RALLY AROUND THE SOCIETY

The Friends of the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society have been on a super crazy adventure over the past couple of months. 

We have spent a lot of time sharing, exploring, promoting the T&T Cancer Society in an attempt to share in their mission to educate the public about cancer and early detection. We dared to venture outside the limits of a blog to reach our goal by using other social media. 

Through the fantastic response and overwhelming feedback by persons we have learnt a lot and by extension taught a lot through this journey. 

We opened up on a personal level and stepped out of our comfort zones, we shared videos, pictures and experiences. As a group, we do hope that like a good cricket match with the West Indies that those of you who followed this social media roller coaster will continue to RALLY AROUND THE CANCER SOCIETY. 

SUPPORT-ADVOCATE- SAVE A LIFE! 

If you leave this blog with one thing and one thing alone let it be that EARLY DETECTION IS THE BEST PREVENTION!! 

Knowledge is power, GET SCREENED TODAY! 

Thanks for all the support and encouragement. 

Best, 

Friends of the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society 

IN LOVING MEMORY OF SHARON W.- MY FRIEND, WHO PASSED AWAY BECAUSE OF BREAST CANCER

Last Saturday, I lost a friend

Who was dear to me to the very end.
Cancer was its name and only pain was what she gained.  (That changed her life)
It is an awful disease that does not care about its victim.
There was nothing I could have said to take the cancer away.
I never thought that it could have happened to you, Sharon.
You tried radiation and chemotherapy – that did not work.
You experienced suffering and pain for only three months.
It not only affected your body, but your mind and your soul too.
I did not have the strength to visit you - to say goodbye.
I asked myself – “Why did cancer have to enter your life?”
How come this could have happened to someone so wonderful, so reserved, so health-conscious?
That you will not be here with us anymore.
One day we will definitely be together, having a great new life,
As we always did.
Sharon, you will always be in my thoughts and in my heart.
Because all I have are memories (from school days until now).
The fight is finally over.
REST IN PEACE MY FRIEND…I will miss you….

Change: The Lifestyle Challenge

We have taken great pride in ourselves, as a Caribbean people, over many decades in our irresistible local dishes including Creole, Chinese, Indian, Asian and African menus. Many of these foods are filled with starches and are prepared with lots of highly flavored seasonings that are sodium based and cook with lots of butter and oils, which are high in cholesterol!

Our everyday West Indian lifestyles, our food regime and traditions, like eating late at nights, drinking excessively and smoking are among the main contributors affecting the fight against cancer and in no small way undoing the efforts to combat the spread of the disease.

Like any other disease, the key to addressing the scourge of cancer is living a healthy and balance life. That means a balance diet and regular exercises, which is still, not emphasize enough in our list of personal objectives. This is especially true of families, who have a history of the disease, which is also a significant factor towards combating cancer and promoting awareness.

It seems that as a young nation we are still in the Awareness Stage, and we need to move to the point of awareness to taking immediate Action and Responsibility to quickly slow the spread of the disease.

With carnival around the corner, you only have to sit on a bench around the Queens Park Savannah, the Eddie Hart Grounds, Arranguez Savannah or Skinner Park at San Fernando to see how our men and women are working their butt off to fit and fit in to their skimpy costumes; and that’s great for our carnival. But combating cancer does not require a seasonal approach, what we need now is encourage this type of individual pursuit of fitness and balance lifestyle throughout the year.

Since the carnival mentality is pervasive in our Triniculture, it’s probably a good thing to start looking at utilizing the positives from our carnival culture to drive people from Awareness of the disease to into continuous and Responsible Action. As a society we have find ways to do more to encourage and promote the benefits of exercise and a healthy food culture, which is essential to improving our quality of life and reducing our medical bills.

It seems like our unhealthy lifestyles as a society generally, may be inextricably linked to our noticeable increases in wealth. The point here is, not to be critical of the increases in household incomes or, the expansion of wealth, but to emphasize the fact that improvements in our standard of living has had little impact on decreasing the spread of non-communicable diseases like cancer.

Especially as there has been a tremendous growth in the number of private and public clinics and hospitals in Trinidad and Tobago; this says a lot, more so, about our quality of life and the need for greater action by decision makers to stem the spread of no communicable diseases like cancer.

Friends of Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society: Interview Done With A Caretaker...

Friends of Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society: Interview Done With A Caretaker...: INTERVIEW  These were the questions asked:  -           Can you state your profession please? -           W...

Interview Done With A Caretaker...

INTERVIEW 

These were the questions asked: 

-          Can you state your profession please?

-          What was your motivation or driving force behind you becoming a nurse?

-          Do you encounter a significant amount of patients with cancer?

-          Among those, would you say breast cancer was the main type that you came across?

-          Were there a lot of children diagnosed with cancer?

-          How do you help patients deal with their trauma of their diagnosis?

-          How does a woman do a home test examination of herself to see if she has breast cancer?

-          What signs should she look for?  What foods should she stay away from?  Is exercise important?

-          Was there ever a time when you were especially disturbed by someone being diagnosed with cancer?     Did it affect your life in any aspect?  

               Is there a story that you remember that you would like to share?

Would you say it drew you closer to God?

-          Would you agree, as a woman, that it would be your advice to others to get themselves checked regularly and that it is important to not only their lives but the effect it has on the lives around them?

LUNG CANCER AWARENESS

If you don't know...NOW YOU KNOW!!

Lung cancer is no laughing matter, non smokers are prone to developing lung cancer if they are constantly exposed to second hand smoke.

What is amazing is that the benefits of quitting are immediate so if you are a smoker QUIT NOW!!!

The Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society plays an integral role in educating persons on the dangers of smoking through lectures and demonstrations using pigs lungs. They have continued the call for smokers to quit through their Facebook page and the use of YouTube videos such as these.  

We as Friends of the Society urge you to do the same, QUIT SMOKING or help a friend to quit! Don't forget to Ribbon Up White, November is lung cancer awareness month! Support. Advocate. Save a life!! 

Ribbon Up Communication

Ribbon Up WHITE!!

That’s the call from the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society and Friends of the Society think it’s a fantastic idea…..social media Gangnam Style!!!

Why is this a great idea? We will explain…..Trinidadians love to ask questions and like Sesame Street has taught most of us…that is a great way of finding things out.

Ribbon Up is an initiative launched by the Society to raise greater awareness of the various cancers and their awareness colours  Like inhaling oxygen the world associates pink with breast cancer; it comes naturally; but what about prostate, pancreatic, brain, lung etc????

The ribbon in social media references will work something like a Facebook post, some people will see, like and move on while others will stop, ask a question leave a comment and hopefully in the process learn something new.

Awareness ribbons help show solidarity towards a cause, help to generate interest and most importantly make people remember!!! And, like the really catchy and silly video posted in this blog everyone would follow suit and Ribbon Up!!! 

The Friends of the Society acknowledges the calls by the Society to Ribbon Up-Advocate-Support and Save a life and as such provided this little gift of awareness-

For more information on the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society please call them TOLL FREE at 800-TTCS (8827) 

November is LUNG CANCER AWARENESS MONTH!!

RIBBON UP WHITE!!

Hyperthermia Cancer Treatment

This is a natural, less toxic cancerocidal modality, to improve cancer treatment results.

          This treatment is designed to increase the effectiveness of radiation therapy while decreasing its side effects.       
           

         It is effective in pain palliation and in most cases with little complications. 

Hyperthermia Cancer Treatment is different to other conventional therapies like radiation alone, high toxic chemotherapy, and the "point of no return" surgery, whose purpose is only to prolong patients' lives. 

    This treatment in conjunction with low dose radiation therapy (IMRT) or low dose chemotherapy, is purposely intended to cure when tumors are localized. 

Though the lack of widespread access to institutions with the experience to perform HT is a critical barrier to such trials, if you have the money and access to facilities that would perfom this treatment a good place to look to visit would be  Bicher Cancer Institute, Los Angeles, California. 

http://www.bichercancerinstitute.com/

This treatment is almost like a miracle giver to women and families and should be more readily available to women everywhere.

This situation needs to be addressed.   

Breast Cancer Facts for the Mother to Know!!!

Breast cancer is perhaps one of the most damaging sorts of cancer. 


 It causes perhaps one of the most devastating effects on a woman’s mind as well as body. In fact any cancer can be the cause of families breaking up.

Discovering you have breast cancer while pregnant and still not married, could be damaging to the woman permanently because she is single and the mother is going to have a baby; on top of that she would have lost a woman's major attractive organ. Usually, or in most cases this would prevent her from getting any future husbands. 


With the help of a Mammogram, mothers, or any woman can determine a malignant growth in their breast; this is a fact. 

The only way to get early detection is only with the aid of a mammogram. It is necessary to visit a mammogram practitioner early or every so often as a woman. 

A very important set back to this though, is that you need to keep in mind that in order to do this treatment, it involves a sort of radiation therapy. 

Radiation therapies can be the most possible cause to develop or increase the breast cancer chances on a female!!!  
Very ironic and devastating. 

This video states what was previously being discussed; that despite it is known to get mammograms to check yourself to see if you have breast cancer, recent studies have shown that it increases the risk because of the radiation therapy! The doctor basically discusses that from the statistics taken with women who took mammograms vs. those who didn't, that there was no difference. Take a listen and see for yourself...




BREAST CANCER FACT: Cancer cells are present in EVERY woman's body. As she ages, the number of cancer cells accumulate. 

At the age of 45, it is scientifically proven that a woman's breast has at least 45% of cancer cells present!!!

It is said though, that these specific cells stay in a dormant stage for their entire life, but it is a sad fact that for some women, cancer is caused by those same cells. 


This is never their fault, nor anyone's fault. It could happen mainly because of some hereditary problem or a problem in the genetic development of her entire family. 


EARLY DETECTION CAN LEAD TO KEEPING YOUR LIFE, AND IF LUCKY, CAN BE CURED IF TREATED PROPERLY.

Any woman who has ever had sex is at risk of getting Cervix Cancer

I remember a visit to the doctor’s office, I kept seeing these posters everywhere speaking about not being too young to get cervical cancer and some other stuff about “HPV.” Placing it at the back of my mind, I never thought to do research. A more recent visit to a different doctor, this time with a friend, I saw the same posters and furthermore saw an advisement on television, I decided that I needed to get information on whatever this was, and so I did. I asked the doctor a truck load of questions, in return he gave me answers, advice, pamphlets and websites to visit.  Trying to tell you everything in this one blog will be tough but I hope I at least open up your awareness to it so you can do research on your own and take the steps necessary to prevent yourself or help prevent a friend from obtaining this cancer.

What is cervix cancer?

Cancer of the cervix is cancer that begins in the cervix, the part of the womb (or uterus) that opens to the vagina.

The cervix separates the womb (or uterus) from the vagina.

 

How common is it?

Cervical cancer can be rare if women have regular Pap test done.

What is a Pap test?

The Pap test helps doctors find early changes in the cervix cells that might lead to cancer. It is done during a pelvic exam. Abnormal results on a Pap test are common.

With a Pap test, the doctor or nurse takes a sample of cells from the cervix with a swab or soft brush.

Do we know what causes cervix cancer?

Cervix cancer is caused by a virus called HPV.

What is HPV?

HPV is short for human papilloma (pap-ah-LO-mah) virus. This virus can cause changes in the cervix. HPV is not the same as HIV.

HPV is not a new virus, but we are learning more about this virus. Most people who have ever had sex have had HPV at some time in their lives.

How does HPV lead to cervix cancer?

HPV is spread through sex, and it can cause an infection in the cervix. The infection usually doesn’t last very long because your body is able to fight the infection. If the HPV doesn’t go away, the virus may cause cervix cells to change and become pre-cancer cells. Pre-cancer cells are not cancer. Most cells with early pre-cancer changes return to normal on their own. Sometimes, the pre-cancer cells may turn into cancer if they are not found and treated.

Very few HPV infections lead to cervix cancer.

Who can get cervix cancer?

Because HPV is so common, any woman who has ever had sex can get cervix cancer. But, most women who get HPV do not get cervix cancer. Women who have their Pap tests as often as they should are least likely to get cervix cancer.

Some women have a greater chance of getting cervix cancer if they:

·         Have HPV and it doesn’t go away

·         Have HIV or AIDS

·         Smoke

Women who do not have Pap tests at all or who do not have them as often as they should have the greatest chance of getting cervix cancer.

What I got from my lecture at the doctor’s office is that once a young woman has had sex, she is at risk of obtaining HPV and future more Cervical Cancer and that to me is scary. Whether it means being sexually active now or in the future I am still at risk, there is no escaping unless a Pap test is done regularly because condoms don’t completely protect you. If you were sexual active by the age of 17 you are at a higher risk of getting Cervical Cancer as the body was not yet developed for sexual activities. Starting at age 21, a Pap test has to be done every 2 years. If you are 30 years and older and have had 3 normal Pap tests for 3 years in a row, talk to your doctor about spacing out Pap tests to every 3 years.

There are often no signs or symptoms for HPV and there is no screening for men, so your partner can have it and he won’t be able to find out if he’s exposing you to the virus. So you can have HPV and not know. An estimate of 8 out of 10 women can become infected with HPV...8 out of then is a lot, too much if you ask me.

Since HPV is a virus on its own, which can also lead to genital warts, I recommend this site, VERY interesting reading material; I spent an hour going through their facts: HPV Get the Facts

The sort of good news is that there is a vaccine for the most frequent virus (HPV) that can cause Cervical Cancer, girls and boys as young as age 11 can get the vaccination. Even if you are sexually active you can get the vaccine. However the vaccine protects you from the MAIN cause of cervical cancer, not all of the causes. And even if you have been vaccinated, regular screening is still important.

So please ladies, being uncomfortable for 2 minutes at a Pap test is worth being comfortable and safe for a longer period of time.

I later learnt that one of my dearest friend’s mom is a fighter of cervical cancer. Look out for her story.

-Teneil Nurse

Need more information? Take a look at: What women should know about Cervical Cancer

Attention!!!

Now that I have your attention, look out for the post on the Human Papilloma Virus and how it can affect you.- Teneil Nurse

MY WALK, MY JOURNEY, MY CHOICE:

On Saturday 27^th October 2012, everyone was focused on the Annual Cancer Remembrance Walk Event, sponsored by the Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society and the Republic Bank, which was being held at the Queen Park Savannah Port of Spain. As a member of the Friends of Trinidad and Tobago Cancer Society, it was my social responsibility to support this memorable cause.

 

On the very same day, though, as part of my duties as a Community Development Officer,   attached to the Ministry of Community Development, I had to attend a Community Outreach Program which was a collaboration between my Ministry and the North Central Regional Health Authority.

 

This Outreach Program was held at the Maracas Bay Community Centre and I left that compound at approximately half past three in the afternoon. Although I was very exhausted, I was determined and committed to participate in the Walk.

 

When I arrived at the Queen’s Park Savannah, the Annual Cancer Remembrance Walk Event had already commenced so I just joined the walkers, because I wanted to support the journey for my “sisters” who were diagnosed with different types of cancer.

 

I walked from my Ministry’s Head Office, corner of Queens Park East and Jerningham Avenue, where I had parked my car, to Dere Street and back.

 

Some may say “But, Arlene yuh eh walk nuttin.”  In my defense, I must state that because I was heavily involved in the activities at the Maracas Community Centre, which had taken up most of my day, I was very tired.

 

However I knew I had to support the Walk, even though it may have been a short one (for me). I felt fulfilled because even though I was tired, I still found some time and energy to take part because it was a promise I had made to many others and especially to myself.

 

As I walked, I prayed for the survivors and for those we had lost.

 

I was truly inspired by the many participants - both young and old, who had taken the time from their busy schedule to participate in the Walk.

 

I was very thankful that I could have made a difference in my own way- as a supporter.

 

It was enlightening to be able to do something that might assist in promoting Cancer Awareness – that will help others and remember those who had died.

 

I had walked…

 

I did my part.

 

Stories of Survival: Mrs. G

Mrs. G is a wife, mother of four and grandmother of one. She is a strong-minded woman whose faith and trust is in God to provide for everything in her life. It was this same trust in God that helped her to stay strong emotionally and mentally during her own fight against cancer.

In the year 2006 Mrs. G began experiencing spot bleeding. At the age of 46 she beleived that she was experiencing early signs of menopause and as such carried on life as normal. The bleeding stopped after a while but in January of 2009 the spots of blood reappeared. She was now 48 years old and would be celebrating her 49th birthday in September of that same year.

September arrived and her husband concerned for her health was adamant that she visit a doctor, saying that he would do nothing but stay at home until she did. So finally a reluctant Mrs. G capitulated and on the 1st of October she visited the doctor. Her husband's insistence may have saved her life.

Mrs. G underwent a dilation and cartridge and it was found that the lining of her uterus was much thicker than it was supposed to be. At that time unbeknownst to Mrs. G the doctor told her husband that what they had scraped from her uterus did not look good.

Almost two weeks later Mrs G. was called by the doctor who asked her to come in the evening around 6:00pm. Mrs. G knew that she was going to hear bad news because of the time that she was asked to come and she prepared for the worst but Mrs. G never panicked. The bad news was that she did in fact have endometrial cancer, however the good news was that they could cure her through performing surgery since the cells were now changing and had not begun to spread.

Her surgery was scheduled for November 4th and went according to plan after she underwent a myriad of tests to ensure that she was healthy enough. The surgery was a total hysterectomy, they removed her womb, ovaries, fallopian tubes and her lymph nodes. Through everything, Mrs. G trusted God and was never afraid.

Her biggest challenge came as a result of the fact that she was overweight. "Fat does not bind." she said laughingly. Therefore the vertical cut on her abdomen had to receive special care to heal. Mrs. G had to go to the doctor everyday for about two weeks to receive proper care for the cut. As a matter of fact early in the healing process she noticed that the dressing seemed brown and when she visited the doctor there was a gaping hole in her stomach when the dressing was removed. Even through all this Mrs G experienced no pain.

Although she was prepared for the rigours of chemotherapy and radiation treatment she is very grateful that God spared from that. She has taken a follow-up CT scan and been given a clean bill of health.

Mrs. G expressed sincere thanks to her husband and children for all their strength and support. They took over the running of the house and gave her all the time she needed to heal. However, Mrs. G expressed her most heartfelt thanks to God:

"God has been extrememly gracious to me. I cannot say anything else." 

Social Media "Against" Cancer!

There are many ways to get people to notice something, you can say "Hey, Mr. James cancer is prevalent in T&T, they have a walk coming up...come nah" OR we can utilize the technology most readily available to get persons aware of a cause and in this case, an event!!

Using Facebook was one of the ways that Friends of Trinidad and Tobago cancer society chose to assist the Society in gaining traction for the Walk which by the way was FANTASTIC!!! 

Encouraging friends and family to come out helped the Society reach a group of persons who may not have yet liked their page and were totally unaware of the walk yesterday at the Savannah. With an average of 300 friends between all group members, our encouragement posts had a wide ranging reach of persons.

In addition to using Facebook to share information to motivate attendance, using social media at this event was a crucial part of "at the moment" commentary and most importantly FINDING EACH OTHER IN THE CROWD!!! 
We were able to share with our friends both locally and abroad what was happening at the walk and even provide a sneak peek into the action!!

Unlike radio, TV which give or provide limited feed back social media allows for instantaneous feedback sometimes allowing for the writer to be the reader and observer as feedback streams in. We were able to let persons know exactly what was taking place around the Savannah and thus we played a major role via social media for TTCS!!

As a group we are proud to have supported such a worthy cause. Some of us actually walked yesterday. This assignment has really brought to life the simple yet effective ways every individual  can bring about change, whether it be behind a computer or a cell phone or walking with hundreds around the Queen's Park Savannah!! 

Stories of Survival: Aunt V

Aunt V is a Trinidadian who migrated to the U.S.A. over 20 years ago. She is a generous and kind woman who is well-loved by many. I was able to contact Aunt V using facebook messaging and she kindly shared her story with me. Read Aunt V's story of survival and find hope to fight for your own survival or for the survival of a suffering loved one.

'I am a survivor. I was diagnosed in 2010 with follicular variant of papillary thyroid cancer. I underwent thyroidectomy in August 2010 followed by remnant ablation because the tumor was 3cm. I also had to do a full body scan.

The hardest part was telling my family. But I got strength from my mother who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 66. My mother's belief in God's promise helped her and she lived for 16 years cancer free before she died. I have to take levothyroine for the rest of my life but I am doing well. I thank God each day for the life He has given me.'

Aunt V spoke of her mother being her source of strength. Aunt V's mother, Granny Girlie, has her own story; so look out for it and hopefully Granny Girlie can be a source of strength to you as well.

Friends of T&T's Cancer society get prepared to stretch their legs

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Big or small we love them all.

Don’t wait till it’s too late, 

feel your boobies a lots at stake.

Tomorrow is the annual cancer remembrance walk. We walk to remember those who have lost the battle and those still fighting.

You have the power to make a difference in the lives of women all over the world.

Every year, too many women we love must battle breast and gynecologic cancers: our mothers, our wives, our daughters, our sisters and our friends. We walk for them — and for a future where cancer can no longer take them from us.

We the friends of T&T’s Cancer Society have decided to take part in this walk and we urge you to come out and support. Help save a life, Help fight for a good cause.

Skin cancer

 One kind of cancer that I think we all need to be think about is skin cancer. Exposure to the sun can increase our risk of developing skin cancer. Skin cancer can affect both men and women and here in the Caribbean we are daily exposed to a lot of sun. Here are some myths and  facts about cancer.

http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/skin-cancer-facts/myths-vs-facts

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Have you heard any of these common myths about sun exposure, tanning, and vitamin D? The Skin Cancer Foundation looks at the facts behind the fiction. 

MYTH:   Eighty percent of a person’s lifetime sun exposure is acquired before age 18, so if I’m older, it doesn’t matter how much sun I get.

FACT: Actually, only about 23 percent of lifetime exposure occurs by age 18. You can — and should — help prevent sun damage at every age by following The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Prevention Guidelines.

MYTH:  Tanning at a salon is safer than tanning outdoors — it’s a controlled dose of UV radiation.

FACT: When compared to people who have never tanned indoors, indoor tanners have a higher risk of all forms of skin cancer. A controlled dose of tanning lamp radiation is a high dose: Frequent tanners using new high-pressure sunlamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual ultraviolet A (UVA) dose they receive from sun exposure. Learn about the risks associated with indoor tanning.

MYTH:  Some ingredients in sunscreen can cause cancer.

FACT:  Current research shows that when used as directed, sunscreens are safe and effective. The Skin Cancer Foundation has always recommended using a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher as one important part of a complete sun protection program.

MYTH:  The sun is the best way to get vitamin D.

FACT: Our bodies can produce some vitamin D following exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. However, after a limited amount of sun exposure (approximately five minutes daily for a Caucasian in New York at 12 PM in summer), vitamin D production reaches its maximum. Further UV exposure will actually break down vitamin D to inactive compounds! Furthermore, sun exposure increased your risk of skin cancer and accelerated skin aging. The safest way to obtain vitamin D is through diet and supplements. 

MYTH:  You can’t get sun damage on a cloudy day.

FACT:  Just because you can’t see your shadow doesn’t mean you’re safe from the sun’s damaging rays. Believe it or not, up to 80 percent of the sun’s UV rays can penetrate through clouds and fog. Learn how UV radiation affects your skin.

MYTH:  A “base tan” protects your skin from sunburn.

FACT:  There is no such thing as a safe or protective tan; any tan at all is a sign of skin damage. Skin tans in response to UV damage to the skin’s DNA; a tan is the skin’s attempt to repair sun damage and prevent further injury. But these imperfect repairs can cause gene defects that can lead to skin cancer.

MYTH:   I use a sunscreen with an SPF of 50, so I’m all set.

FACT:  A sunscreen’s SPF (sun protection factor) indicates that it protects against UVB rays, but you need protection from both UVB and UVA. For effective protection, apply a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen in addition to following our Guidelines. Learn more about sunscreen.

MYTH: People of color don’t get skin cancer.

FACT:  People of color are less likely to develop skin cancer than Caucasians, but they have a higher risk of dying from it. A very dangerous and fast-spreading skin cancer known as acral lentiginous melanoma is more common among darker-skinned people and may appear as a suspicious growth in the mucous membranes, under the nails, or on the palms or soles of the feet. Whatever your skin color, protect yourself, perform regular skin self-exams, and obtain aprofessional full-body skin exam every year. 

MYTH:  Windows protect us from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

FACT:  While glass does block most UVB rays, UVA radiation can get through. Which means that even indoors or in a car with the windows up, you can tan or burn. However, you can have special window film installed that blocks most UVA radiation as well.