Skin Care Give Away

The Aldi Gift Card Give Away winner is……….. Adam M. Congratulations and please check your email as there is a message waiting for you from me.

On to today’s post! Before I tell you what exactly the give away is however, I want to share with you the story of one of my dear friend and family member’s.

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Melanoma struck our family in 2009. My Dad Tom/Thomas had a suspicious mole on his back that was irregularly shaped. The family doctor removed the mole and sent it for testing. It came back cancerous. My dad met with an oncologist who determined that the cancer was in his lymph system. He eventually had additional lymph nodes removed that were determined to be cancer free! He remained in the close care of his oncologist and dermatologist, having additional moles removed regularly.

In January 2013 an unrelated trip to the ER and a CT scan resulted in something our family had never expected. “There are several spot on your liver and kidneys; we’re speculating your Melanoma has metastasized. We’re going to admit you for further testing.” To say we were in shock was an understatement. After two negative biopsies, my Dad was sent home. The oncologist ordered a PET scan and additional biopsies. In mid-February my Dad came home from work early and was jaundiced. He was admitted back into the hospital and had two more biopsies. The melanoma had metastasized at a rapid rate. We met with the oncologist five days later to determine his options for treatment, but the cancer had already started taking over his body. As a family, we decided Hospice care was the best option. During his short time at home my Dad was surrounded by his closest family and friends. He still managed to smile and laugh…that was just his nature! My Dad lost his short battle with Melanoma with his family by his side on March 6, 2013.

Please consider joining our family as we walk in honor of my Dad Tom/Thomas on May 3rd. If you are unable to attend the walk please consider a tax deductible donation.

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After seeing my family devastated by the loss of their father, I have looked at skin care and its health in a completely different way. As a whole society, we are relatively vain about our skin, but in my opinion, it’s time to be careful about our skin. This is why today I am giving away a skin care package. Unlike most packages, this one includes both topical treatment to prevent skin damage, but also, supplements that aid in the prevention and maintenance of healthy skin.

Today’s give away isn’t the best of this weeks, however it is the most important. I ask that you please spread today’s post around on twitter, instagram, facebook and any other social media site you may belong to. Let’s all step up to spread the word about skin cancer.

– A few facts about skin cancer, according to skincancer.org

• Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the U.S.
• Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old.
• A person’s risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has had more than five sunburns.
• The majority of people diagnosed with melanoma are white men over age 50.
• People who use sunscreen daily show 24 percent less skin aging than those who do not use sunscreen daily.
• The estimated cost of treating melanoma in 2010 was $2.36 billion.

If you don’t regularly see a doctor to look at and check your skin, please do so. If you have a family history of cancer, please be that much more careful and most of all, please remember that non of us are invincible. It is up to us to take care of our bodies.

If you live in the metro-Detroit area, consider coming out to the walk taking place in remembrance of Tom. It would mean so much to his wife and children to see that their father and husband’s story is making a difference in peoples life. If you are interested in being a part of the walk, feel free to contact me with any questions.

I would like to thank Jennifer (Tom’s daughter) for taking the time to share her dad’s story. He truly was a wonderful man and he is missed dearly. All of us here at The Kitchen Revolution love and support you and your family.

To enter today’s give away, please leave a comment below explaining what you do on a regular basis to protect yourself from sun damage and aging.