› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Reporter writing on stigma of cancer
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randallgford.
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- July 26, 2013 at 7:25 pm
I was contacted by a reporter who writes for a well known national magazine and is writing an article on the stigma of cancer. The question is this: Do people with cancer diagnosis experience stigma not associated with other diseases (such as heart disease)?
In particular she asked if people with melanoma are asked about their habits. Did you use sunscreen? Did you go to tanning salons? Did you get that mole checked out when you first noticed it?
If you get these questions, how do you handle them? How do you feel about them?
I was contacted by a reporter who writes for a well known national magazine and is writing an article on the stigma of cancer. The question is this: Do people with cancer diagnosis experience stigma not associated with other diseases (such as heart disease)?
In particular she asked if people with melanoma are asked about their habits. Did you use sunscreen? Did you go to tanning salons? Did you get that mole checked out when you first noticed it?
If you get these questions, how do you handle them? How do you feel about them?
No names will be used in the article without permission. Mostly this is a request for feedback.
You may post here, or contact the reporter directly. Her name is Charlotte Huff, and I have read her pieces in the past–she is quite good. Here is her email: [email protected]. Her deadline is next Friday, Aug. 2.
I think this is a great topic and would love to see the voice of the melanoma community well represented in this piece.
Tim–MRF
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- July 27, 2013 at 10:59 am
Absolutely, all of the above. In addition, my husband had a mole removed 12 years ago. The marginswere clean, lymph nodes clear. He did a year of interferon, which at stage 2 not most poeple choose. He went to dermatologist quarterly, then twice a year, then aftet 4 yrs they told hime once a year was sufficient. He still went twice a year to the derm. He had a chest x ray with his normal physical in July of 2012. In Nov-Dec he was coughing,and a couple of months were wasted with cold and sinus treatment, then when it didnt stop finally in January another chest xray revelead lung spots, biopsied positive for melanoma, soon found it was in lungs, liver, brain, subqs. No other symptoms! and I had people say to my face, how could he let this happen when he had a history? Some people are just ignorant or paranoid or want to live under the illusion that we have control over everything. It bothered me at first, but i soon other things were much more important and I dont a hoot what others think, that is their problem. But yes, I agree tht melanoma definitely is stigmatized in this way. Vicki, Randall's wife
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- July 27, 2013 at 10:59 am
Absolutely, all of the above. In addition, my husband had a mole removed 12 years ago. The marginswere clean, lymph nodes clear. He did a year of interferon, which at stage 2 not most poeple choose. He went to dermatologist quarterly, then twice a year, then aftet 4 yrs they told hime once a year was sufficient. He still went twice a year to the derm. He had a chest x ray with his normal physical in July of 2012. In Nov-Dec he was coughing,and a couple of months were wasted with cold and sinus treatment, then when it didnt stop finally in January another chest xray revelead lung spots, biopsied positive for melanoma, soon found it was in lungs, liver, brain, subqs. No other symptoms! and I had people say to my face, how could he let this happen when he had a history? Some people are just ignorant or paranoid or want to live under the illusion that we have control over everything. It bothered me at first, but i soon other things were much more important and I dont a hoot what others think, that is their problem. But yes, I agree tht melanoma definitely is stigmatized in this way. Vicki, Randall's wife
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- July 27, 2013 at 10:59 am
Absolutely, all of the above. In addition, my husband had a mole removed 12 years ago. The marginswere clean, lymph nodes clear. He did a year of interferon, which at stage 2 not most poeple choose. He went to dermatologist quarterly, then twice a year, then aftet 4 yrs they told hime once a year was sufficient. He still went twice a year to the derm. He had a chest x ray with his normal physical in July of 2012. In Nov-Dec he was coughing,and a couple of months were wasted with cold and sinus treatment, then when it didnt stop finally in January another chest xray revelead lung spots, biopsied positive for melanoma, soon found it was in lungs, liver, brain, subqs. No other symptoms! and I had people say to my face, how could he let this happen when he had a history? Some people are just ignorant or paranoid or want to live under the illusion that we have control over everything. It bothered me at first, but i soon other things were much more important and I dont a hoot what others think, that is their problem. But yes, I agree tht melanoma definitely is stigmatized in this way. Vicki, Randall's wife
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Tagged: cutaneous melanoma
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