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As realistic as we might be, almost every human believes at some point, "That's never going to happen to me." From car accidents to basic public embarrassment, we all believe we're essentially immune to something.
But long-time modeling star Christie Brinkley wants to make sure that no one feels immune to having cancer.
Rather, in a recent Instagram post, the 70-year-old modeling star shared vulnerable pictures of herself in a surgical gown in the hospital, having facial surgery to remove a cancerous lump from her face, right around her left temple, before it became a more serious issue.
In the Instagram caption, Brinkley wrote:
"The good news for me is we caught the Basal Cell Carcinoma early. And I had great Doctors who removed the cancer and stitched me up to perfection like an haute couture Dior."
"The good news for you is that all of this can be avoided by being diligent with your sun protection!"
"I got serious a bit late so now for this ole mermaid/gardener, I’ll be slathering on my SPF 30, reapplying as needed, wearing long sleeves, and a wide-brim hat. And doing regular total body checkups . . . that is a MUST!"
"I was lucky to find mine, because I was accompanying one of my daughters to HER check-up."
"The Doctor was looking at each freckle with a magnifying glass… it wasn’t my appointment, so I wasn’t going to say anything but at the VERY end, I asked if he could just look at a little tiny dot I could feel [like a bump] as I applied my foundation."
"He took a look and knew immediately it needed a biopsy! He did it then and there!"
"So make your own good luck by making that check-up appointment today. And slather up, my friends!"
You can see the original post here:
Brinkley's Instagram followers were grateful she was spreading awareness about preventative care.
@christiebrinkley/Instagram
@christiebrinkley/Instagram
@christiebrinkley/Instagram
@christiebrinkley/Instagram
@christiebrinkley/Instagram
@christiebrinkley/Instagram
@christiebrinkley/Instagram
@christiebrinkley/Instagram
@christiebrinkley/Instagram
@christiebrinkley/Instagram
Basal-cell carcinoma most commonly occurs in areas of a person's body that have been the most sun-exposed in their lifetime, like the face and shoulders. Fortunately, it typically spreads to lymph nodes, bones, lungs, and other areas of the body only if it's left significantly unchecked.
We should all take this as a reminder to keep up with our skin checkups and to use our sunscreen as much as possible!