Skin Fair with Meghan Rothschild
At URI on 10/27/10
Meghan Rothschild is the creator of www.survivingskin.org. She presents at local schools and colleges to talk about her experience with stage 2 melanoma. Meghan was diagnosed when she was 20, and it has changed her life completely. She started indoor tanning at the age of 17, trying to bake her skin from her pale complexion to a darker one.
She had noticed that a black, strange looking mole had developed on her stomach, and after notifying a doctor, she had it removed. Unfortunately, the mole was an indication of stage 2 melanoma skin cancer, causing a long chain of surgeries, skin exams, radioactive dye injections, insertion of drainage tubes, and numerous other traumatic experiences. She had eight lymph nodes removed to prevent any further spread of the cancer, and after the dilemma, she was fortunate to have beat the cancer.
Unfortunately, she was left with major scarring on her stomach and fell into depression about her self esteem issues. Meghan had learned that this cancer was brought to her for a reason, and she now talks to teenagers and young adults all over New England to share her story and help others prevent this from happening. Meghan believes that her attempt to look like everyone else wasn't worth the pain and suffering she had to endure.
Personally, I found Meghan's story incredibly inspiring. The frightening events that she has gone through can truly change people's lives. Her knowledge about the risks and dangers of indoor tanning beds can persuade people to stop the use of them and find alternate, safe ways to get their bronze look.
How does this relate to an under served issue? The number of high school and college students, mostly but not restricted to females, who use indoor tanning beds is incredibly high. From her presentation, students can feel a connection to Meghan and how she struggled with her cancer during her college years.
