SAN DIEGO — We are fortunate to live with year-round sunshine but it does also increase our chances of developing skin cancer.
To help raise awareness and money for melanoma research, there's a walk happening on Saturday at Liberty Station.
"We all got sunburns growing up. She was diagnosed at 25, and passed away at 26," Sam Guild said. She lost her sister to skin cancer, far too young. It's what led their mom to start the AIM at Melanoma Foundation. This year marks their 20th anniversary.
"We're trying to raise awareness, for how people can prevent it," she said.
AIM has three major goals – to provide education and support for caregivers or those in treatment, raise funds for research to find a cure and public advocacy, by supporting legislation that helps prevent it all together.
"We have treatment options that are giving people the opportunity to live several years past their diagnosis, research that gives people quality of life, which my sister did not," Guild added.
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, claiming more than 8,000 lives annually in the U.S.
"We know overall survival is good if you catch it early, so we encourage people to do their own monthly skin exams," Guild said.
It can happen to anyone, even where the sun doesn't shine.
"It's a cumulative effect for those who live here in sunny San Diego, wearing sunscreen and UPF clothing are your elixir to youth and also prevention for skin cancer," Dr. Sophia Akhiyat said, who is a surfer and dermatologist from Scripps, who became interested in the field, after wanting to better protect her own skin.
Here's what to look out for. Keep the ABCDE's in mind. The first being A for Asymmetry. You want each half of your mole, to look the same.
"B is borders. Borders are frilly, not well defined or if it seems like the lesion is growing in one direction more than another, that's something to be aware of," Dr. Akhiyat said.
Up next. the C stands for Color.
She added, "if you see red, white, blue, gray, black - multiple colors in one lesion, keep that in mind as well."
D is for Diameter - point out anything larger than a pencil eraser. And finally, E stands for Evolving - you know your body best, keep an eye out for change.
"If it's bleeding, changing color, shape, size, texture, any new symptoms of tenderness."
It shows up in all the typical spots that see a lot of sunshine, but it can also be on your scalp, in your eyes or mouth or like Bob Marley, on your toe.
"On your nails, you want to look for brown linear streaks."
So soak up all that San Diego has to offer, just do so responsibly.
"My favorite sunscreens are zinc and titanium because they're mineral-based and effective," Dr. Akhiyat said.
The AIM at Melanoma Foundation Walk is Saturday, May 18 at 8:00 a.m. Register here.
Watch Related: When and how often should we be checked for skin cancer? (May 3, 2021)