Don't Fry Day

Hi everyone! Hope you are all as excited as I am for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend!  I'm still feeling great and healthy, which is still so new and refreshing for me that I definitely won't take it for granted.  Even got in some exercise last night with mom, and I'm sure I'll be cursing Jillian when I can't walk today -- this whole getting back in shape thing is exhausting after being pretty inactive for the last month and a half.  But I'm glad to be able to start living life again! I was able to dive right back in to my projects at work, and tonight I finally get to catch up and see some great friends while celebrating two birthdays. Life is good.

Now as you might remember, one of my goals of this blog was not only to share my progress fighting melanoma, but to also spread awareness about the prevention of skin cancer.  Here are some helpful links and info about "Don't Fry Day" which happens to be today!

The National Council Declares the Friday before Memorial Day, May 24, 2013 is “Don’t Fry Day” To Encourage Sun Safety Awareness.

With Memorial Day weekend kicking off, I know many people, including myself, will be spending time outside enjoying the spring weather (or summer weather for those of us in FL). It's important to remember to protect your skin while you are out, so please remember to apply and reapply sunscreen, wear sunglasses and hats, and seek shade whenever possible during those prime sun hours.

This scary fact caught my eye from the website I have linked above -- "Skin cancer is on the rise in the United States, and the American Cancer Society estimates that one American dies every hour from skin cancer."

It is easy to ignore and disregard all the precautions we can take from the sun, when it is such an enjoyable part of life.  Take it from me, I absolutely love the beach, boating, and spending time out in the Florida sun.  But, unlike before my diagnosis, I now want to spend my time in the sun safely!

It takes a little effort, sure. But now that my life has been threatened by damage from the sun, I am more than willing to put in the extra effort to prevent any further damage. And I hope you are too!  I've started by taking some simple steps, like applying a moisturizer with SPF every day.  Whether just going to work, the mall, wherever - it provides a layer of protection for your skin that may not be covered by clothing.  I've become a huge fan of floppy hats too -- I don't think I'll be caught at the beach or on the boat with out one! I also like to keep a travel size sunscreen in my purse, just in case I might end up being outside longer than planned.  Little adjustments now might just save your skin, and possibly your life.

Here are some more facts and prevention tips from the American Cancer Society:

Source: http://www.cancer.org/research/infographicgallery/skin-cancer-prevention
 

I hope everyone has a great Memorial Weekend! Stay happy, healthy, and practice sun safety!