As Canadians mark Sun Awareness Week, a Nova Scotia woman who knows about the dangers of excessive sun exposure firsthand is sharing her personal story in the hopes of spreading awareness to others.
As the organizer of the Hammonds Plains Baseball Association, Holly LaPierre spends a lot of time on the baseball field and in the sun.
“I would say I would probably put suntan lotion on my body and avoid my face, thinking ‘Oh, it’s going to make it break out, or whatever.’ I can’t do that anymore,” she says.
The 48-year-old was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma after she noticed a strange white spot on the side of her nose.
“The texture was wavy, almost a like a sandbar,” she explains.
Dr. Rob Hart, an ear, nose and throat specialist, says he frequently sees basal cell carcinoma.
“For the most part, they’re independent skin cancers that typically occur in sun-exposed areas, mostly on your face,” he says. “Non-melanoma cancer, which is basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer, is very common. It’s the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world. It makes up about 40 per cent of all cancer diagnoses in Canada.”
Hart says basal cell cancer is highly treatable and most patients respond well to treatment, but the process can be quite invasive.
“It requires resection surgery to remove the tumour and then a reconstruction to rebuild the area that it’s taken away from, depending on the size,” explains Hart.
LaPierre says she has had about seven surgeries to remove the tumour and reconstruct her face and she still has a long road ahead of her.
“Cancer’s a scary word. Certainly mine isn’t anything that requires chemotherapy or radiation, but it’s still an invasive tumour that, without treatment, can disfigure me as it is,” says LaPierre. “When it’s on your face it’s a little bit more emotional to try to deal with because it’s your face.”
Hart says practicing sun safety is critical to preventing skin cancer.
“Wide-brimmed hats, sunscreen, the other thing that people don’t necessarily think about is tanning beds. They are a known skin-cancer causing entity,” he warns.
Since her diagnosis, LaPierre says she is taking sun safety seriously, and wants to spread the message about sun protection.
“Sunscreen has become my new best friend. Certainly hats with wide brims and I have to wear long sleeves,” she says. “I think sometimes people see basal skin cancer as not life-threatening, but it certainly can be life-altering.”
