CONTENTS | MAY 2022 | ISSUE 3

[ 1 ] Spotlight with Samantha Guild

[ 2 ] Updates from the WOM-CA Director

[ 3 ] Resources and networking 

• May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month 

• Walk with AIM at Melanoma Foundation 

• Resources from AIM at Melanoma Foundation

• Bilingual Education (English & español)

• Find Free Skin Cancer Screening Near You 

WOM-CA Gazette is produced by Stanford Cancer Institute for the community.

Samantha Guild, JD, President of AIM at Melanoma Foundation, oversees numerous initiatives and collaborates across different organizations to address melanoma prevention and treatment, and, ultimately, a melanoma cure. Ms. Guild is a former litigation attorney who left her law practice in 2008 to join the Foundation as Director of Education, Public Policy, and Advocacy. Her mother, Valerie Guild, established the foundation in 2004 after her daughter Charlie (Samantha’s sister) died of melanoma in 2003. After Valerie passed away in 2020, Samantha became AIM’s president.

In this issue, I spoke with Ms. Guild about how AIM at Melanoma Foundation and Wipe Out Melanoma - California are changing the way communities confront melanoma, key questions and concerns patients should address with their dermatologists, and how patients can advocate for themselves with their health care providers in getting the attention and care they need.

How does the mission of AIM at Melanoma Foundation align with Wipe Out Melanoma - California in changing the way communities confront melanoma?

At our foundation, and similar to Wipe Out Melanoma - California, we have several missions. These include prevention and early detection. One way to beat this disease is to try to prevent it before we even get to the point of having to discuss treatment. As a result, we heavily promote prevention with the general public and with patients and their loved ones.

As part of our detection mission, we support diagnosing melanoma in its earliest stages, since we know that at this point its overall prognosis is excellent. AIM at Melanoma strives to help patients have long, healthy, and productive lives. 

To take on these issues, we’re very fortunate to have Melanoma Physician Assistant Melissa Wilson, PA-C, MPAS, as part of our “Ask an Expert” program. We have a lot of patients reach out to us to ask all sorts of questions, including “How do I do a self-exam?” and “How should I choose a dermatologist?” It’s a free service that people can call or reach through our website. Melissa also answers questions through short YouTube videos that cover these concerns and related issues.

We invite you, your loved ones, and other melanoma survivors and patients to visit Do You Have Questions About Melanoma. Here you can connect with Melissa. The web page also provides information on the type of questions that can be answered, background on Melissa, and a link to community resources. However, we cannot provide medical advice or a diagnosis.

We have other excellent resources that support patients in doing self-exams, which should be done in addition to seeing a provider. These resources include a web page with information on “How to perform a skin self-exam,” “What is a skin self-exam?” and “Helpful tips.” 

What are some key questions and concerns that patients should address with their doctor during a full body melanoma skin examination? 

Setting up an appointment with your dermatologist for a melanoma full body skin examination is extremely important. Here are some pointers to be aware of.

1. Make an appointment sooner rather than later for a full body examination. If your provider can’t see you in a timely manner, find another provider to set up an exam, if possible. 

2. Your full body exam should cover from between your toes up through your scalp. This exam is not only for detecting melanoma but also nonmelanoma skin cancer, which can put you at a higher risk for developing melanoma. And, we know that nonmelanoma skin cancer can be deadly if not treated. We have a resource page that discusses full body skin exams.

3. Make sure your doctor has you disrobe and wear a medical gown to ensure a successful full body exam during your appointment.

4.  Point out to your dermatologist any suspicious lesions or moles that you may have discovered while doing a skin self-exam. 

5. Be your own advocate. If you have concerns about your exam not being done properly, get a second opinion from another provider. 

To learn more about what your appointment should look like and what you can do to advocate for your health care provider doing a thorough, full body skin exam, visit AIM online.

How can patients best advocate for themselves if they feel the response from their doctor is insufficient?

At times, unfortunately, we recognize that there may be limitations surrounding healthcare services, and it could be difficult to get an appointment. However, we encourage patients to speak up and do what they can to be seen by a dermatologist within a reasonable amount of time, and, if necessary, find another provider. If you have a lesion that is changing or otherwise suspicious to you, make sure to see a provider as soon as possible.

Even if it’s difficult to get an appointment, consultations are best done in person rather than through telemedicine, which is a growing area of interest. However, there are some aspects about telemedicine that are advantageous. For example, it can be useful during a pandemic, or when patients have a serious illness making mobility very difficult. And, not everyone lives near a dermatologist who really understands melanoma. Ideally, though, in-person appointments are best.

Once you are seen by a provider, if you have concerns about your full body skin exam not being done properly, or if you continue to worry about a lesion that your provider overlooked or dismissed, get a second opinion from another provider. 

What would you like readers to take away from this interview about tackling the mission of AIM at Melanoma Foundation and Wipe Out Melanoma - California?

Everyone can make a difference in prevention and early detection. It's unfortunate that so many people have been diagnosed with melanoma and have died as a result. We cannot bring them back. Even so, we can take what we've learned and gained from each of them. Not everyone has to start a nonprofit foundation to make a difference. However, everyone in their own way can provide value and promote progress, whether it’s advocating for yourself and others to get a full body skin exam, sharing a story, writing an article, or even writing a letter to a legislator about the dangers of tanning devices. We all have the ability to influence. And, look at the work that we've all done to date. I think all of us together are going to do even more and contribute to significant advances in melanoma prevention, detection, and treatment in the not-so-distant future.

UPDATES | Over the past year, the WOM-CA team has been developing a statewide coalition of academic and health system partners to engage all Californians in the early detection and prevention of melanoma. We are launching a pilot project that will involve Community Health Workers in Northern and Southern California to educate the community, especially those who live in rural areas because they tend to have worse melanoma health outcomes. We look forward to expanding our community-based prevention initiatives through the Melanoma Community Registry of California.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month | The power of human connection is one of the best ways to promote health and wellness. Awaress months, weeks, and days bring us together to educate and show support.

Don’t Fry Day | The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention designated the Friday before Memorial Day (May 27, 2022) as “Don’t Fry Day” to raise awareness of skin cancer prevention and sun safety behaviors. Find out about how you can raise awareness.

Sample Social Media Hashtags| #DontFryDay #Sunscreen #SunSafeSelfie #Skincancer

Skin Cancer Awareness Month Toolkits

Skin Cancer Foundation

Health.gov

Walk with AIM at Melanoma Foundation | Gather with the community at a Steps Against Melanoma Walk. More details on the website with online registration. The walks scheduled in California are in: Sonora on May 14; Oakland on September 10; Los Angeles on September 11.

Resources from AIM at Melanoma Foundation | Melanoma prevention and early detection

• Full Body Skin Exam by your doctor

• Community resources

• Know Your Skin Type

• Video library

• Information about: Sunscreen, Early detection of Melanoma, A non-cancerous mole vs. melanoma, Mole mapping

Bilingual Education | English & español

• Let's Talk About Skin Cancer / Hablemos del Cáncer de la Piel from National Alliance for Hispanic Health

• What is melanoma? / Cáncer de piel tipo melanoma from American Cancer Society

• Protect Yourself from Skin Cancer / ¡Protéjase del cáncer de la piel! from National Alliance for Hispanic Health Buena Salud Club

• Who Needs Sunscreen? Everybody! / ¿Quienes necesitan bloqueador solar? ¡Todos! From the National Alliance for Hispanic Health Buena Salud Club         

Find Free Skin Cancer Screening Near You | The American Academy of Dermatology Association can help you search for free skin cancer screening within the United States. You can sign up to be notified via email when a free skin cancer screening is available within 50 miles of your zip code.

Resource Referral | Do you know a great resource and/or community networking opportunity for melanoma prevention and early detection? Let us know by emailing Ellen at edinucci@stanford.edu

Visit the WOM-California Website to learn about how partnerships, researchers, and community members are working together towards the prevention, early detection, and treatment of melanoma. For comments or questions about our newsletter content, please email Ellen at edinucci@stanford.edu.

WOM-California Gazette Editorial Team: RACHEL J. MESIA | MARIA RIZZO LOCSIN | ELLEN M. DINUCCI