Team Truck Melanoma is on a mission. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and one of the most common, yet it also is one of the easiest to detect. A scan by a qualified medical professional is all it takes to keep a close eye on the health of your body’s largest organ. Both of my grandfathers had melanoma, and so did my father. All three of them averted disaster because they had regular scans, and each was fortunate enough to have their melanomas detected and eliminated early. As you might imagine, it’s something I take seriously myself as well.
Ryan Kiernan is the founder and team leader of Team Truck Melanoma, a non-profit organization committed not only to raising awareness about early melanoma detection but also to direct outreach in the automotive and motorsports communities. At off-road and on-track events across the Pacific Northwest, Ryan and his team of dermatology professionals have offered dozens of free screenings, and in 2023 detected 8 potential melanomas and 16 potential non-melanoma skin cancers. Team Truck Melanoma’s unique Chevy S10 race truck—the LentiGO—is a great conversation starter, and Ryan says:
Melanoma is a cancer that can be spotted with the naked eye in most cases, and it is also something that the lay person can be taught and educated on what to look for so that they can spot concerning features and changes. When caught early, melanoma is actually easily fixable with small surgeries, and carries an over 95% survival rate at 5 years out. It doesn’t need to be scary. Its like the monster in a movie, it is so much scarier when you haven’t seen it, and don’t know what to excpect. Team Truck Melanoma is our there to demystify melanoma, tell it to “truck off,” and save lives in doing so.
He encourages everyone to “start seeing melanoma” with a simple at-home scan you can do yourself and for your loved ones and to regularly follow up with a dermatology expert. As outdoor enthusiasts, overlanders spend a lot of time under the sun, which puts us at extra risk for all types of skin cancers. A quick scan may save a life. For more information and to discover ways to support Team Truck Melanoma, visit their website and follow them on Instagram.
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