I’ve been contributing to the #SewPINK blog hop for years now, and I’m always grateful to do so. In previous years, the focus was on breast cancer and I shared about making a pink Mastectomy Pillow and pink Bosom Buddies with Cuddle® fabric. But this year I wanted to talk a little about another kind of cancer with another color: Skin Cancer Awareness is promoted with the colors grey & black.

The project that I decided on to promote skin cancer awareness is Crinkle Dreams’ Pinch Me Pouch, a slim zipper bag, designed to hold all sorts of tools (including my ByAnnie stiletto). I also used ByAnnie zipper tape, double-sided fusible tape and Soft N Stable.

Skin cancer affects more and more people every year, regardless of gender, race, and even age. This is something we all need to be aware of and keep an eye out for signs of trouble.

The National Cancer Institute offers a mnemonic device — ABCDE — to remind us all of what we need to watch out for signs of melanoma:

• Assymetry: the shape differs from side to side
• Border: the shape is irregular (most moles will stay round)
• Color: uneven/splotchy coloring or even grey, white or blue appearance
• Diameter: they grow larger over time (most moles stay the same size)
• Evolving: changes, especially over a short period of time, should be monitored

Melanoma can be caught early with regular skin screenings, leading to a high survival rate. Self-monitoring will give you the first signs of something going amiss, so take the time to observe your skin and moles that you have–then you’ll know if something changes.

Several people in my life have been diagnosed with skin cancer on their face and/or head. This is the most common area to develop skin cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, while there’s no scientific proof that protecting the skin lowers the chance of skin cancer, experts recommend:

• using sunscreen that protects against UV radiation
• limiting time in the sun, especially when the sun is at its strongest
• wearing long sleeve shirts, long pants, sun hats, and sunglasses when outdoors

Catching any cancer early is the best way to beat it, so take the time to be aware of your body, any changes in appearance, or how you are feeling. You can find much more information from the National Cancer Institute, but you can find a brief overview of many different cancers on the ByAnnie #SewPink pages.

The #SewPink Initiative’s mission is to raise awareness for cancer throughout the year.

Efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote self-care, awareness, early detection and support for those affected by breast cancer.

To learn more and see the calendar of events visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPINK

Please, take care of yourself. You are important to me.