these rules in the summer. Continue to practice sun safety all year around!


 Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

Twitter: @melanoma_mama
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)

http://www.facebook.com/BanTheBeds (Pull the Plug on Tanning Beds)
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
Ebay: http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)

Schools & Their Sunscreen Rules

Every year around the end of the school year, the topic of school rules about sunscreen becomes popular. News reports are full of stories about kids who come home blistered and red as lobsters because of being out in the blazing sun all day for Field Day, without any sun protection. 

Sometimes this occurs because the schools don't allow students to have sunscreen; sometimes it is because teachers and/or school nurses are not permitted to apply it. But whatever the reason is, it should not happen!

We know the statistics ... one severe sunburn in youth can more than double the odds of getting melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. And melanoma is NOT something you ever want to have!

Sunscreen/sun protection restrictions in our schools are common. Some may permit sunscreen with a note from the parents; others may permit it with a note from your doctor. (Use the Skin Cancer Foundation's note from your doctor.) Some will not permit it, period. These policies can be changed ... but that will not happen without some help from you.


You will hear lots of different reasons why they have the policies in place that they do. 

• Gang affiliated hats -- BUT schools can approve a style or color, or they could sell or supply sun-safety hats. It could be part of their "spirit" wear to get more kids to want to wear them.
• Inappropriate touching -- BUT teachers can demonstrate to the children the proper way to apply sunscreen (their "screen saver") or teach them how to apply to each other.
• "Zero tolerance" drug policy -- AND many school districts consider sunscreen as an over-the-counter drug like aspirin. These policies need to be amended to exempt sunscreen.
• Allergic reactions -- BUT reactions to sunscreens are very uncommon, and if a reaction does occur, it is minor.

 "Even one severe sunburn in a child can more than double their odds of getting melanoma"

  





Some ideas of what you can do:

•  First find out what your school's policy is on the use of sunscreen and the wearing of hats for sun safety during recess. Is it an individual school policy, the local school board policy, or a state policy? This will tell you what your next steps might be.

• If sunscreen policies are determined by your individual school, talk with your principal about the importance of sun safety. Approach your PTA about forming, if there is not already one, a sun safety committee. This committee could not only suggest a change in school policy regarding the safety of children in the sun, they could also do fundraising for shade projects at the playgrounds.

• If the sun safety policies are determined by your district school board, write a letter to your school board and school district superintendent explaining the importance of the children using sunscreen and wearing hats when outside for recess. Ask to be put on the agenda for a school board meeting to educate them and distribute sun safety materials. Take along a dermatologist or pediatrician to speak as well. Draw up a petition and ask parents, neighbors, and those in the medical community to sign it.

• If sunscreen policies are being made on the state level, contact your state senators and representatives. Educate them on the need to protect your children from the rising rates of melanoma.

• And contact your local chapter of the American Cancer Society or state dermatological society. They may be working on this already and would appreciate your help. Or they may be able to suggest other things you can do to get the word out and changes made.

Schools and school boards MUST revisit their restrictions on sunscreen and sun safety hats. As one who has been through the process of changing a school district policy, not for sunscreen use but many years ago to change dress code policy, I can tell you that change can happen, but it takes work and time. 

YOU need to take action ... and you need to start NOW!!!

[March 2017 addition: Also see the program developed by Cancer Research UK for more ideas to promote sun safety in schools, including preschools and high schools.]


 Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)

Every Day Should Be Melanoma Awareness Day!

The first Monday in May is Melanoma Monday. It is a designated day to create melanoma awareness and to honor those fighting this evil disease and remember those angels whose fight is over. It is a day to wear black, the color for melanoma awareness (and don't let anyone tell you it is a different color, like orange, because they are wrong!). But melanoma awareness doesn't need to just be -- and shouldn't be -- confined to just one day.


As you probably know, my daughter Jaime was diagnosed with melanoma when she was 20 years old. We had never heard of it before the doctor said those three words that started our nightmare ... "Jaime has melanoma." It took her life ... and along with it, most of mine ... 9 years later. Since her death, I have been obsessed with trying to keep other families from the pain that ours has been through. So please bear with me ... I'm going to throw a lot of facts at you, but these facts could save your life or that of someone special to you.

Your best chance of beating melanoma is not getting it in the first place

As horrific as melanoma is, it can, in many cases, be prevented.

• Be sun smart. 


• Avoid excessive sun exposure, especially between the hours of 10am - 2pm. Remember that water, snow, and sand reflect damaging UV rays to increase your chances of sunburn.


• Apply sunscreen with a broad-spectrum (with both UVA and UVB protection) sun-protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Apply 1 oz (a shotglass full) 30 minutes before going out. Reapply every 2 hours, even if it's cloudy (UV rays travel through clouds), or after swimming or sweating.


• Keep newborns out of the sun. When they are older than 6 months, you can use sunscreen on them. 


• Seek shade when your shadow is shorter than you are.


• Slip! Slop! Slap! Wrap!: Slip on clothing, slop on sunscreen, slap on a wide-brimmed hat, and wrap on sunglasses.


• Examine your skin often and take note of any changing or new moles.


• NEVER, never, never use indoor tanning beds or sunlamps. According to the World Health Organization, ultraviolet radiation is a proven human carcinogen. First exposure to tanning beds before age 35 increases melanoma risk by 75%. Of the 28 million people using tanning beds in US each year, 2.3 million are teens.

 

Early detection could save your life

 

And if not prevented, it can be caught early, which means it is easier to treat and hopefully stop in its tracks. Know the ABCDEs of melanoma. Unlike all other cancers, melanoma is visible on the skin, making it easier to detect in the early stages. Warning signs of melanoma include changes in size, shape, or color of a mole or appearance of a new growth on the skin. Any mole that itches or bleeds warrants a trip to your physician ASAP. However also be aware that these are only guidelines and melanoma can appear entirely different from the ABCDEs, particularly pediatric melanoma. See your doctor with any skin lesion that concerns you. Monthly skin self-exams and annual skin checks by your doctor are important as well.

 

 

 

 Melanoma facts you should know

• Melanoma is the most deadly type of cancer of the skin; it's not "JUST" skin cancer.
  


• Melanoma is the 5th most common type of new cancer diagnosis in men and the 7th most common in women.


• Every hour someone in the US dies from melanoma. Jaime’s hour was 1pm, Friday, March 16, 2007. 


• Although the incidence of most cancers is declining, melanoma diagnoses continue to rise significantly, at a rate faster than that of any of the 7 most common cancers.


• The incidence rate for invasive melanoma is highest in Caucasians, who are almost 30 times more likely to develop melanoma than African Americans. However, melanoma can affect anyone, no matter their age, sex, race, religion, or political beliefs. It is an equal opportunity cancer! Although melanoma is uncommon in people of color, when it is diagnosed it is frequently fatal for these populations because the melanoma is more advanced at time of diagnosis.


• Melanoma is most common in men older than 50, more common than colon, prostate, and lung cancer. Men aged 65 and older are more than twice as likely to develop melanoma as women in the same age group.


• Women younger than 39 have a higher probability of developing melanoma than any other cancer except breast cancer and are twice as likely to develop melanoma as men.


• Melanoma is now the most common cancer in the 25-29 age group and second most common for 15-29 year olds.


• Melanoma accounts for about 3% of all pediatric cancers; 90% of pediatric melanoma cases occur in girls 10-19.


• 76,100 new cases of invasive melanoma and 63,770 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) melanoma will be diagnosed in the United States in 2014; about 200,000 new cases are diagnosed worldwide each year. According to the World Health Organization Report, about 46,000 melanoma-related deaths occur worldwide each year; 9,710 US deaths are expected from melanoma in 2014.


• 1 in 52 men and women will be diagnosed with melanoma of the skin during their lifetime; 1 in 5 will develop skin cancer.


• Melanoma can develop on any skin surface, even where “the sun don't shine” and in the eyes, nails, and soles of the feet.


• Excessive exposure to UV radiation from the sun or tanning beds increases your risk for melanoma as well as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. About 86% of melanomas can be attributed to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.


• The survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early is about 99%; the survival falls to 15% for those with advanced disease.


• According to the National Cancer Institute, the estimated total direct cost associated with the treatment of melanoma in 2010 was $2.36 billion in the United States

Risk factors you need to think about

• Just one severe, blistering sunburn can double a person's chance of developing melanoma later in life.
  

• Workplace exposure to coal tar, pitch, creosote, arsenic compounds, or radium increases your risk.
  

• Exposure to tanning beds before age 35 increases a person's risk of developing melanoma by 75%.

• People with fair skin that freckles easily, blond or red hair, and blue or green eyes are at greater risk for all three types of skin cancer.

• Anyone who has more than 50 moles or large or unusual moles is at greater risk for melanoma.


• Anyone who has a blood relative who has had a history of melanoma is at  increased risk. 

• Previous melanoma or the more common types of skin cancers as well as cancers like breast or thyroid can increase your risk.

Don't be blind-sided by melanoma like our family was. Become educated and prevent it from entering your lives!

For more comprehensive information on melanoma, see www.AIMatMelanoma.org


Melanoma Mama (Jaime's mom, Donna)

  @melanoma_mama (Twitter)
http://www.facebook.com/donna.h.regen
http://www.facebook.com/jaime.regen.rea (Remember Jaime)
http://www.facebook.com/BanTheBeds (Pull the Plug on Tanning Beds)
https://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)
http://stores.ebay.com/Sweetpea321 (Jjem Creations)