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For anyone who knew Claire, it was well understood fashion was not a choice but an essential way of life. She would spend days sketching designs from casual to evening gowns.  She dove in headfirst into her school’s newly launched green fashion show (now held in her honor every February) to design dresses out of recycled materials such as newspapers, candy wrappers and Lilly Pulitzer shopping bags. Her friend Mary was always snagged as her favorite model!

She shadowed handbag designer Danielle Nicole in New York and attended a summer design seminar at Savannah College of Arts and Design. She happily styled friends for special occasions, either from her “collection” in her bedroom or stashed in the trunk of her little white Rav 4.  She adored the classics of Audrey Hepburn and Coco Chanel, adopting the attitude it took as long to pop-on something cute as it did to wear a pair of sweats. Claire believed by surrounding yourself in color, texture and creativity,  in your home or wardrobe,  any day could be made better and happier.  In short; we all can joy and adventure in the smallest of things. 

With that, perhaps you can understand why we were thrilled when Baltimore couture designer  Ella Pritsker offered to create a denim jacket to mark Claire’s 10th Angelversary!  We connected Ella with Claire’s friend, artist Katherine Boggs to create a special design, representing Claire’s joyful spirit. Katherine’s artistic inspirational vision with Ella’s exquisite design! It’s exactly what Claire would have loved and so exciting they came up with two separate jackets; the “Claire” with a distressed coral seashell and the “Claire Coral” with a watercolor rendition of a sunset.

Both are on  a classic, distressed, fitted denim jacket; unique in style with customized cuffs and collar.  Perfect for any mood or occasion!  Additionally, a portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the melanoma prevention programs of the Claire Marie Foundation! Yayyy! Celebrate Claire with us! To order your jacket today at http://www.ellapritsker.com Don’t forget to use promo code CLAIRE30 at checkout for 30% savings 

Cheers to many happy adventures in your Claire jacket!  #livelifelikeclaire

How can it be? Ten years without our Claire and yet, she is as close as a smile and those ever present coral sunsets that seem to pop up when we need them the most.  As much as Claire refused to be defined by melanoma in her life, it seems more important than ever to celebrate the young woman beyond the diagnosis. While we know she would embrace the mission of this foundation bearing her name, Claire was so much more; a unique spirit determined to live life to the fullest. She was extremely private, offering quiet strength wrapped in joy with high expectations  for the future, always undeterred.

How do I share all the magic that was Claire? It’s nearly impossible. 

Claire was simply someone you had to experience; the brightest of lights.  Hysterical with a dry wit and contagious belly laugh, she loved nothing more than to make fun of herself. Her years were short but her life was full. By 17, she parasailed, traveled through Europe and determined Charleston was her happy place. She shadowed a designer in New York and was accepted to  two of her favorite colleges the day before she passed. She knew all the best shopping areas in SoHo, enjoyed celebrity moments, danced in the rain at concerts. She broke curfew, was grounded, redeemed, and grounded again. She fell in love, played lacrosse, field hockey and cross country and competed in aerobics. She designed amazing dresses, had parties (and invited way too many people…she just couldn’t say no apparently). She challenged herself, had little patience for drama, and decided there was always something to smile about if you looked hard enough. She embraced all that was beautiful, intent on bringing joy, color, beauty and creativity to everyday life.

Posted in her room was a sign stating “ I have an irrational fear of wasting a good outfit on an insignificant day.”  Since she wasn’t about to give up looking good, Claire opted to avoid insignificant or mediocre days. 

At her passing, her classmates and friends shared with us stories of Claire. It was a “fly on the wall” view of our daughter;  the life she lived away from us. Ten years later, we have asked some of those closest to her to share their favorite memories and reflections. Hearing the stories creates a lovely image, impossible of course, but one which still makes this mother smile. If I close my eyes, I can just imagine Claire and her circle of friends; now grown women, all curled up on a sofa, wine glasses in hand, the air filled with loud, excited chatter sprinkled with  her contagious, melodious laughter as they recount their adventures:

STORIES

CASEY:

There’s something truly special about growing up with a close friend by your side. Through awkward phases, sleepovers, first dances, impossible math classes, high school parties, and everything in between, Claire and I always had each other’s backs. When I reflect on our friendship, my heart warms at the thought of us driving down York Road, stopping for milkshakes, blasting Miley Cyrus, and laughing uncontrollably. It wasn’t the big events that mattered most, but those smaller, in-between moments that defined our friendship.

We stayed up late, laughed until we cried, stressed over classes, talked about crushes, and leaned on each other to get through every phase of adolescence. Claire was the life of every party, and she brought out the silliest, most carefree version of me in high school. Our friendship has left a lasting imprint on who I am today—encouraging me to always be myself and to find humor even in stressful situations. That’s what Claire did best.

One moment that really stands out from my Junior year was when our group of friends went through a phase of eating lunch in the middle school gym. One day, Claire and I were sitting on the floor with our sandwiches when someone casually mentioned the math test happening in the next period. This was a complete surprise to both of us. Panicking, we quickly opened our books and frantically tried to cram whatever we could.

Fast forward to the test: everyone had already finished except for Claire and me. We kept exchanging nervous glances from across the room, fully aware that we hadn’t prepared nearly enough. With just a few minutes left, Claire suddenly stood up, and I thought, Great, now it’ll just be me scrambling to finish. But instead of turning in her test, she looked right at Mrs. Adolf our teacher and blurted, “We both have no idea how to finish this test.”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. It caught me off guard, but more than anything, I was relieved she said something. Mrs. Adolf stood up and, with surprising patience, guided us through the last problem. Whether we passed or failed is a bit of a blur, but what stuck with me was how Claire’s quick wit and humor made the whole ordeal so much easier.

DIANA:

As much as I try, I can’t remember exactly how or why our friendship started but I do know she was one of the most positive, fun-loving people I had and will ever meet. Claire was always the first one to voice her desire to do something outside of school whether it was grabbing a smoothing, going to a concert, or having a good old fashioned high school basement party. When it came to hanging out with Claire the events were never boring. I can still remember the one time I agreed to go ‘grab a smoothie’ after school. Little did I know that wasn’t the only thing we would be doing. After stopping by Smoothie King and picking up smoothies, Claire thought it would be fun to drive through the nearby all boys high school to see if we could see any cute boys walking around. To a normal human this wouldn’t sound very exciting but to a sophomore high school girls that go to an all-girls school this activity was groundbreaking. As we approached the high school, Claire decided we needed to roll down all the windows and blast music as it would get the boys attention and it would obviously make us look super cool. Driving through the high school, hitting speed bump after speed bump, Claire yelled through her car window to the poor boys just trying to get to class. As she yelled, we all ducked down because we were all a little cowardly for any boys to actually see us, but not Claire. With her smoothie in one hand and her steering wheel in another, her confident and vibrant self-yelled at all those boys and forced them to look at her. After the minute long drive through the campus, we skirted off onto the main road giggling all the way home and obviously picking out which guy was the cutest.  Her energy and fun spirit was palpable and you couldn’t help but feel the same way when you were around her. She brought me out of my shell a lot in high school and made me feel comfortable in my own skin and that is something I will always remember and cherish about her. 

KRISTEN: 

Claire and I were going to a high school party in the middle of winter and of course, she was driving in her white Rav4. All was great for a couple of hours until the parents came home and kicked everyone out. Instead of calling it a night, Claire and I decided to “camp” in her car. There we sat, bundled up and freezing,  blasting an entire Miley Cyrus album and Les Mis while others jumped in to join the car party. It is one of my favorite memories with her!

ALLY:

The memories I have with Claire I hold onto tightly. I remember exactly where we were on York Rd when she showed me how she could drive (hands-frees) with her knees. I remember us begging her sister Hillary to buy us body glitter for parties and school dances when we couldn’t drive yet. And when we spent hours trying to figure out how to make a skirt out of duct tape for Halloween… and the fact that “costume” was supposed to be a Victoria Secret Angel.

MADISON:

I’ve never been a great runner, but Claire made cross country so much more enjoyable. Whether she stayed back with me at my slow pace or encouraged me to go faster, those two hours after school every day were always filled with laughter and great conversations. I’ll never forget one Friday  after practice we had a concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion, and I had nothing to wear. Midway through  practice Claire did the Lords work; she decided we needed to cut practice early that day, head to the mall and find me the perfect outfit to wear. She helped me look great that night!

Another personal favorite was her Christmas party.Claire  LOVED a good themed party.  Cue all of us in sweaters, stripped knee high socks and antlers in the Wagonhurst basement with boys nearly knocking down the back door to get in.

REFLECTIONS

DIANA: 

I spent the next years of my life always thinking of Claire. I think since her death happened when I was so young I never really learned from her story and applied what I learned from her to my life until I was a bit older. Come 2020 I was at a bit of a cross roads. I had just graduated college, was a new graduate ER nurse during the pandemic. While so much was happening at this time in my life I never really felt happy. I felt like I was missing out on something. I realized I wanted more for myself and if I wasn’t happy then why not make a change. During that moment Claire is the first person that came to my mind. I thought of her strength and her love for life and how she always just did what she wanted to do even up until the very end. Having her strength behind me I decided to make a change. I moved to Phoenix, Arizona. I knew absolutely no one there and I have no idea what was pulling me there but something in me knew that was exactly what I was supposed to do. It was beyond terrifying. Every time I felt scared or alone I went for a drive. During those drives I don’t think I’ve ever seen more coral skies in my entire life. Those coral Arizona sunsets were a hug from Claire. It’s like I could feel her with me telling me I was exactly where I was supposed to be. With her by my side I continued to travel. I went to Long Beach, California and every time I was stressed or contemplating the decision I had made I went for a walk or a drive and every time the skies were lit with coral. While I will never be able to give life back to Claire I really do believe I am living the life she would have wanted for me. Now with her behind me I feel like I can do anything I set my mind to. She is beyond inspirational to me even to this day and I don’t see that ever changing. I just know wherever life takes me next, as long as I see those coral skies I will know she is with me and I am exactly where I am supposed to be. 

MADISON:

Dear Claire, 

As I reflect on the past ten years, your impact on my life remains profound. Your kindness, laughter, and spirit taught me the true meaning of friendship and the importance of living life to the fullest. Your passion and dedication inspire me daily in my career and personal life- you are one of the people who inspired me to get into nursing to care for people. Though you’re gone, I feel your presence guiding me, reminding me to be compassionate and cherish every moment. I strive to honor your memory in all I do, knowing your influence has shaped the person I am today. I miss you dearly and carry you with me always.

With love, Madison 

KRISTEN:

One thing I’ve realized over the last ten years is that having a friend like Claire is truly one in a million. When I think back on our friendship, I can’t help but smile, quickly followed by a sense of gratitude for getting the chance to experience a once in a lifetime connection.

Over the years, I’ve met many great people and amazing friends, but I’ve never had another friend like Claire. When I say she is a one-in-a-million type of friend, I mean it. Claire would drop anything to be there for her friends and would always say “yes” to any plan before knowing the details, simply because she wanted to support them and have fun together. Wherever she went and with whomever she met, Claire exuded a love for life and an ability to find joy in every situation, all while dealing with her own battles.

She showed me what a true friend should be—someone who genuinely wanted to be there for the people she loved, spending hours listening and providing advice.  I have always strived to embody that quality because of how much it meant when she showed up for me.

These are just a few of the many traits I admire about her. While it hasn’t always come naturally to me to be spontaneous and remain optimistic, I choose every day to try to emulate her positivity, knowing Claire has undoubtedly changed my perspective on life.

Because of Claire, I will always try to say “yes” to new experiences, drop anything to support a friend, and look for fun in every situation, even when it seems impossible. I know that for the rest of my life, I will continue to share Claire’s story, telling new friends and people I meet what kind of person she was and how lucky I was to know her. I have seen firsthand how sharing Claire’s life has inspired complete strangers and saved countless others.

I feel Claire’s presence in so many things I do, whether it’s taking a drive while blasting my favorite music or going out of my way to see a friend at a coffee shop, treating myself to a pastry from the display window. Many people go their entire lives without having a friend so selfless and loyal, and I feel so blessed that I was lucky enough to have all of that with Claire.

In the last decade, I’ve found comfort in recalling the countless memories I have with Claire—replaying our conversations and sometimes even dreaming about sitting in her RAV4, catching up after all these years. In these dreams, we share updates on our lives and reminisce about high school music, boys, and parties. I always wake up feeling a sense of peace, as if I’ve just caught up with a friend who moved away, and we need to share months of news, both good and bad. I look forward to having these dreams and hope to continue experiencing them for a long time to come.

All my love

Kristen ❤️

NINA:

ALLY:

When I think about Claire I can still hear her voice, picture her mannerisms, her tone when she was saying something sarcastically, or the dead giveaways when she was telling a white lie. She was someone you could talk to about everything and nothing at the same time. She never got tired of talking. I remember going off to college and missing that. But most importantly, I remember how she made me feel. 

I think about her a lot. I think if she were here today we would be doing lots of traveling. I know she would have hopped on the first flight to visit me in Australia when I moved here. Claire was always up for an adventure. I think about the career she would have chosen and which city she would live in. She always had a soft spot for the south and sunny weather and she was passionate about fashion, but I could also see her living in NYC working in PR or media. It’s bittersweet to think about, but I know that wherever she would have ended up she would be doing big things. 

I think about making her proud, knowing that whatever I am facing, she would be rooting for me and telling me to go for it; even if “it”  might be a bit delusional. It’s hard to believe that she’s been gone longer than I knew her. But the impact she made on my life and the way she made me feel is something I could never forget.

Summer is finally here and it’s time to pack the bags and take off to a new adventure!  There’s so much on our mind when it comes to airline travel these days with cancelled flights, delays or lost luggage we want to offer this reminder; don’t forget to apply sunscreen before you board!

Research in the Journal of American Medical Association https://bit.ly/3WYcbzD  found airline passengers as well as  flight crews are exposed to an extreme amount of damaging UV  while in the air.  In fact, it’s so intense the study found one hour in flight equals 20 minutes in a tanning booth. Keep in mind one visit to a tanning booth can increase your risk of developing melanoma by 75%.

The risk is not limited to those just in window seats as the rays flood the entire cabin. Obviously avoiding a window seat and or lowering the shade can help  reduce exposure but to be safe, apply sunscreen prior to your flight and reapply every two hours. Wearing UPF 50 clothing helps as well! And don’t forget the little ones! Window seats are the favorite for them! Keep the sunscreen handy and close the shade as soon as possible.

Most importantly, have a terrific trip! Stay safe! #livelifelikeclaire

As we wrap up melanoma awareness month this May with sunshine filled plans for the summer ahead, can we please, PLEASE stop with all the half truths and mis-information about the causes and prevention of melanoma?

Can we address how it’s NOT only due to UV exposure? How prevention requires much more than sunscreen? Can we please, PLEASE address its prevalence in adolescents and especially young adults? Can step beyond the obvious and dive into reality?

Perhaps it’s the journalist in me who believes in hard, cold facts.  Perhaps it’s my lot as a grieving, ticked-off parent and melanoma prevention advocate but I have had it!   Through social media, news coverage and advertising every May we are continually inundated with one prevention message; slather on the sunscreen and melanoma won’t find you. Actually, nothing is further from the truth! While exposure to the sun’s UVA/UVB rays is the MOST common cause of skin cancers and melanoma, it is NOT  the ONLY cause. 

Did you know genetics and hormonal changes related to hypothyroidism, pregnancy and puberty can prompt development of melanoma?  Should you draw the unlucky gene or hormonal card, all the sunscreen in the world won’t stop the beast; but routine skin screenings can. If a problematic mole is removed at the very earliest stages there is a 98% chance of surviving past five years. But as the Melanoma Research Alliance reports should the melanoma reach a higher stage and spread internally through the body, the five year survival rate drops to less than 25%

Last I checked, all humans have skin. I’d say that’s well worth 15 minutes in a paper gown.

The Skin Cancer Foundation reports skin cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. It is also one of the most treatable cancers if it is detected early.  So why is there such an orchestrated pushback against routine skin screenings in the United States whereas in countries such as Australia and New Zealand it is as routine as a dental appointment? 

Perhaps because in the U.S., melanoma is not given its due among serious cancers.

Consider recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force which every Spring, releases a report on the effectiveness and need of skin screenings for melanoma and other skin cancers. It’s important to note, the USPSTF, according to their website, is a collection of “16 nationally recognized experts in prevention, evidence-based medicine, and primary care. Their fields of practice and expertise include behavioral health, family medicine, geriatrics, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and nursing.”  Note not one is a dermatologist. Not one. Additionally, physicians in primary care and these other specialties are not exposed to dermatology as part of routine medical training. Why does that matter? Because dermatologists are the only medical professionals trained in the early detection of melanoma and other skin cancers. 

Last month, the USPSTF reinforced its earlier statement from 2016 finding inconclusive evidence as to whether or not skin screenings for those “without signs or symptoms” are effective for reducing complications or death from skin cancers or melanoma in adolescents and adults. The report concluded it was a wash; screenings could work or they could not.  Without symptoms? Really? Let’s look at this a little closer. By the time those “signs or symptoms” are noticed by the naked eye of a patient, if even noticed at all, it most likely is a problem. Add to that a 3-4 month wait for an evaluation and biopsy and a patient could be looking at a full blown case of melanoma with risk of metastasis to other organs.  If the same mole is detected in a routine screening, by a dermatologist trained in dermoscopy, the changes could be detected at the very earliest stage when it is 98% treatable, long before it has spread into the body. Yes, the patient will have a biopsy scar, but most likely no additional surgeries, drug therapies or negative impact on their life.

Even more mind-blowing is that in 2022, the USPSTF found melanoma was “over-diagnosed”. Let’s think for just a moment about that statement. How is a cancer over-diagnosed? Either you’ve got it or you don’t! The argument in that report was primary care physicians found while more patients were being diagnosed with early stage melanoma through routine screenings, fewer were dying of the disease. And that’s a problem? Isn’t survival something to cheer about? Did the USPSTF apply the same argument to preventive colon cancer, breast cancer or prostate cancer screenings which are much more invasive and costly? Of course not! It supports routine screening for these cancers because without question early detection of polyps, atypical moles and tumors is essential to beating all cancers.

These statements from the USPSTF complicates an already muddled message in melanoma prevention and adds to a broken system which claims lives daily such as that of my 17 year old daughter Claire Wagonhurst.

Our Claire was a beautiful 14 year old athlete and artist just beginning high school when we noticed unusual changes to a mole. She was sun safe and had been screened six months earlier by a dermatologist, but this was something new.  Despite our urgency to have the changing mole removed we faced a three month wait with the promise that “kids don’t get melanoma”. Surprise! Yes they do! Because melanomas are more aggressive and invasive in young people, it had quickly surged to stage 3a at removal.  We were blindsided even more so when we learned Claire’s melanoma had nothing to do with the sun. 

Ultimately, Claire was diagnosed with adolescent melanoma. The short version is this; hormonal changes related to puberty caused her melanoma. The longer version; routine hormonal changes in puberty prompted the development of hypothyroidism in her body which produced excess levels of TSH hormone. Add to that she had an extreme TSH hormone receptor in a mole that had been on her ankle since birth. A research oncologist at MD Anderson found that in Claire’s case, the two components meshed to develop melanoma. Subsequently during the course of her diagnosis, every time her TSH levels became elevated, another mole would be found to be rapidly changing and need to be removed. The best preventive treatment;  routine screenings every 3 months to remove any atypical moles before melanoma could set in in addition to ongoing sun safe practices.  We just accepted it as a chronic condition of her life. Sadly, it became much, much more. 

While living a full teenaged existence, Claire waged a three year battle of surgeries, hospitalized drug therapies and recovery therapies against what turned out to be an ultimate death sentence. All her pain, anxiety and loss would have been negated had the mole simply been biopsied and removed months earlier as we requested. If the medical profession had been fully educated about melanoma in young people. If, If, If!  The system failed our darling daughter and she isn’t alone.

The Skin Cancer Foundation reports melanoma is the most common cancer in young adults under 30,  the most common cause of cancer death in young women 25-30 years and the second most common cancer in adolescents 13 to 19 years. 

Melanoma in young people is said to be at “epidemic” proportions with diagnosis up 253% in the last 40 years.  Additionally, young people do not get the more treatable basal cell or squamous cell skin cancers;  they only get the nasty, deadly variety; melanoma.

At the Claire Marie Foundation, we share awareness information, prevention education and host free skin screening events for adolescents in young adults in Maryland and South Carolina. Since 2016, we have screened 1,440 young people 13-29 years, finding 16% needed biopsy for suspicion of melanoma. In many cases, early stage melanomas were detected, zapped before further treatment was needed.  So please, do not tell me routine skin screenings do not save lives. I’ve witnessed the victories and I have suffered the loss.

So how about this? Instead of ignoring the need for screenings due to lack of access,  let’s fix our broken system.  We need general practitioners such as those in the  USPSTF to follow the lead of other nations by including dermatology in their training and become skilled in the screening process of dermascopy.  By joining dermatologists in this expertise entirely new pathways to screenings and early detection would be created. Getting a skin screening could become as easy as a visit to the dentist. Wouldn’t that be amazing?

  Remember, if you’ve got skin, you could get melanoma. Know all the facts and take every precaution. That life you save could be your own or someone you love. #livelifelikeclaire

They put their lives at risk to defend our nation and trust the U.S. Government will provide for their health and well being along the way.  As we honor Veterans and those currently serving in our Military, let’s take a moment to consider an unexpected risk they did not sign up for; death from melanoma and other skin cancers. 

Melanoma diagnosis is on the rise both among veterans and in active duty service personnel. The numbers are especially high among young people currently serving in the Navy, Marines and Air Force. Those who serve as pilots have the highest rate of diagnosis. 

It’s such a problem that the U.S. Department of Defense has targeted and directed 40 million dollars to melanoma research for Fiscal Year 2022.  Why is military personnel, both past and present, at an accelerated for melanoma? Consider this:

Active military are exposed to extensive and dangerous levels of UV radiation while flying in the air, deployed on ships and assigned to remote harsh environments such as deserts. Sunscreen and UPF 50 clothing are not routinely available nor are annual skin screenings through trained dermatologists.  Add to that years in service, and it is no surprise that so much money needs to be poured into treating melanoma and other skin cancers among our military. 

Here’s a thought; wouldn’t melanoma prevention be a better solution; both in terms of life and economics?  After all, melanoma is one of the most preventable of cancers. 

Prevention is as simple as establishing sun safe education training, providing and distributing ample amounts of sunscreen, incorporating the use of UPF 50 materials in U.S. Military uniforms and off duty attire, and most importantly making routine dermatological skin screenings part of annual military health checks. 

The brave men and women defending our country have enough to worry about. Let’s take melanoma and skin cancers off their plate. 

Interested in learning more? Here’s some insight. 

https://www.skincancer.org/blog/skin-cancer-risk-military/

Bright Lights! Big City! On August 17th, CMF lit up Times Square in New York City with plenty of Claire Coral! The Claire Marie Foundation was one of a handful of nonprofits featured in Times Square as part of  National NonProfit Day! Our :15 second commercial ran 100 times in 6 hours – with 1.5 million impressions and thousands of people reached! That doesn’t even count our social media impact!

 Raising awareness of adolescent and young adult melanoma with the knowledge it can be prevented is the heart of CMF’s mission. We can’t imagine a better way to do it! Co-Founder CEO and Claire’s Mom, Marianne Banister, was joined in the big reveal by Claire Marie Board Members, Jaqueline Smith and Julianne Kavoussi as well as Young Professional Ambassadors Sarah Emrich, Becky Kavoussi and Collegiate Ambassadors Molly Sharpe and Anna Sharpe.

The event was especially meaningful for Claire’s mom.  “Claire would be SO excited!  She absolutely loved the energy and excitement of New York!  She had so many happy adventures while visiting the city with her sister Hillary and friends. We can only imagine how excited she would be to see the impact of her legacy in Times Square – spreading so much awareness  and hope in the fight against adolescent and young adult melanoma.”

We cannot say it enough! Make sure you are screened annually for melanoma and other skin cancers. It is essential to nip melanoma in the bud, halting its ability to move through your body and threaten your life. But who does the screening and how they screen can make all the difference.  Here’s some tips to keep in mind!

Rule #1: Skip Your Primary Care Physician

Surprise! Pediatricians and General Practitioners do not routinely study dermatology in their medical preparation. That means they are not trained to detect skin cancer and melanoma at its earliest point of origin. The result; melanoma is often overlooked or misdiagnosed at the earliest stage when it is most highly treatable – especially in young people.

Rule #2: Find the Right Dermatologist

Before you book your neighbor’s favorite dermatologist, listen to this: not all dermatologists are equally trained nor have equal focus. Some specialize more in the aesthetic and cosmetic care of the skin. Others offer greater attention to the disease aspects of the skin. Then there are those who are equally balanced in both specialties. Do your homework before making an appointment. Sometimes you can get faster access by booking a screening with a Dermatological Physicians Assistant who has been trained specifically in dermoscopy to screen for melanoma. It’s all a matter of a dermatologists training, focus and expertise – and your ability to find the right person for you.

Rule #3: Advocate For Yourself!

Ask a few questions and make sure you are scheduling an appointment with a dermatologist who meets the Gold Standard of skin screening. This is no time to be shy! You should ask about their screening procedures and expect the following:

• The dermatologist will put you into a gown and do a full body check for moles and any lesions. That includes the feet, nails, head and genital areas. If a dermatologist suggests you don’t need a full body screening because you are “too young for melanoma”- find a new dermatologist

• Make sure the dermatologist uses dermoscopy. It is a screening technique that uses skin surface microscopy. It can also be called epiluminoscopy and epiluminescent microscopy. It allows the dermatologist to look into the layers, color patterns and changes deep within the mole, rather than just glancing at the surface.  If a dermatologist wants to evaluate your moles with only their naked eye rather than use a dermatoscope – find a new dermatologist.

Rule #4: What If Something Is Found On My Skin?

Finding an atypical or precancerous mole doesn’t mean you have melanoma. But, it does mean something is changing on a cellular level. Since melanoma in adolescents and young adults is more aggressive and more invasive than in the older adult population – it should always be considered a victory to have an atypical mole removed and evaluated before it can evolve further. Remember: Remove the mole – Remove the risk. 

• If a mole is found to be questionable, the dermatologist will determine if it should be removed for biopsy or if it should be watched. The appropriate time period for “watching” is three months.  You should also keep a close eye on the mole in question and look for any other changes in your skin. Don’t hesitate to call if something evolves and changes before the scheduled follow-up appointment. And keep that appointment!

• Many dermatologists will photograph moles they want to keep an eye on to best detect any change. Still others may recommend “mole-mapping” technology in families at high risk for the disease. This involves full body photography. 

So in answer to your question – who do I call? Here’s a few names for those in the Mid-Atlantic area and South Carolina. 

Listed below are the amazing ‘Gold Standard” dermatologists who dedicate their time and expertise to the Claire Marie Free Screening Program and meet the highest standards of care.  All are listed in alphabetical order in the two cities we serve as of Fall 2022.   Many are part of the renown teams at Johns Hopkins Dermatology, Simmons-O’Brien & Orlinsky, Belcara Health,  Germain Dermatology, Maryland Dermatology, Skin & Vein, SCSPhysicians, Mercy Medical Center or University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Hospital. Others are in Private Practice, and extremely attentive to their patient’s care. We are honored, privileged and so very grateful to have them join us in our mission to save young lives. 

Baltimore, Maryland

• Dr. Melanie Adams, M.D
• Dr. Karen Beasley, M.D., F.A.A.D
• Dr. Nicola Bravo, M.D.
• Dr. Sarah Cannon, M.D.
• Dr. Bernard Cohen, M.D. 
• Dr. Sherry Cohen, M.D.
• Dr. Jennifer Cooper, M.D.
• Dr. Meg Gerstenblith, M.D.
• Dr. Anna Grossberg, M.D.
• Dr. Christian Halvorsen, M.D.
• Dr. Sarah Hsu, M.D.
• Dr. Dennis Kurgansky, M.D.
• Dr. Onah Lauring, M.D.
• Dr. Mark Lowitt, M.D.
• Dr. Vadim Gushchin, M.D.
• Dr. Stanley Miller, M.D.
• Dr. Diane Orlinsky, M.D. F.A.A.D
• Dr. Rachel Schleicher, M.D.
• Dr. Amie Sessa, M.D.
• Dr. Eva Simmons – O’Brien, M.D., F.A.A.D
• Dr. Saif Syed, M.D.
• Dr. Zain Syed, M.D.
• Dr. Samantha Vincent, M.D.
• Dr. Margaret Weiss, M.D., F.A.A.D.
• Dr. Robert Weiss, M.D., F.A.A.D
• Dr. Sean Wu, M.D.

Charleston, S.C. 

Germain Dermatology

• Dr. Marguerite Germain, M.D.
• Dr.Joshua Black, M.D.
• Louisa Floyd, PA-C
• Dr. Emily Kmetz, M.D.
• Lainey O’Donnell, PA-C

Congratulations to Brigitte Gendron, the 2022 Recipient of the Claire Marie Scholarship in Arts & Design!

The Notre Dame Preparatory Senior will begin her design studies at Fordham this Fall! Once she gets unpacked and settled, Brigitte is excited to immerse herself in the study of Visual and Concept Arts.  Her dream is to channel all her passion and love of design into a career in the entertainment industry;  in film, television or game design. 

 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 esteemed design professionals from across the country! They bring expertise in fine arts, theatrical, animation, interiors, fashion, 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, Muralist and Freelance Artist Katherine Boggs of Atlanta and Couture Designer Ella Pritsker of Maryland.

Brigitte joins past recipients who have studied in Claire’s memory at University of Ohio at Miami, University of Southern California, Rollins College, University of Virginia ,Savannah College of Arts & Design and University of Maryland Baltimore County. 

Brigitte, all the best in your academic and professional adventures! We can’t wait to see the magic you create to brighten the world!