MARQUETTE – A few weeks ago, I got the dreaded phone call. One of those calls where before words are even spoken, you know that something isn’t quite right.

My mom had just left the doctor’s office. She was told she had skin cancer.

“I’m going to be OK,” she said, speaking softly in an attempt to mask her own fear of the situation.

Hearing the word cancer is scary, especially when it’s linked to someone you love.

Although skin cancer is common and, statistically speaking, has an extremely high rate of survival if detected early, it shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Living in a state with more than 3,200 miles of shoreline, soaking up the sun on a hot summer day is about as natural to us as the air we breathe.

As great as the sun feels against our skin, we must protect ourselves from it. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, about 90 percent of skin cancers are caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation produced by the sun.

Frequent application of sunscreen, paired with the use of hats, sunglasses and other protective clothing will not only prevent a painful sunburn, but could also potentially save your life.

This may seem obvious, but so many of us thoughtlessly skip this important step.

At the time of my mom’s diagnosis, the stage or type was unknown.

With so many unanswered questions, it was difficult not to worry.

Was it melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, as she feared?

Can it be removed?

Did she catch it early enough?

How will this affect her life moving forward?

I tried to be strong for the woman who has been my solid rock for 25 years, sending words of encouragement and offering my support, but I felt helpless.

There is nothing that can be said or done to make it go away.

After a week of waiting, she was back in the doctor’s office to have the cells removed from three spots on her face.

Fortunately, in her case, all of it was removed without incident and she was left with barely noticeable burns on her nose and cheek, and two stitches on her forehead.

Looking forward, she’ll continue to monitor her skin, reporting any suspicious spots or moles. Physical awareness is a key component in early detection.

Check your skin, check your children’s skin, check your spouse’s skin. If you find anything out of the ordinary or of concern, get to the doctor as soon as possible.

Our health is something that we oftentimes take for granted.

We need to change that attitude, and take care of ourselves now to prevent such things from happening in the future.

I think back to my days in high school life-guarding at Gladstone’s beach, only now worrying about the consequences that several hours in the sun each shift may have on my body 20 to 30 years from now.

We can’t undo what has already happened, but we can make a change moving forward.

I’m so grateful my mom took a proactive approach in dealing with her skin cancer, because I couldn’t imagine a world without her in it.

Editor’s note: Kelsie Thompson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 206.