CANADIAN MIDDLE-DIS-
TANCE runner Lynn Williams
was busy preparing for a meet
in Japan when her husband
pcinted out a dark spot on her
shoulder,

Williams, 33, a Commonwealth
gold and Olympic bronze medallist
and a well-known B.C..sports per-
sonality, says she was shattered
when the spot turned out to be
malignant melanoma,
a less-common but
potentially deadly
type of skin cancer.

Luckily, Williams”
cancer was discov-
ered, treated early
and cured.

Four years later,
Williams has retired
from. running but
continues to live in

Vancouver where she
is a homemaker and
part-time television
commentator.

However, her brush with skin
cancer has fostered a keen interest
in sun protection and she hopes
that by talking about her experi-
ence people will become more
aware of the dangers of.too much
sun. .

“As an athlete, I was very in
tune with my body and tended to
look after myself. But all those
years that 1 was out training in the
sun, 1 just didn’t worry about
whether I wore a sunscreen or not.
‘Although-I was fair-skinned, I

—

didn't think 'd get skin cancer,”
she says.

Training in California during
the winter months meant she was
out in the sul even more.

Williams points out that she
also had a lot of sun exposure
when she was growing up. Like
many Canadians, Williams rcemem-
bers winter vacations in sunny
climes. Summer in Saskatchewan
was atime when, she says, the idea
was to put ofl on and just fry.

66 Her brush with skin cancer has
fostered a keen interest in sun protec-
tion and she hopes that by relating her

experience people will become more
aware of the dangers.... 99

“T can’t believe that was how |
looked after myself, but we just
didn’t know any better then,” she
adds.

Now a mother of two small
boys, Williams feels strongly
about protecting children from the
sun in order to reduce the risk of
skin cancer later in life. “My boys
have never had a sunburn in their
lives,” she says proudly.

“It?s so easy to protect children
from the sun. Try to keep them out
of the sun from 1! a.m. to 4 p.m.

when UV rays are strongest. Use
clothing and hats to shade their
skin if you take them out during
these times, and apply a sun-
screen,” she recommends.

It is equally iinportant for those
involved in outdoor sport and
recreation to protect themselves
from the sun, she adds.

Quick Facts en Skin Cancer in

Canada:

50.000 Canadians will get skin
cancer this year.
A child born today
has 4 one-in-seven risk
of developing this dis-
ease during his or her
lifetime.
fi Almost all skin can-
cers are preventable.
This year, 3,000
Canadians will get
melanoma skin cancer,
the most serious form
of the disease, and 560
will die from it.
@ Most skin cancers,
including melanoma,
are curable if treated at
an early stage.

With the beginning of summer,
the Canadian Dermatology
Association has proclaimed June
6-12 as Sun Awareness Week.
This year’s theme, “Play it Safe in
the Sun,” will focus on the need
for sun protection during outdoor
sport and recreation.

Skin damage accumulates over
many years and the association
claims that skin cancer is the most
common cancer in Canada.

Photo submitted

CANADIAN TRACK siar Lynn Williams beat many athletes as
well as skin cancer. Now she advocates for greater care and

protection while spending time tn the sun.

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