As we shake off the remnants of the Covid Pandemic, we’re ready to get back to normal – whatever “normal” may be. It’s time to dive into the good stuff! Finally! Make up for lost time! Hang with friends!  Have some fun! Getting a skin screening may not be on the top of that to-do-list. But stay with me for just a minute and I’m going to tell you why it should be; why giving up 10 minutes on a sunny Saturday can make all the difference in your happy, healthy future. It’s all about self care. Because sun care IS self care. 

A new study just released found globally, melanoma diagnosis is expected to surge by 50% in the next 18 years – with a 68% increase in deaths.  Patients who have cancer treatment delayed by even one month can have a six to 13 percent higher risk of dying. 

Since melanoma in adolescents and young adults is especially aggressive, that means early detection through screening is more important than ever. It is essential. Remove the mole – remove the risk of melanoma. The key is melanoma prevention; and it’s as easy as three basic steps:

• Wear sunscreen SPF30
• Wear UPF 50 clothing
• Get an annual Skin Screening with a Dermatologist.

Can’t get into a dermatologist? We’ve got you! At Claire Marie Foundation we are passionate about your skin and thrilled to bring you another day of Free Skin Screenings on May 7th for anyone 13-29 years old! 

Think it none of this applies to you? Ask the young people who were screened at our April 2nd CMF Free Skin Screenings. Nearly 15% were found to need biopsy for suspicion of melanoma. At one location alone, that number surged to 33%.   By taking time to find atypical moles early, they removed the risk of melanoma and can look forward to a healthy safe summer!

There are still plenty of appointments available at our CMF Screening Events May 7th at Johns Hopkins Dermatology at Greenspring Station, Mercy Medical Center Baltimore and SCSPhysicians in Lutherville.  Just pick a location, call and set up the appointment! It’s that easy! Free to anyone 13-29 years old!  All the info is right here:  May 2022 SCREENING DAY

Still need a little nudge? Okay, look at it this way; consider it beach prep! Remember – #awarenesssaveslives We look forward to seeing you there!

Let’s make one thing clear; the words “just” and “ cancer” should never be linked in the same sentence.  But due to the fact that basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas are 98 percent treatable and unlikely to spread through the body, many people think melanoma is “just” skin cancer and thus tend to delay having a dermatologist check changes in their skin or moles.  That misnomer can be deadly. Melanoma is not like other skin cancers. It is a beast within itself; extremely aggressive, moving beyond the skin, often spreading to other parts of the body. Consider this: melanoma is the cause of most skin cancer deaths, claiming one life every 50 minutes.

The risk is especially high in adolescents and young adults where melanoma is more aggressive and invasive than in older patients. https://bit.ly/37HGxyH.

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute found if a young person develops any form of skin cancer – it is almost always melanoma.In fact diagnosis of melanoma in adolescents and young adults has jumped 253% in the last 40 years.  Melanoma doesn’t wait for COVID. It doesn’t wait until for a convenient time in your schedule.  Early detection is the key. Listen to that wise voice in your head. If you notice any changes in your skin, make an appointment with a qualified dermatologist immediately. Learn more about the differences between skin cancer and melanoma from Dermatologist and Claire Marie Medical Advisor, Dr. Diane Orlinsky, M.D., F.A.A.D. https://vimeo.com/470036400

Take care of your skin. Take care of you. Be aware; because awareness saves lives.

Pregnancy is such a joyful and stressful time! An expectant mother has so many things to consider in preparing for the arrival of her new little one – melanoma is typically is not among them. But amid the visits to the obstetrician, don’t forget to set time aside to see your dermatologist.  Hormonal changes, genetics and a suppressed immune system can create the perfect storm in the development of melanoma in pregnant women.https://cle.clinic/2X0R0hP

Jamie Martell, a young mom in Maryland was blindsided by her diagnosis.  She generously shares her story in the hopes that it will raise awareness of the unforeseen risk to young moms. 

“I was 27 years old – newly married to the man of my dreams and pregnant with our first child. A boy! All of those beautiful wonders of life I had imagined were unfolding right before my eyes.

I had heard of melanoma before, but I can assure you that I never took it seriously or thought it was something that could happen to me. To me, it was just something that happened to older people that got a a little too much sun throughout their life. 

   I was around 5 months pregnant when I noticed a mole on my thigh start to drastically change. It went from something I hardly noticed to something I could no longer ignore. My husband encouraged me for weeks to get it checked out and thankfully I finally listened. It was stage IIb Melanoma – which meant it was aggressive and growing rapidly. I was quickly scheduled for a surgery to remove the cancer and some surrounding skin. We then received the news that the surrounding skin was free of Melanoma cells and so at that point we thought I was in the clear. 

A month after delivering my son we found out how very wrong I was. Not only did we discover that Melanoma isn’t always just something you can “cut out”, but it also was thriving off of the hormones from my pregnancy

The cancer had very quickly spread to multiple lymph nodes within my body and my oncologist revealed that another surgery wouldn’t cut it. I would need to start a systemic treatment called immunotherapy.

A couple of years later, after a lot of trial and error, we were thrilled that we had finally found success in a treatment! However, a second pregnancy brought the Melanoma roaring right back into my world. I was forced to deliver our daughter (Maisie) 6 weeks early in order to start yet another treatment. 

I am so passionate that everybody should see a dermatologist annually, but especially passionate that women should see a dermatologist during their pregnancy. The hormonal changes in your body during this time can result in changes to your skin.

Something so easy and simple to do could save losing precious moments with your children, it could save the pain your family endures as they wish they could take it all on for you, it could save you from surgery after surgery and treatment after treatment…it could ultimately save your life!”

Jamie Martell: Wife, Mother, Melanoma Survivor

Congratulations to Allison, “Allie”  McDavid, the 2020 Recipient of the Claire Marie Scholarship in Arts & Design!

 The Notre Dame Preparatory Senior got the news via NDP art teacher Anne Walker while isolated at her home, but the lack of fanfare did not diminish her excitement! Allie begins her studies this fall at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where she will immerse herself in Interior and Architectural Designs.

Every year since 2015, the $5,000 award is given to a graduating senior from Claire’s alma mater, Notre Dame Preparatory School in Towson Maryland to support the recipient’s desire to study design arts in college. It was a dream of Claire’s to launch a career in interior design and we are thrilled to see other young women share the same passion and excitement. Each year, our winners are selected by an exquisite team of noted design professionals from across the country! They bring expertise in fine arts, theatrical, animation, interiors, photography and film. Our thanks to our CMF Scholarship Committee: Katie Fico with Walt Disney Animation Studio, Los Angeles based Interior Designer Stacey Vuduris, Theatrical Designer Timothy Swiss of Los Angeles, Photographer Susannah Dowell of Colorado and Maryland’s First Lady and MICA Educator Advocate, Mrs. Yumi Hogan. 

Allie said her phone lit up with excited messages from her classmates when the announcement was made! “What an honor it is to be able to represent such beautiful young women and the inspiring Claire Marie Foundation.” 

Allie joins past recipients who have studied in Claire’s memory at University of Southern California, Rollins College, University of Virginia and Savannah College of Arts & Design. 

Allie, good luck on your academic and professional adventure! We can’t wait to see the joy, color and beauty you bring to the world!

In this era of COVID19 it can be challenging to manage the common practice of healthcare. Thus, many routine medical concerns, including dermatology screenings for skin cancer and melanoma, are on hold for most people.

In an attempt to manage their own health as best they can, some patients may turn to smartphone apps to assess a suspicious skin lesion. That is not a good idea!  A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association ( JAMA) found these leading apps offer false results. SkinVision and SkinScan, the two most popular apps, were both missing melanomas and offering false positive readings. Furthermore, 45% of the time, the images couldn’t even be interpreted by the apps.  It should be noted that the FDA has not yet approved these apps for the diagnosis of melanoma.

What should you do if you can’t get an appointment with your dermatologist and you have a suspicious skin lesion?  We reached out to Claire Marie Foundation Medical Advisor, Dr. Meg R. Gerstenblith, M.D., a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology at Case Western Reserve University and a Clinical Associate in the Department of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Here is what Dr. Gerstenblith had to say:

“The past few months, our lives have changed dramatically.  Each one of us has been impacted by COVID19, even if we haven’t personally been sick.  Routine medical visits, including skin exams by dermatologists, have been pushed back.  We won’t fully appreciate the effects of these delays, although in the context of cancer screening and cancer care, some hypothesize that the impact will be felt for years to come.https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(20)30243-6/fulltext

However, many dermatologists’ offices are open for telemedicine visits and urgent concerns, including the diagnosis and treatment of aggressive skin cancers. 

In a typical telemedicine visit, a patient will upload photos of a suspicious lesion (or lesions) and, during the video visit, the dermatologist will review the photos and obtain critical history information from the patient with regard to how long the patient has noticed the lesion, whether or not it is symptomatic, and whether or not it has changed in any respect. 

With this information, dermatologists can usually come up with a sound plan for that patient.  If the dermatologist is concerned, most are be able to see the patient in the office for the appropriate biopsy or excision of a suspicious lesion.  Our surgeons are performing skin cancer surgery as well.  We are doing our best to avoid delays in diagnosing and treating potentially aggressive skin cancers.  For some skin cancers that are not very aggressive, such as a superficial basal cell carcinoma, dermatologists may recommend waiting to treat those since they are highly unlikely to grow or spread.  

For the patient with the suspicious lesion, that patient should contact his/her dermatologist and set up a telemedicine visit.  The dermatologist can then advise the patient on whether or not he/she needs to be seen in person for an examination or a biopsy. 

If that patient’s dermatologist is not open or not conducting telemedicine visits, there are likely other offices that are open in that patient’s community–and the patient should seek out another dermatologist or speak to their primary care doctor to get assistance reaching a dermatologist. 

Most dermatology groups within academic hospitals are open during this COVID19 pandemic as are many private practices.  We would not recommend using any of the lesion detection apps, since studies have shown these to be ineffective.”