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VCU Massey Cancer Center’s Facts & Faith Fridays session on Aug. 18 offered participants valuable information regarding melanoma prevention and detection, and highlighted the efforts of a local nonprofit organization in helping Black students achieve success in higher education.

Joining the call to give an overview on melanoma and strategies for prevention and self-examination was Samantha Guild, J.D., president of the AIM at Melanoma Foundation, a global foundation dedicated to finding more effective treatments and, ultimately, the cure for melanoma.

Guild started working with the foundation in 2008, after her sister was diagnosed with advanced melanoma in 2003 and died at age 26 later that same year.

Guild discussed strategies for effective melanoma prevention, including consistent and correct application of sunscreen, wearing protective clothing to protect your skin, covering your head with a wide-brimmed hat, wearing sunglasses that offer UV protection and avoiding indoor tanning as much as possible.

“Most melanomas develop as a result of UV exposure,” Guild said, adding that the sun is the most direct source of UV rays. “Even if you’re out in the snow, you’re receiving UV exposure that is reflecting off of the snow.”

Guild also gave an overview of early detection tips for melanoma, and elaborated on the ABCDE Melanoma Rule (Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolving) for examining your skin for abnormalities that could be early signs of disease.

“Being diligent in prevention and early detection of melanoma — and really any skin cancer — is key for your best chances for overall survival,” Guild said.

“[Melanoma] is something we don’t talk enough about. It can impact all individuals,” said Arnethea Sutton, Ph.D., who facilitated the Facts & Faith conversation and shared a story about a personal friend who also passed away from melanoma at the age of 25.

Watch the webinar to learn more about melanoma prevention and local resources for Black students interested in pursuing higher education.

Additionally, Tamice Spencer-Helms joined the call on Aug. 18 to talk about Sub:Culture Incorporated, a Mechanicsville-based nonprofit organization she founded that seeks to eradicate barriers Black college students face in accessing and completing higher education.

“Black college students often encounter systemic inequities that have historical roots, and they encounter these inequities at a much greater rate than their counterparts,” Spencer-Helms said, adding that the organization serves to develop a web of support that takes into account what a student requires to succeed.

Spencer-Helms explained how Sub:Culture Incorporated offers a variety of programs for Black college students, including a food pantry initiative, student transition and crisis relief efforts, college preparation seminars, a fellows program, a partnership with Reynolds Community College, workshops and more.

To see the upcoming schedule and register for future Facts & Faith Fridays webinars, visit our website.

Written by: Blake Belden