Summer is one of the most exciting times of year for most people. For students, it offers the freedom from school for a few months. Summer opens up the possibilities of barbeque food, beach days, warm weather, and fun. However, in the face of these happy times comes a danger that people often overlook -- sunburns. Now, I am sure most people, especially if you are fair skinned and prone to burning like me, have grown up constantly hearing to wear sunscreen and avoid getting burned. To most people this reminder is just another thing your parent used to nag you about before you went out. However, as much of a hassle as putting on sunscreen seems, it’s worth the trouble.

Sunburns have consequences. In the immediate, they cause us pain, make us look red and blotchy, and lead to skin peeling. Most importantly, in the future, prolonged skin exposure can lead to skin cancer. What bothers me most about skin cancer is that it is one of the most preventable cancers. By protecting our skin the best we can with sunscreen and clothes we can significantly reduce our chances of developing it. Yet, in the moment, we are often either too focused on the fun of summer, or too focused on getting that perfect tan to care about the consequences down the road. This is frustrating to me because in many cases there isn’t a lot we can do to prevent developing illnesses like cancer. Except for avoiding smoking, most of our actions cannot help us avoid something that is often out of our control. But protecting our skin is in our control. We have the power to do something in order to save ourselves and our families from pain and suffering later.

For many people, skin cancer is not even a though in their mind, especially if it is not common in their family. However, for me and my family, it is always a concern. My Nana and most of the people on her side of the family have had skin cancer, in all of its varying forms. I’ve grown up watching my Nana have to go to the skin doctor and get skin removed from all over, especially her face. While the type she usually suffers from is not that serious, it is not a fun experience, and is something she could have prevented by being more careful with her skin. When she was young, like many other young people today, skin cancer was not a blip on her radar. Their main concern was getting tan and looking good, and now she has to deal with the repercussions.

After living with the looming history of skin cancer in my family, I know I have to act to protect myself. There are not many things I have the power to control, but this is one of them. In order to avoid skin cancer, sun burns, and wrinkles from too much sun I cover myself in sunscreen, keep out of the sun, and protect myself. My suggestion to the world, regardless of your family history or skin type is to at least keep the consequences of sitting in the sun in your mind. We all have skin, so we can all develop skin cancer, but we can try our best to prevent it.