It was June, but between the holiday-themed train ride and the kindness of a stranger, Chris Meffen recently experienced what must have felt like a Christmas miracle in the summer. Chris was enjoying the festive ride with his family when, out of nowhere, a woman approached him about the the spot on his face. This spot had been there a while, but he didn’t think much of it.
At least that was the case before Dr. Chelsey Straight, a dermatologist, asked him if he had ever gotten it checked before. When Chris let her know that he hadn’t, she insisted that he should consider doing so, a suggestion his wife couldn’t have agreed with more.
“Instantly his wife was like, ‘I’ve been telling you that you need to get this looked at,'” Chelsey recalled.
Chris hadn’t thought much about the spot on his face before, but thanks to Chelsey’s recommendation, he went to get it checked out – and it’s a good thing he did. His test results showed that it was melanoma, the most common form of cancer in the United States. Despite how common it is, however, most adults don’t get checked for it.
In the summertime, high UV exposure can cause serious damage to our skin. That’s why Chelsey and her husband, Dr. Chris Chu, tell patients at their recently opened clinic, Pure Dermatology, that it is oh-so important to take take care of yourself by wearing sunscreen.
They also recommend regular check-ups if you have risk factors for skin cancer or notice anything unusual – after this experience, that second piece of advice is one that Chris can’t recommend enough.
“The slightest little thing that you see, right away, make sure to go and get it checked,” Chris said.
With a series of procedures, Chris was able to get the spot removed. Something that may not have happened had it not been for Chelsey.
“It was a big blessing,” Chris said.
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