No More Excuses for Skin Cancer, People

After steady ignoring that weird splotch on your forearm for months now, you’ve finally convinced yourself that it’s actually changing shape, like a chocolate brown amoeba slowly squrming under a microscope. So what are you doing about it? No, seriously. Even though skin cancer is completely curable if diagnosed and treated in time, many people wait until it’s too late. Sad but true: someone dies of melanoma every 65 minutes, and women aged 20-29 are particularly vulnerable. The statistics within the African American community are even more dire. May is Skin Cancer Month, so there really isn’t any justification for continuing to pay no attention to your possible malignancy. Thanks to Olay and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery’s special program “Skin Cancer Takes Friends,” eight dermatologists within the Miami area will be providing free skin cancer screenings.

And yes, we know May’s pretty much over. Lucky for you, most dermatologists will be participating through June and July, as well! So don’t forget your sunscreen, and visit www.SkinCancerTakesFriends.org to find a doctor and make that appointment, already. We’re telling you because we care. -- Patrice Yursik