Contributed by Dee Owens
Serenity Spa in Louisville Kentucky is helping to spread the word about Melanoma by participating in the Melanoma Awareness Initiative of 2010. SpaFinder.com is selling the “I Will Reflect” bracelet; this bracelet is photosensitive and will change colors when it is exposed to harmful UV Rays. Each bracelet will be sold for $4.95 plus shipping and handling charges, and the proceeds from the bracelets will go towards education and awareness about Melanoma. Purchase one here.
Serenity the Spa In Anchorage and SpaFinder takes Melanoma seriously and decided to help put an end to this horrible disease. The fight became personal to the members of SpaFinder when one of their own, Alex Szekely, died at the age of 44 from Melanoma.
This disease is considered the most serious type of skin cancer and if not detected early can be fatal. Melanoma is caused by an overexposure of the sun, resulting in normal skin samples to mutate. These abnormal cells become vicious in their attack of the healthy tissue surrounding them. Melanoma often presents itself like flat brown patches or a black mole that has uneven edges. The Melanomas often have an irregular or asymmetrical shape to them.
This year alone, more than one million men and women will be diagnosed with Melanoma and over 7,000 of them will be terminal. Help SpaFinders and Serenity Spa fight this deadly but preventable cancer by purchasing a bracelet, making a donation, and learning more about this preventable disease.
You can start protecting yourself now by doing some simple steps:
- Always wear cover-ups, wide-brimmed hats, and tightly woven dark fabrics while in the sun.
- Wear Sunscreen, Moisturizer, or Makeup rated SPF 15 or more and apply every few hours.
- Make sure to have an annual head-to-toe skin check by your dermatologist and do routine self-examinations.
- Avoid going to tanning beds and salons.
- Babies under six months need to be kept out of the sun as much as possible.
Limit your exposure during the hottest part of the day and always wear your sunscreen whether it is sunny or not.
Dee Owens has published two novels and a variety of articles online. You can learn more about her at http://deeowens.webs.com.
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