It is a miracle that Nigel Deacon of Victoria is alive after receiving an ocular melanoma diagnosis.

B次元官网网址淚 was diagnosed by accident in 2010,B次元官网网址� said Deacon.

Deacon was whisked away to see the lone ocular oncologist in B.C. and was in front of the specialist within weeks. He received plaque-breaking therapy that removed buildup around his eye.

B次元官网网址淚t is the standard treatment for tumours that are not too large. If theyB次元官网网址檙e very large, the eye is removed.B次元官网网址�

He would then find out in January 2013 that the cancer had progressed after being told that he could go on his way two years prior. Deacon was then told to get his affairs in order.

B次元官网网址淚 went to emergency. I got scanned, and several tumours were discovered in my abdomen. So thatB次元官网网址檚 how the cancer behaves. It always goes from stage one to stage four. ThereB次元官网网址檚 nothing in between.B次元官网网址�

Deacon is trying to raise awareness of melanoma and skin cancer alongside the Save Your Skin Foundation for May.

Over 80,000 Canadians were diagnosed with skin cancer in 2022, with 8,700 being melanoma and 1,300 people dying from it, said Amy Rosvold, Director of Marketing at Save Our Skin Foundation.

B次元官网网址淚n Canada, every year, the sun gets stronger. And you know, you can burn in as little as 10 or 15 minutes,B次元官网网址� Amy Rosvold said.

Sunscreen needs to be applied 20 minutes before sun exposure and reapply two hours after swimming.

B次元官网网址淚t depends on the tone of your skin,B次元官网网址� said Rosvold. B次元官网网址淧eople with darker skin tones might be able to be in the sun longer than people who, you know, are fair-haired, you know, Redhead blue-eyed, you know, freckles, they might burn really quickly.B次元官网网址�

A minimum Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 30 is recommended for children and 50 for adults, said Rosvold.

B次元官网网址淭he higher that number is, the more protection,B次元官网网址� added Rosvold.

Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, Colwood, and Langford are among the 50 municipalities and five provinces Canada-wide that responded to the call to take a stance against skin cancer this summer.

B次元官网网址淲ith summer approaching, itB次元官网网址檚 so important that we educate ourselves and take steps to ensure weB次元官网网址檙e safe when weB次元官网网址檙e out in the sun,B次元官网网址� said Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock.

Rosvold said that correct sun protection is vital outdoors, whether cloudy or bright or sunny days.

B次元官网网址淐louds are not offering you that much sun protection, but you can still get exposure all year round,B次元官网网址� Rosvold said.

Skin cancer, while not as serious as other types of cancer, still kills and is very much a young personB次元官网网址檚 cancer.

B次元官网网址淢elanoma is quite common among younger people, you know, we see a lot of women, particularly in their 30s and we have we have had patients as young as in their 20s with it,B次元官网网址� added Rosvold.

Skin cancer is deadly but is highly preventable, said Kathy Barnard, a stage four melanoma survivor and founder of Save Your Skin Foundation.

B次元官网网址淪tudies show that young people still arenB次元官网网址檛 taking sun safety seriously despite incidence rates rising every year,B次元官网网址� Barnard said.

It is always smart to slip on a shirt, slap on a hat and slop on some sunscreen, but Deacon said that getting a comprehensive eye exam is also essential.

B次元官网网址淲e encourage everybody, from children to old age, to get comprehensive eye exams on a regular basis. ItB次元官网网址檚 a very easy thing to do. And itB次元官网网址檚 the only way it will be found. And the earlier itB次元官网网址檚 found, the better,B次元官网网址� Deacon said.

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