THIS EMAIL IS FROM MARK ZAGOL.
Please reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Here is Mark's message:
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College Sailors, Coaches, High Schoolers, Parents, Friends,
Recently I was diagnosed with Malignant Melanoma cancer in my back and have
begun treatment for it. I am a couple weeks shy of my 29th birthday and never
thought that I would be at risk at such an early stage of my life for
developing any form of Skin Cancer.
We all received this same email from Dan Winters a few years back about the
dangers of being in the sun all the time. The difference is that as Dan put
it, he grew up in a time when sunscrean was rarely used, I grew up with my mom
always smearing sunscrean all over me before I went out side.
I wanted to send out this email to create awareness because the people on this
list are going to spend alot of time out in the sun and will be setting the
example for all the young sailors out there. Many of you probably already know
someone who has had some form of skin cancer, in fact 1 out of 100 people will
experience some form of skin cancer in their life. We as sailors will spend
the majority of our lives on the water in the sun and put ourselves at risk for
developing skin cancer. There are three types of skin cancer with Melanoma
being the most dangerous but if detected early enough, the cancer can be
removed.
The best defense against skin cancers are:
1. Always apply sunscrean of 15 spf or higher and to re-apply as the day goes
on, wear a brimmed hat and a UV protective shirt.
2. Going to the doctor for a normal checkup. This is for all the males who
are graduating and who won't be under the watchfull eye of their parents
anymore. Go to the doctor annually for a checkup, if I had done that I
wouldn't be in this situation, I waited and waited because I felt and still
feel very healthy and felt no reason to go to the doctor. The only reason I
went to the doctor was because my wife made me
good thing she did.
Here is some information on Melanoma for you to look at, unfortunately I find
myself knowing more than I ever wanted to know. A good website for more
information is www.cancer.gov
Melanoma can occur anywhere on the body.
In men, melanoma is often found on the trunk (the area from the shoulders to
the hips) or the head and neck. In women, melanoma often develops on the arms
and legs. Melanoma usually occurs in adults, but it is sometimes found in
children and adolescents.
Unusual moles, exposure to sunlight, and health history can affect the risk of
developing melanoma. Risk factors include the following:
o Unusual moles.
o Exposure to natural sunlight.
o Exposure to artificial ultraviolet light (tanning booth).
o Family or personal history of melanoma.
o Being white and older than 20 years.
o Red or blond hair.
o White or light-colored skin and freckles.
o Blue eyes.
Possible signs of melanoma include a change in the appearance of a mole or
pigmented area.
These and other symptoms may be caused by melanoma or by other conditions. A
doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:
o A mole that:
# changes in size, shape, or color.
# has irregular edges or borders.
# is more than 1 color.
# is asymmetrical (if the mole is divided in half, the 2
halves are different in size or shape).
# itches.
# oozes, bleeds, or is ulcerated (a hole forms in the
skin when the top layer of cells breaks down and the underlying tissue shows
through).
o Change in pigmented (colored) skin.
o Satellite moles (new moles that grow near an existing mole).
Mark Zagol
Head Sailing Coach
US Coast Guard Academy
(860) 444-8507 office
(860) 234-4593 cell
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