I was raised in one of the most beautiful areas of the country; a small beach community in Florida. With that came sun and fun and a lifetime of great memories surfing, swimming in the ocean, lifeguarding at the beach, and all of the negative consequences that go along with the beach lifestyle. I had my first skin cancer diagnosed at agd 45. Several more have been diagnosed since but fortunately have been removed early due to vigilant surveillance by my dermatologist. Because of the regular skin checks that I receive, the size of my cancers have been small resulting in quick healing times and smaller scars. I am grateful to have access to a Dermatologist whose interest is in the treatment of skin cancer but many other Americans may not.