“I AM at peace.

But if I could go back and talk to myself when I was 19, I would tell that girl not to use a solarium — that melanoma is not a small cancer that you just have cut out and you will be fine.

I may pass in another week or it could be two. If I really fight it out, I may even have six weeks left.

It’s scary, because I feel myself getting more tired, and each time I feel sleepy it worries me that I might not wake up.

So far I have lived 25 years. If I am lucky I will reach 26 because my birthday is on Saturday.

It is a short life, but I have lived it.

- CLARE OLIVER”

If you’re frequently exposed to the aussie sun, always had a secret desire to tan yourself leathery brown or if you’re a regular user of solariums, please please please regulate and stop (or slab some sunblock while you’re at it) before you regret it.

I was blog hopping today and learnt about Eugeneang’s friend & fellow uni alumni (a Media&Com melbuni student) who passed away from skin cancer cos of her regular sun-tanning & use of solariums. She passed on last year at the age of 26.

Read her letter to the heraldsun below.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22293079-1243,00.html

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/skin-cancer-claims-solariums-victim/2007/09/13/1189276855381.html