Melanoma. Most people, especially teenagers, see this word and think, “Oh, it’s just skin cancer, no big deal.” However, it is a huge deal. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer, and the leading cause of this deadly disease is the exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun and tanning beds. Did you know that people who use a tanning bed before the age of 35 increase their risk for melanoma by 75 percent? With tanning salons starting to outnumber McDonalds and Starbucks, on average, more than one million Americans use tanning salons per day, and 76 percent of those users are college students and teenagers. Therefore, our generation is at a serious risk of developing this deadly cancer.
Last year, I too was one of these users. Although I knew skin cancer was a possibility from tanning, I thought it was no big deal because, like so many other teenage girls, I believed being tan made me look thin and beautiful. It wasn’t until my mom brought me to Mercy Hospital’s anti-tanning/melanoma event at the Hall-Perrine Cancer Center that I realized I was risking my life by tanning. I learned melanoma is now the fastest growing cancer in the U.S., and more people have developed skin cancer because of tanning than lung cancer because of smoking. I also listened to three melanoma survivors who were diagnosed when they were teenagers. Because of tanning, they now have to live with the repercussions for the rest of their lives.
After listening to these gut-wrenching statistics and emotional testimonies from survivors, I promised myself I would never again step foot in a tanning bed. To this day, I have kept my word, and I challenge you to do the same. Although you may think that pasty white skin is hard on the eyes, it is not worse than having a chunk of your skin removed. Even the littlest spot of skin cancer can cause a big scar and spread throughout your entire body! Tanning is not worth your life.
Please consider coming to Mercy’s annual prom anti-tanning event from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on January 17th to learn more about melanoma and how to prevent it. There will also be prom vendors and prizes. This event is truly a life changing experience, and I hope all of you will join me.