Faces of Cancer
By HOLLY WISE
Staff Writer
The Kentucky Cancer Program's “Faces of Cancer” display made its last stop at Murray-Calloway County Hospital Friday afternoon and featured Calloway County skin cancer survivor Catherine Sivills.
The “Faces of Cancer” display is made up of 12 black-and-white portraits of cancer survivors in the Purchase Area.
“These photos are a tribute to them and to others as well,” said Jamie Smith with the Kentucky Cancer Program. “It's a way to honor survivors.”
Sivills was introduced by her dermatologist, Dr. John Bright, who diagnosed Sivills with atypical melanoma 12 years ago.
“Unfortunately she had a very rare type of melanoma called an amelanomic melanoma which has no pigment associated with it,” said Bright. “So it's not the typical dark mole with irregular borders and asymmetry that we look for with melanoma.”
According to statistics from the American Academy of Dermatology, more than one million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed in the United States this year and exposure to tanning beds before the age of 35 increases the risk of melanoma by 75 percent.
Nearly 30 million people use tanning beds annually and 2.3 million of those are teens.
“My mom never allowed me to go to the tanning bed and I'm so thankful for that,” said Sivills. “I bought a tanning bed package for my wedding so I wouldn't be so pale in my wedding gown. I went to the tanning bed for the very first time, broke out in a rash and my mom saw the patch on my back.”
Sivills' melanoma was appropriately treated by Bright and she said “I've never stepped foot in a tanning bed again for sure and have been very careful about being in the sun.”
For complete story, see Saturday's Ledger & Times
Story created Apr 18, 2008 - 23:45:11 EDT.
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