“I almost killed myself over a stupid tan”. This comment is from Mary Ann Gerber, diagnosed with Stage 3 Melanoma skin cancer prior to her 25th birthday. Ms. Gerber was featured along with another young skin cancer survivor, in a Good Morning America special report on the risks of indoor tanning. http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=8209376 .
Dr. Doris Day, a dermatologist from New York City, is very concerned about the dangers of tanning beds. She is not alone. The World Health Organization recently sounded off its alarm by classifying tanning beds in its highest risk category, “carcinogenic to humans”.
“Go with your own glow” is the advice that Dr. Day shares with her many viewers and patients. She is a frequent guest for several television shows including The Discovery Channel, CNN, The Today Show, and Good Morning America’s special that featured Ms. Gerber’s story. When asked what the safe amount of time was in a tanning bed, her reply was “zero”.
Ms. Gerber would not argue with Dr. Day’s advice. After her first surgery that removed the Melanoma’s from her face and lower back, and a few lymph nodes, she faced two follow-up surgeries. The second surgery removed the remaining lymph nodes on the left side of her neck, nearly 30 of them. A third surgery followed to remove a basal cell carcinoma found in the first surgery. Ms. Gerber faces a challenging life ahead. Per the American Cancer Society, the 5-year survival rate for Stage 3 Melanoma can range between 27-56%.
“Go with your own glow” is sounding better all the time. To learn more about Dr. Day, you can visit her Web page at http://www.myclearskin.com/AboutUs/DorisDayMD/tabid/55/Default.aspx .
Please help us get the word out to the kids and young adults in all of our communities about the dangers of tanning beds. Please share the link to our site, www.FritzsWord.com ,with anyone that you believe might benefit from this information.
Thank you!
Fritz
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