Most of us know the importance of sunlight for Vitamin D and regulating mood, but like anything else, too much of a good thing can turn bad quickly. The sun is a source of ultraviolet radiation, exposure to which is the main risk factor for developing skin cancer.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, skin cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. According to most recent estimates, cases are increasing. An estimated one in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70. More than two people die of skin cancer in the U.S. every hour.
Here in the Sunshine State, those numbers are even more elevated. Folks with five sunburns over the course of a lifetime are even more likely to develop skin cancer.
Guests:
- Dr. Olayemi Sokumbi, dermatologist and dermatopathologist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.
- Dr. Konstantinos Chouliaras, surgical oncologist at Baptist Health and MD Anderson Cancer Center in Jacksonville.
Cabana Life clothing
At 26, Melissa Papock was, by her description, a "typical fashion-conscious New Yorker," writing for magazines like Vogue, Vanity Fair and Marie Claire.
Her life changed when she noticed a light pink discoloration on her left arm. It was melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Fortunately for her, the melanoma was detected early and had not spread. The cancer cells were surgically removed, and there has been no recurrence.
After learning about the importance of sun-protective clothing, and noticing a gap in the market for fashionable options, Papock and a partner founded Cabana Life, a Ponte Vedra Beach-based company devoted to making stylish garments that have a sun protective factor of more than 50.
Guest: Melissa Papock, Cabana Life founder.
