Meet Our Newest Ambassador, Emily!
We are thrilled to welcome Emily to the L.U.V. team as our newest ambassador! Emily is a 20-something who grew up in the Philadelphia area and now lives there with her fiancé. By day, she works full-time in health care marketing, but in her free time, she loves spending time outdoors, attending events and festivals, checking out new restaurants, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
We were excited to have the opportunity to sit down with Emily to learn a little more about her melanoma story.
“I was 22-years-old when I received my melanoma diagnosis — not even a full year out of college.” - Emily
Tell us a little more about your skin cancer journey. How did you feel? Who did you turn to for support?
Getting my skin cancer diagnosis was honestly a fluke…dumb luck, but I am SO thankful I caught it when I did. For a few months I had noticed the tiniest, little brown dot on my foot but didn’t think much of it because everyone I showed it to (boyfriend, mom, brother, etc.) all said it was just a freckle, and “not to worry” about it.
Coincidentally, not too long after noticing it, I found myself at a dermatologist (for the first time in my life!) because I was having an allergic reaction to something. While I was there, I pointed out the freckle/mole on my foot to the dermatologist, who also assured me it was nothing and didn’t need to be removed.
I went home and couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I went back and insisted on having it removed and biopsied. And, to my complete shock, it came back as melanoma. As someone who has always been so careful in the sun my entire life, and, with no family history of skin cancer, it was quite surprising. Hearing the words “you have cancer” was especially scary for me because though there is no history of skin cancer in my family, I have watched many people close to me (including both my father, mother, and FMIL) go through cancer journeys - some very tragic. Even before doing any googling (which, admittedly, isn’t a great idea off the bat), I was aware of how serious melanoma can be - it’s the most aggressive and deadly skin cancer. I was terrified, to say the least.
My mom was my biggest support. She has a lot of experience navigating the world of health care and cancer care, from taking care of family members and even herself on her own cancer journey, so luckily, she immediately jumped into identifying the best oncologists and surgeons to consult with and helping to determine how to proceed. Since the melanoma was stage 1, very small, and did not spread to my lymph nodes, luckily, I didn’t need to do chemo or radiation - just surgery and a lifetime of additional skin checks and biopsies.
My now-fiancé, who at the time was my boyfriend, was also very supportive, going with me to appointments and surgery day, and spending lots of downtime with me while I was healing from surgery and couldn’t walk.
Prior to your diagnosis, what was your relationship with the sun like?
Even pre-melanoma, I was very sun-conscious, but now, more than ever, I am! I’m the friend who always has sunblock (usually more than one variety) in my purse or car and is always reminding anyone I’m with to use it!
You mentioned being sun-conscious from a young age. Who/what instilled these sun-safe practices in your life?
Sun safety is something my parents instilled in me from a very young age. My mom always said that skin cancer and lung cancer were the most preventable cancers, and always pushed the importance of using sunblock, wearing protective clothes, and frankly, not being out in the sun too much. I have always been one to lather up in sunblock, have never stepped foot in a tanning bed, and have never had a bad sunburn.
“A gym is a place people go to improve their health, so to have tanning beds in a gym seems completely bonkers to me.” - Emily
What is one common misconception when it comes to sun safety?
I don’t know that this is necessarily a misconception, but a mindset that people - particularly young women - have, which is concerning to me. It’s commonly thought that tan skin is more desirable than pale skin. People spend a lot of time intentionally achieving tanned skin, be it through laying out in the sun with a bottle of oil slathered on them, or, in tanning beds. Don’t even get me started on tanning beds - I cannot believe that in 2022 they still exist, and, even in GYMS! A gym is a place people go to improve their health, so to have tanning beds in a gym seems completely bonkers to me. Go to the gym, get a good workout in, and then lay in a tanning bed and take the chance of giving yourself skin cancer. It makes no sense to me!
I also think that young people don’t realize that how they care - or don’t care for - their skin when they are young can really impact them at an older age. Using a tanning bed just once or twice, or having a few bad sunburns SIGNIFICANTLY increases your risk of skin cancer later in life.
What are your favorite SPF and UPF products?
A good, wide-rimmed sunhat, sleeves and longer shorts/skirts, and of course, sunblock. I personally use a few brands of sunblock including Neutrogena, SunBum, Supergoop and Aveeno.
At L.U.V., we believe education is key. What are three tips we can use to stay safe from the sun?
Avoid tanning beds AT ALL COSTS
Always keep a bottle of sunblock on you - in your purse, beach bag, car, etc., so there is no excuse not to use it.
Wear protective clothing when you know you’ll be out in the sun a lot - like L.U.V. clothing.
Want to connect with Emily? You can find her on Instagram @emiiilyroseee!