No Thanks Necessary, Really. Nagging Just Comes Naturally to Me.

Have I already started a post with "although you’d never know it by the weather around here, it’s spring, and summer is right around the corner?"  If so, I apologize, but it STILL APPLIES, and frankly, as bored as you may be with that sentiment, I will see your bored and raise you a perplexed and a What the DEVIL?

Yet I do know it’s coming.  And I’m ready with my new little bottle of Eucerin ® Sensitive Skin Extra Protective Moisture Lotion SPF 30.  Because one day, when I least expect it, it’s gonna be warm enough to stay outside longer than the time it takes me to skitter out the the mailbox and back.  SOMEDAY.  (Shakes fist at sky.)  And I’ll be ready.

The Eucerin ® Moisture Lotion with sun protection has replaced plain old Eucerin as my daily facial moisturizer, and the switch went smoothly.  Pardon the pun.  What I love about this moisturizer is first, of course, the sun protection.  And secondly, the lightness of it vs. other sunscreens I’ve used.  It’s non-comedogenic (won’t clog up yore poor pores!) and fragrance-free (won’t remind you it’s there all day long).  And it’s — well — silky.  No, really, it is.  It’s a great choice if you haven’t already selected and purchased your summer moisturizer with sun protection, which you most certainly must do.  Yes, you must.  I will not argue with you about this little missy.  Get out there and get yourself some moisturizer with sun protection NOW, or you are grounded to your room for the rest of the summer.

But I am not here to spend an entire post harping on you about sun protection or telling you about another (VERY FINE) Eucerin product.  (Although some may argue that I already have).  I AM here, actually, to tell you that beauty?  Well, it begins and ends with health.  And you know that based on how you looked the last time you had the flu, so I don’t need to harp on THAT, either. 

But I will say that you can spend allllll you want on expensive skin treatments, but if you aren’t addressing the basic HEALTH of your body and your skin, it’s all eventually for naught.  Sounds harsh?  Yeah, it does.  But I’m just trying to get your attention for what’s coming next, because finally THIS.  THIS is what I’m here to tell you about:

Melanoma – Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer, is characterized by the uncontrolled growth of pigment-producing cells. One American dies from melanoma almost every hour (every 62 minutes) and is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old and the second most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old. If detected in the early stages before it reaches the lymph nodes, melanoma has a 99 percent five-year survival.

Breast cancer –  Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. An estimated 40,930 breast cancer deaths (40,480 women, 450 men) are expected in 2008. Early detection remains the single most effective way for combating the disease with regular mammograms suggested for women once they reach age 40. When detected early before it spreads, women have a 98 percent survival rate after five years.

Cervical cancer – Cervical cancer is a disease in which cancer cells form in the cervix or the lower part of a woman’s uterus. While cervical cancer was once a leading cause of cancer death for women, the number of deaths has decreased dramatically due to prevention and early detection. When detected early before the cancer spreads, women have a 92-percent survival rate after five years. 

And I’m telling you this because you’re a woman — a smart woman, and a woman who cares about herself.  Which means you’ve thought about cancer.  Probably even worried about cancer.  Maybe battled it yourself or alongside a mother, aunt or sister.  And you know a lot about cancer — you’re doing all you know to do to fight or prevent it.

But you might still have questions.  About skin cancers, breast cancer, or cervical, ovarine or uterine cancer.   I know I do.  Which is why I’m here to give you this:

Karen at Simply A Musing Blog wants to provide y’all with an opportunity to get answers to your questions.

Because of her own direct experience watching family members face cancer, Karen’s taken on a proactive role in fighting it on behalf of all of us. She’s worked to gather a team of doctors from Texas Oncology to address the cancer-related questions of the (female?) blogging community.

So do you have questions? Concerns? Anything you’d like to have addressed directly by a specialist in the field of cancer? If so, now’s your chance. Go to Karen’s blog and ask. She’ll gather the questions and provide them to a team of doctors who have volunteered to provide answers. In about a week, Karen will post the questions and answers in another post. I’ll make sure to remind you when the answers come back.

Easy as that. Go ask. 

And get yourself some sunscreen or I’ll stay on you about it until you do.  It won’t be fun.