Kate's Scholarship submission by Brooke Hopkins
Brooke Hopkins of Rumson Fair Haven High School, explores the topic of Melanoma in her application for the Kate's Foundation for Melanoma Scholarship.
The Center for Disease Control conducted a survey recently. They wanted to see how many people knew about melanoma. The results showed that 50 percent of older adults had little to no knowledge on the subject. Even worse, the number for young adults was up to 74 percent. I hate to admit it, but before I stumbled across this scholarship, I was one of those young adults.
When I first saw that this scholarship was geared toward those who were about to embark on the pre-medical path, I was ecstatic. “This is perfect for me!” I thought to myself. In the fall, I will be a pre-med student at Boston College. I hope to one day become an oncologist. My interest in oncology was sparked when a close family friend was diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer.
In order to gain a better insight into the topic, I began shadowing an oncologist in September on his rounds at Riverview Medical Center. Reflecting back on those experiences, I came to a realization: I have had no exposure to melanoma. I have never met or heard of anyone with the disease who was close to me. Eager to learn, I stepped up to this new medical research challenge.
What I found was startling. “Melanoma is now the fastest growing cancer in the U.S.” one website read. Another stated, “In the U.S. your chance of getting melanoma in 1940 was 1 in 1500. By 2004, it was 1 in 67. By 2010, scientists predict it will be 1 in 50.” “It’s 2010 now, does that mean that I’m at a high risk to get it?” I asked myself. I continued to research and became more and more shocked with each website I clicked on. Melanoma so prevalent in our society, how could I have not known about this before?
I felt so ignorant for having no prior knowledge of melanoma. But, now that I had learned, I wanted to change my lifestyle and educate others so that they could shrink their chances of getting the deadly cancer as well. Since then, I have taken steps to do just this. I cancelled my plans to go tanning before prom, made sure I’m always wearing sunscreen while in the sun, and take vitamin D daily. Additionally, I continue to urge my friends to take the same steps that I already have. I hope to continue one the path towards becoming an oncologist and, on the way, continue raising awareness about melanoma.
10 facts about melanoma that everyone should know:
- Everyone is at risk of getting melanoma.
- Sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers, including melanoma.
- There have been no significant advances in the medical treatment or survival rate in the last 30 years.
- Melanoma cases are increasing at an epidemic rate of 3% a year.
- In the U.S. there are as many new cases of melanoma each year than there are of AIDS.
- There were 59,000 new case of melanoma in the U.S. in 2005.
- Melanoma is the sixth most common cancer in the U.S.
- Melanoma is the most common cancer in men and women ages 20-29.
- In women 25-29, melanoma is the primary cause of cancer death, and in women 30-34 it is the second most common cause of cancer death.
- If caught in the earliest stages, melanoma is entirely treatable with a survival rate of nearly 100%. If untreated and allowed to spread, there is no known treatment or cure.
Steps to preventing melanoma:
- Generously apply a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen
- Wear protective clothing
- Seek shade when appropriate
- Protect children from sun exposure
- Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand
- Get vitamin D
- Avoid tanning beds
- Check yourself
