Cancer Survivor

 

I couldn't sleep last night. I tossed. I turned. My husband probably thought a few times about pushing me out of the bed. I tossed and I turned some more. What would have me up at 2:30 A.M. in such a fit? The title "Cancer Survivor."

Some of you know that wearing the hat "Cancer Survivor" makes me cringe and quickly change the subject. To many people who have not battled melanoma, that probably seems ridiculous. After all, I've sat half naked on a cold exam room when the dermatologist mumbled those two words, "it's melanoma." I've seen the sympathy in the nuclear medicine tech's face as the radiologist informed me of the "hot spots" on a scan. I've looked an oncologist in the eyes as he told my then-boyfriend and I that melanoma would not kill me "right now." (And then I basically fired him.) I spent a month recovering from a brutal surgery only to have a more invasive surgery a month later that kept me in the hospital for 4 nights. I knowingly signed up for a 3 year clinical trial involving a placebo and a drug the doctors didn't know all that much about for stage 3 patients all because I didn't like my two other choices: "watch and wait" or Interferon.. I FINISHED the 3 year clinical trial with only a few bad memories. I've spent 3 and a half years of my time and effort sharing my story on every social media outlet in hopes of saving one person from making the poor decisions I've made. I've traveled to Richmond and met with committee members begging for them to protect Virginia's teens from the dangers of tanning beds. I went from having no scars on my body to having more than I can count. But I still cringe at being called a survivor. 

Why?

I am surviving. Every new mole, every swollen lymph node, every 3 months with the oncologist and dermatologist, we do what needs to be done to make sure we keep one step ahead of melanoma. And despite that, the sneaky beast has come back twice. So tonight, when I walk the stage with other cancer survivors at Cure By Design, I'm walking for all of my mole-mates who are no longer here to strut the stage. I'm walking in honor of my melanoma friends, many I've never met, as thanks for the love and support you continue to give me. I'm walking as a survivor because I know that's what they would want. I'm walking as a survivor because that's what I intend to do: survive.

To learn more about the Cure by Design event that sponsors the American Cancer Society or to donate in honor of your favorite cancer survivor, please click here.

Using My Voice

 

Sometimes you needs to sit back and listen.

Other times you gotta make some noise...

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter you know that I was very upset on Friday night. I am a Virginia girl & I love my state. What I don't love is our lack of laws protecting our teenagers from tanning salons. There is currently a bill SB1274 that will hopefully pass that will prevent teenagers 14 and under from using public tanning beds & will cause kids 15-17 to need parental consent in order to use the coffin-like beds. While I truly wish this banned all minors from tanning like the law that forbids minors from smoking, I realize that this is a start in the right direction for my state. 

On Friday RVA News posted an article that discusses SB1274. The author, Allison Landry, writes, 

"For example, California banned teens under 18 from indoor tanning. Virginia is unlikely to go that far, state officials say. To many people, other environmental health concerns in Virginia that take precedence over tanning, said Gary Hagy, director of food and environmental health at the Virginia Department of Health."

Then I read the part of the article that interrupted my peaceful & lazy Friday evening:

“There is only so much you can do to protect the youth of an area,” he said. For Virginia, “indoor tanning is not as much of an environmental threat as it might be for California.” (Source.)

I was furious.

So, I wrote a letter.

Dear Mr. Hagy,

My name is Chelsea Price. I'm a 25-year-old Virginia native, a graduate of Radford University, and an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs. I am also battling malignant melanoma.

I was 14-years-old the first time I used a tanning bed. I had been invited to prom by a cute older guy and wanted to be sure to look my prettiest. Tan was beautiful and I wanted to be beautiful. After those first few sessions I began to tan before major event like graduations, vacations, and weddings. I wanted to have that 'healthy glow' people referred to.

I was 23-years-old when an oncologist told me that malignant melanoma would not kill me "right now."

As you should expect, the statement that you gave to RVA News recently has me quite upset. In case you have forgotten, you said, "...indoor tanning is not as much of an environmental threat as it might be for California.” Excuse me, sir, but how is indoor tanning more of a threat to California than Virginia? Are the teenagers in Virginia less important than California? Do you have a daughter you allow to absorb the UV radiation that is classified as a class 1 carcinogen, just like tobacco smoke and asbestos? Why are the tanning beds more of a threat in California? I'm quite certain the beds are manufactured the same way. (Please don't tell me they are more popular in Cali than in Virginia. Have you seen the young girls lately, Mr. Hagy? What about the women who look ten years older than what they are due to the leather-like skin?)

While I am truly disgusted by your comment and your obvious lack of interest in saving Virginia's minors, I understand that this may not be your area of specialty. To give such an ignorant comment about a truly important subject seems insensitive and dangerous. Do you realize that melanoma in young adults is now considered an epidemic?

You may think that we cannot control our youth; however, isn't that what we attempt to do? Is a minor allowed to walk into a store and buy a pack of cigarettes? We control their inability to buy cigarettes. I will remind you once again that tobacco smoke and UV radiation from tanning beds are both classified as class 1 carcinogens. Why is it OK to give them one and not the other?

I cannot change your opinion. I cannot force you to retract your statement. I am quite certain I will never hear back from you or have the opportunity to speak to you in depth on this subject, but I can ask you to do three things before you make another comment regarding tanning beds and minors. I beg you to read my story. I ask you to take five minutes out of your day and view my surgery pictures. Then I ask you to dig deep and ask yourself if you would be OK with handing your teenager a pack of smokes and sending her on her way. It's the same thing, Mr. Hagy.

I truly hope you never have to see firsthand how dangerous tanning beds really are...even for Virginians.

Sincerely,

Chelsea Price
Stage III Malignant Melanoma Warrior
Author of http://adventurewithmelanoma.blogspot.com/

I wanted someone to know I was not OK with that type of attitude being shared at public level so I sent a similar email to other members of Virginia's Department of Health. Simply put, I couldn't stay silent. I washed my hands of it Friday night & figured that would be the last of it all.

It wasn't even 10:00 AM this Monday morning when I received an email from the manager of Risk Communication & Public Health Information:

"Dear Ms. Price –

At your convenience, I would very much like to speak with you about your email regarding a quote from Mr. Gary Hagy that appeared in an article in RVA news."

You can imagine my shock.

 I called, and shockingly enough, we had a pleasant conversation! According to Mrs. Brewster, the author of the article is a college student who interviewed Mr. Hagy last November regarding California's bill that banned minors from tanning. He has not spoken to her since then. Apparently the quote was taken out of context and twisted to fit this story. Mrs. Brewster said that Mr. Hagy was "touched" by my email as he has a 14-year-old daughter and that they would be responding to my emails; however, she wanted to speak to me on the phone for two reasons. First, she wanted to let me know how they were all "touched" by my heartfelt emails (I sent 3 separate types of emails to numerous people at the Department of Health), that they are truly sorry the twisted words of Mr. Hagy upset me, and to let me know that they have already contacted the student's faculty adviser regarding the article. She also stated that neither Mr. Hagy nor the Virginia Department of Health share the opinion that California's teenagers are more important than Virginia's. 

Then they wanted a favor from me. They wanted permission to share my emails. They are going to use my emails to show the college student just what personal damage can be caused when you take things out of context. Not only was I upset, according to Mrs. Brewster, Mr. Hagy was visibly upset after reading my email. I gave them permission.

While I have no idea if this will change the minds of anyone within the Virginia Department of Health regarding teens and tanning, I do hope it will spark an interest to do more education for our teenagers. Too many lives depend on it...

Just Friday someone told me that no one would read my emails. I'm thrilled to say that they read them, they responded, and I feel certain that at the very least, they had an interesting conversation about teens & tanning today. 

Progress.

Dear Miss Chelsea

Picture

Have you watched Dear 16-Year-Old Me? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4jgUcxMezM&feature=share

Seriously, you need to watch this video. Then you need to immediately share it on Facebook, Twitter, and email it to your loved ones. It's a MUST see and a MUST share. 

I had to ask myself, what would I tell the 16-year-old Chelsea?

* You are 16, little girl. Not 25.

* Don't quit cheerleading just because you transferred schools. 

* Listen to your older sister. She has been there.

* Pay attention to that psychology teacher who believed in you enough to add you to her class a year early.

* There is no hiding your first hangover from your parents.

* Next time someone asks, "Do you ever see the sunlight?" don't feel offended. Your skin is beautiful.

* Be a kid.

* Your little sister looks up to you. Be careful.

* Those hours on ICQ and AIM leave wonderful memories; however, they don't help with you SAT score.

* Embrace the flat iron, or don't cut your hair that short. It's curly. It shrinks.

* Dump him. Life is too short to date a bully.

* Eyebrow waxing is a wonderful thing. 

* Your parents aren't the enemies.

* Don't stop running. It is the one part of PE class you're good at.

* Mental Health days end up being awesome memories. (Just don't take too many of them!)

* That girl who picks on you and puts gum in your hair? Ignore her. It isn't worth it. 

* I know the beach is fun. Enjoy it. Add sunscreen.

* Spend as much time on your homework as you do writing notes to your girlfriends.

* When a stranger tells you to go have a mole checked, go.

* Keep your childhood friends close to you. However, know that people change. Accept it without allowing it to ruin the friendship.

* Stay out of the freaking tanning bed. You knooooow it isn't good for you.

* Listen to your daddy. Stop rushing through life.

* Your pale skin and dark hair make you stand out. Embrace them.

 

Pinterest 

What would YOU tell your 16-year-old self?