Team Melanoma - Black

[YamiTyger]

Allo all, and welcome to the 2012 Team Black - Melanoma thread as part of The Daffodil Movement. I am your host and Captain, YamiTyger. I've always missed TDM since I joined up with DWAH, and this time I volunteered to help spread awareness of Melanoma to you all. I'm going to have some games for you all to play in, gonna have some wonderful prizes. So come on in, help with raising awareness, and feel free to chat and make friends.

03/29/2012 - Team Thread put in!
04/01/2012 - TDM event officially started! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!

Welcome &Team Updates<>Rules<>About Melanoma<>Memorial Wall<>Team Info<>Members<>Banners and Ribbons<>Contests<>Contest Entries<>Contest Winners

 

[YamiTyger]

Even though this is not the actual TDM thread, the same rules apply here. Please be sure to follow them.

Quote:

►Follow Gaia's ToS
►Do not quote any large blocks of text, such as any of the posts on the front page of the main thread or a team's thread.
►Please read the FAQs before asking a question. That way we can be sure that we have plenty of time to answer any unusual or specific questions, instead of answering the same common ones over and over.
►Contacting Blaize/crew: We are likely to be very busy around this time. Not only do we have to organize many things here at once, virtually all of TDM's staff is in college or high school. For us, April not only means TDM, it means term papers and exams. Questions and Yellow Wall entries will have priority over any art or banners you send, or affiliate/Turn TDM requests. Please be patient with us.
►Be supportive of one another! Try to get along.
►And most importantly, strive for positivity. I encourage you to share your stories and feelings concerning cancer, cancer awareness, and the like, but this will not be a pity-party. Many people may be going through cancer themselves or seeing someone they love dealing with it. We’re here to hope for the best. heart

And some rules from your Team Captain...

• Don't just bump if people are around. Strive to be here and talk, carry on a conversation.
  
• Keep netspeak to a minimum, we're not texting on cellphones after all please.
  
• Keep spelling errors to a minimum. Im not perfect and make mistakes myself, but I'd rather not try and decipher a post of seriously misspelled words.

Welcome &Team Updates<>Rules<>About Melanoma<>Memorial Wall<>Team Info<>Members<>Banners and Ribbons<>Contests<>Contest Entries<>Contest Winners

 

[YamiTyger]

This post has everything you could possibly want to know about melanoma and more. Also note that Melanoma Monday is May 5 and the entire month of May is Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month.

What is Melanoma?

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It begins in skin cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells that make melanin, which gives skin its color. Melanin also protects the deeper layers of the skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

When people spend time in the sunlight, the melanocytes make more melanin and cause the skin to tan. This also happens when skin is exposed to other forms of ultraviolet light (such as in a tanning booth). If the skin receives too much ultraviolet light, the melanocytes may begin to grow abnormally and become cancerous. This condition is called melanoma.


Diagnosis

The first sign of melanoma is often a change in the size, shape, or color of a mole. But melanoma can also appear on the body as a new mole. In men, melanoma most often shows up on the upper body, between the shoulders and hips and also on the head and neck. In women, melanoma often develops on the lower legs. In dark-skinned people, melanoma often appears under the fingernails or toenails, on the palms of the hands, and on the soles of the feet.

Although these are the most common places on the body for melanomas to appear, they can appear anywhere on the skin. That's why it is important to always examine your skin to check for new moles or changes in moles.

The chance of getting melanoma increases as you get older, but people of any age can get melanoma. In fact, melanoma is one of the most common cancers in young adults. Each year, more than 50,000 people in the U.S. learn that they have melanoma.

Melanoma is a serious and sometimes life-threatening cancer. If melanoma is found and treated in its early stages, the chances of recovery are very good. If it is not found early, melanoma can grow deeper into the skin and spread to other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis. Once melanoma has spread to other parts of the body beyond the skin, it is difficult to treat.


Treatment

Early-stage melanoma can usually be treated with surgery alone.The treatment for melanoma depends on three factors:

• the age of the person
  
• the general health of the person
  
• the stage of the disease
  

Surgery is the first treatment for all stages of melanoma (IA through IV). The tumor is removed entirely, along with some surrounding tissue (usually about ¾ of an inch all around). The surgery may be done by a dermatologist or a surgeon, and it sometimes happens as part of the diagnosis process. In some cases, a skin graft may be needed to replace skin that has been removed.If the melanoma has spread to the nearby lymph nodes, the affected lymph nodes may also be removed surgically.

Surgery is usually the only treatment needed for people with early-stage melanomas (thinner melanomas that have not spread to the lymph nodes). However, these people still need regular follow-up visits to the doctor, to make sure the melanoma has not come back and that other moles do not need biopsies.Once a person has had melanoma, there is a higher chance of getting it again.

For later-stage melanomas (thick melanomas or those that have spread to the nearby lymph nodes), other treatments besides surgery may be needed. These are called "adjuvant" treatments, and they may take the form of:

• immunotherapy
  
• chemotherapy
  
• radiation therapy
  

Melanoma that has spread to distant sites in the body, or to other organs (such as the lungs or liver) is known as Stage IV. For these patients, treatment options may be available, including clinical trials. Please discuss your options with your health care professional.

Prevention

The best news about melanoma is that many cases of skin cancer can be prevented by following these straightforward precautions:

• Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Because the sun's rays are strongest during this period, try to schedule outdoor activities for other times of the day, even in winter or when the sky is cloudy. You absorb UV radiation year-round, and clouds offer little protection from damaging rays.
  
  
• Wear sunscreen year-round. Sunscreens don't filter out all harmful UV radiation. While sunscreens block UVB rays very well, most don't block UVA rays. For this reason, sunscreen should be just one part of your overall sun protection strategy. Sunscreens that contain ingredients such as titanium dioxide and mexoryl do a better job at blocking UVA rays. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Use a generous amount of sunscreen on all exposed skin, including your lips, the tips of your ears, and the backs of your hands and neck.For the most protection, apply sunscreen 20 to 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply it every two hours throughout the day. Also be sure to reapply it after swimming or exercising. Apply sunscreen to young children before they go outdoors, and teach older children and teens how to use sunscreen to protect themselves. Keep a bottle of sunscreen in your car as well as with your gardening tools, and sports and camping gear.
  
  
• Wear protective clothing. Sunscreens don't provide complete protection from UV rays. That's why it's a good idea to also wear tightly woven clothing that covers your arms and legs, and a broad-brimmed hat, which provides more protection than a baseball cap or visor does. Some companies also sell photoprotective clothing. Your dermatologist can recommend an appropriate brand. Don't forget sunglasses. Look for those that block both UVA and UVB rays.
  
  
• Avoid tanning beds and tan-accelerating agents. Tanning beds emit UVA rays, which may be as dangerous as UVB rays — especially since UVA light penetrates deeper into your skin and causes precancerous skin lesions.
  
  
• Be aware of sun-sensitizing medications. Some common prescription and over-the-counter drugs — including antibiotics; certain cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes medications; birth control pills; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others); and the acne medicine isotretinoin (Accutane) — can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the side effects of any medications you take. If they increase your sensitivity to sunlight, be sure to take extra precautions.
  
  
• Check your skin regularly and report changes to your doctor. Examine your skin often for new skin growths or changes in existing moles, freckles, bumps and birthmarks. With the help of mirrors, check your face, neck, ears and scalp. Examine your chest and trunk, and the tops and undersides of your arms and hands. Examine both the front and back of your legs, and your feet, including the soles and the spaces between your toes. Also check your genital area, and between your buttocks.
  
  
• Have regular skin exams. Consult your doctor for a complete skin exam every year if you're older than 40, or more often if you're at high risk of developing melanoma.
  

For More Info

All the information in this post was taken from the websites found below. Also note that the pictures are links to those websites. And of course you can always talk to your doctor about your own health concerns.

Welcome &Team Updates<>Rules<>About Melanoma<>Memorial Wall<>Team Info<>Members<>Banners and Ribbons<>Contests<>Contest Entries<>Contest Winners

 

[YamiTyger]

Here are a few celebrity survivors of melanoma cancer.


Senator John McCain


Maureen Reagan


Sam Donaldson


Andrew von Eschenbach


Cybill Shepherd

In addition to these celebrity survivors, we also have every day people who have survived melanoma.

• evil-wears-a-bow
  
• Her Majesty Lady Yumiko
  
• Papa Jack
  
• Abscheu & her mom
  

In Memory Of Those Lost

• Regina Gail Hopkins: 7/30/1961-5/1/2008
  

The Melanoma Research Foundation also has its own memorial list. It can be view by following this link.

If you or someone in your life whose dealt with melanoma and you'd like them added to this post, please just send me a pm and I will be sure to add their name.

Also don't forget that you can submit your loved ones name to the Yellow Wall. Information about it can be found here and here. You can also make your own personal memorial in this forum in the guild.

Welcome &Team Updates<>Rules<>About Melanoma<>Memorial Wall<>Team Info<>Members<>Banners and Ribbons<>Contests<>Contest Entries<>Contest Winners

 

[YamiTyger]

Alllo allo, as I said, name's YamiTyger. You can call me Yami, Yammers, just not Hey you. You want to get ahold of me? Fastest way is PM as a rule. I'm generally an outgoing sort of person, one who's easy to get along with. And as to Melanoma, I have family members who've undergone treatment for it, so I am here personally to raise support on it.

Team Updates

Up in the first post, I will post updates and reminders throughout the month about the goings on for our team as well as the event in general. The latest updates will be at the top of the list and will probably be in another color or highlighted in some other way so that you can tell they are recent.

Team Spirit
So anyways, what we're gonna do this month, is raise up awareness of Melanoma and the risks therein, all throughout Gaia! We're gonna go through towns, through zOMG, and run through threads with our flags high, and our hearts a glow!

One of the many ways that you can show some team spirit is by equipping your avatar with black colored items. Here are some great items suggestions:

In addition to the items above you could also wear a daffodil bouquet! ^^ Need an already put together bouquet? Send a trade to the Event Mule labeled Daffodil Bouquet. Also note that the daffodils don't have to be yellow. You can wear the blue and pink ones as well.

Special Thanks To...
Former Team Captain Black Mrs_S_Snape. She rode my butt (Again!) till I got this done, and was a big help on helping me fix things up! Snapey I loves ya sis!

Welcome &Team Updates<>Rules<>About Melanoma<>Memorial Wall<>Team Info<>Members<>Banners and Ribbons

 

[YamiTyger]

Here is a list of all our team members. To get put on the list simply copy and paste the code below into a post and I will be sure to add you. If I somehow skip over you please get my attention in a reasonable way and I will be sure to add you to the list.

[img]http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g83/tootsiepopsrock7/Gaia Stuff/sm-bla.gif[/img][b][color=black][size=29]ADD ME![/size][/b][/color]

YamiTyger (Captain)

Blaizekit

The White Lily

slothiiiey

Angelic iGirl

Welcome &Team Updates<>Rules<>About Melanoma<>Memorial Wall<>Team Info<>Members<>Banners and Ribbons<>Contests<>Contest Entries<>Contest Winners

 

[YamiTyger]

Below are support ribbons and banners for our team as well as the event. They are already linked to the main event thread, so all you have to do in put them in your signature, profile or where ever else you can think of that follows Gaia's TOS.

Support Ribbons

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/c2gg8f5[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/c7nvc4h[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/dy95uuz[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/d4froym[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/73qjjxw[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/7suodfl[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/7g2pflk[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/799h59z[/img][/url]

Team Banners

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/79o3jqz[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/7bcyffd[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/6qhrmog[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/cebmagl[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/btoam37[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/bm2k6yc[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/brzsncj[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/brs52kd[/img][/url]

TDM Banners

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/Airema/TDM/info.png[/IMG][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/Airema/TDM/skinny2.png[/IMG][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/Airema/TDM/template.png[/IMG][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v286/Airema/TDM/skinny.png[/IMG][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/dg9hsp[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://tinyurl.com/czzjqf[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012[img]http://tinyurl.com/cv9y6h[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh267/Anemita/Other/DAFFO.png[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u273/PuddingCow/TDM-Banner1.jpg[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y202/camowing/Gaia/gaia-banner-daffodilmovement002.gif[/img][/url]

[url=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://i41.tinypic.com/vfxxy8.png[/img][/url]

[URL=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y180/SorceressJacklyn/My works exclusives/066725cd.gif[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://tinyurl.com/TDM2012][img]http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z69/GGDiris/TDMban.png[/img][/URL]

Welcome &Team Updates<>Rules<>About Melanoma<>Memorial Wall<>Team Info<>Members<>Banners and Ribbons<>Contests<>Contest Entries<>Contest Winners

 

[YamiTyger]

Follow this link to get to the guild sponsored contests. In addition to those, below are a few team contests we will be having throughout the month. I'd like to also mention the Event Board. There you will find a list of events (and contests too, I think) that are being sponsored by various people as well as teams.



Art Contest
For this contest, what Im looking for, is art of any of the cancer survivors. Any art of the survivors is accepted, as long as it goes with the ToS.

Contest Begins: April 1st
Contest Ends: April 30th

Prizes:1st Art from Janeru-chan, a Daffodil Bouquet, 15k
2nd Art from MissMissie, a Daffodil Bouquet, 10k
3rd Team Melanoma support clothing, a Daffodil Bouquet


Tektek Contest
TekTek it up! The theme of this TekTek is to be supportive. IE, Nurse, Doctor avis.

Contest Begins:April 1st
Contest Ends:April 30th

Prizes:1st Art from Janeru-chan, a Daffodil Bouquet, 15k
2nd Art from MissMissie, a Daffodil Bouquet, 10k
3rd Team Melanoma support clothing, a Daffodil Bouquet


First Post Contest
This contest is just that. The first post for support of Team Melanoma / a story of a survivor, someone close to you.

Contest Begins:April 1st
Contest Ends: At Event End

Prizes:1st Art from Janeru-chan, a Daffodil Bouquet, 15k
2nd Art from MissMissie, a Daffodil Bouquet, 10k
3rd Team Melanoma support clothing, a Daffodil Bouquet

Welcome &Team Updates<>Rules<>About Melanoma<>Memorial Wall<>Team Info<>Members<>Banners and Ribbons<>Contests<>Contest Entries<>Contest Winners

 

[YamiTyger]

Art Contest
N/A

Tektek Contest
N/A

Welcome &Team Updates<>Rules<>About Melanoma<>Memorial Wall<>Team Info<>Members<>Banners and Ribbons<>Contests<>Contest Entries<>Contest Winners

 

[YamiTyger]

Art Contest
TBA

Tektek Contest
TBA

First Post Contest
TBA

Welcome &Team Updates<>Rules<>About Melanoma<>Memorial Wall<>Team Info<>Members<>Banners and Ribbons<>Contests<>Contest Entries<>Contest Winners

 

[YamiTyger]

-Reserved-

 

[YamiTyger]

-Reserved-

 

[YamiTyger]

And now we're OPEN  

[The White Lily]

ADD ME!
c:  

[YamiTyger]

The White Lily

ADD ME!
c:

Welcome aboard!
Here's your complimentary shovel, flashlight, and shot.....
wait, this isnt the Zombie Survivalist thread!

XDD. Just a joke, welcome aboard Lily!