Do You Think Indoor Tanning is Safe?

Monday, May 5, 2008

The first Monday in May is designated as Melanoma Monday, a day dedicated to advocating for melanoma awareness, prevention and early detection. It is also a time to support those struggling with the disease and to remember those who have succumbed to it.

A few melanoma facts:

Last month a prominent musician was lost. On April 17, 2008, Danny Federici became a statistic - another victim of malignant melanoma. Danny Federici was one of the founding members of Bruce Springsteen’s famed E Street Band. Springsteen described Federici as “one of the pillars of our sound.” Federici shared his brand of keyboards with Bruce Springsteen, The E Street Band, and the world since the late 1960’s.

Never heard of Danny Federici? How about John McCain? Yes, that John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for the 2008 United States Presidential election. Did you know that Sen. McCain has had five primary melanoma lesions diagnosed and removed between 1993 an 2002? The most serious of these was a stage 2A melanoma on the left temple in 2000, which required that lymph nodes be removed and checked for the spread of melanoma. The lymph nodes tested negative.

Last but not least, everyone's favorite Rastafarian, Bob Marley, died of melanoma in 1981 at the young age of 36.

That concludes our melanoma trivia for today. Have a happy Melanoma Monday, and wear your sunscreen!

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