Our patient, Betty Talley, tells us about her skin cancer journey and how receiving a skin cancer diagnosis has changed her life.
1. How did your skin cancer journey begin?
My skin cancer journey began approximately 15 years ago when my previous dermatologist found a melanoma spot on my right upper arm and surgically removed it. Four years later, the doctor saw a melanoma spot on my left breast and once again, performed surgery.
When my dermatologist retired, I reached out to Dermatology Associates of Lincoln and requested an appointment with Dr. Casey Bowen. This was January of 2022. At my very first appointment with Dr. Bowen, he discovered what he thought was amelanoma on my upper back. When the pathology results came back, he called me to give me the news and what the next steps would be. The melanoma was surgically removed in February of 2022. As a result, I have been scheduling skin checks with Dr. Casey Bowen every six months.
2. What would you say to someone who is nervous or anxious about seeing a
Dermatologist?
There is no reason to be nervous or anxious about seeing a Dermatologist. Early detection is critical in melanoma treatment and cure. The longer a person waits could result in additional surgery and/or complications. It is far better to call a Dermatologist as soon as you notice something and to determine that it was nothing to worry about, instead of waiting and the results being much more serious.
3. Has receiving a melanoma diagnosis changed any part of your life? If so, how?
With age comes wisdom. After the initial melanoma diagnosis, I became religious about applying sunscreen, wearing a hat and sunglasses, not exposing myself to the sun for any extended period of time, and covering up as much as possible. More recently, Dr. Bowen and I discussed the use of a facial moisturizer with SPF 30+ since even daily exposure to various lights and/or sun through windows can result in skin damage and/or melanomas.
I only wish I knew many years ago what the effects of too much exposure to the sun can do! My one piece of advice would be to take precautions with the sun, use sunscreen, and get your skin checked with Dermatology Associates of Lincoln!