Ambassador Stories: Kim’s Melanoma Story
At L.U.V., we believe knowledge is power. We sat down with Kim Sweeney, a 6th-grade teacher, wife, fur mom, and skin cancer prevention advocate. She is a 41-year-old native of Northeast Pennsylvania with a passion for fitness, donuts, and the beach. L.U.V. proudly welcomed Kim to the ambassador family in April. Keep reading to learn more about her and her story.
Kim grew up in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania where she still currently resides with her husband and sweet pup, Oscar. While Northeastern Pennsylvania is known for partly cloudy weather year-round, even in continental climates, harmful UV rays are still able to penetrate cloud barriers and harm your skin.
“I was 28 years old when I was first diagnosed with melanoma. I’ve always had issues with dysplastic/atypical moles. I went to see my dermatologist for my 6-month checkup and was concerned about a mole that was changing. The doctor thought it looked ok, but I had a gut feeling that something was wrong, so we decided to perform a biopsy. Three days later while I was teaching, I got a call from the doctor herself. The biopsy showed melanoma.”
Kim’s story is one that many in this community can relate to. Oftentimes, it is self-skin checks at home that are the first defense to protecting again skin cancer. When asked how she felt when she received the diagnosis and who she turned to for support, Kim responded:
“At that point, I was scared. I didn’t know how serious it was. I scheduled the surgical excision for as soon as I could. My family was my biggest support.”
When asked about her family, Kim offered the following advice.
Since her melanoma diagnosis, Kim has become an advocate for melanoma awareness. She proudly shares her story on Instagram to help others understand the seriousness of skin cancer and the importance of taking care of your skin. Here are her tips for staying sun-safe year-round:
“Avoid the sun during peak hours (10am-3pm), wear SPF 30 and reapply and wear protective clothing when possible - I also love wearing hats to protect my scalp! Also, one common misconception I often hear when it comes to sun safety is that a base tan is health and safe. I wish people would realize that any tan already means skin damage.”
Kim’s Top Sun-Safe Products:
Supergoop Glow Screen for face
Coola Sunscreen for body
L.U.V. UPF 50+ Sun Shirts — It’s my favorite top to wear while running!
If you would like to connect with Kim and learn more about her story, you can find her on Instagram @fitt_kimmy.