Chelsea Dawson’s days are filled with the hectic joy of motherhood. After ending her workday at the Department of Veterans Affairs in Virginia, she heads to day care to pick up her toddler, Lee. Then it’s home for dinner with her husband, Bryan, and stepson, Gavin, before putting the kids to bed and catching her breath. Balancing work, home and family can be tough, but you won’t hear Chelsea complain.
She was a much-sought-after model, and her looks were her meal ticket. But when her clients asked her to “get a little color” for photo shoots, she never dreamed it would lead to skin cancer —and a disfiguring scar smack in the middle of, yes, her face.
Skin Cancer Foundation staff members learn a lot about skin cancer. Many of us also have friends or family members who have suffered from the disease. However, few of us have developed the disease ourselves.
Tia Costello was eight months pregnant with her second child when she was diagnosed with melanoma. “I was angry. I screamed into the pillow multiple times and I felt my baby inside me start to move,” she recalls. “I knew she felt the panic inside. I was scared and I feared for her too.”
At the Miss Indiana USA competition this past October, contestants showed off their accomplishments, drive, and talents. Brittany Winchester wowed the judges by sharing her passion for affecting change and was crowned Miss Indiana USA 2017. Brittany was diagnosed with multiple basal cell carcinomas and devoted her pageant platform to skin cancer awareness, pledging her voice to a cause that has affected her personally.
No one wants to hear, “you have something on your face,” but when that “something” looks suspicious and is potentially skin cancer, it’s time to put awkwardness aside and speak up right away.
For 15 years, Ashley Trenner paid good money to work on her tan. Without knowing it, she was also working on melanoma.
