Boston Strong! David Bloom's Legacy to be Honored in Historic Race

As many of you know, I am a native Rhode Islander and spent the first 27 years of my life running in New England. The Boston marathon has always been a very special race for my family and me. My brother and I first qualified and ran the race together in 2002, finishing holding hands. It is sacred ground to us. On this historic one year anniversary of the bombing that shook the city of Boston to it’s core, and also violated the Mecca of all distance runners; I implore you to reflect and honor those that we have lost and move together into the future honoring their memories. We need to support each other in these trying times. The only way to counter violence is with love and solidarity!

I am running Boston again this year to uplift the memory of my dear friend and colleague, David Bloom. I will carry his picture for 26.2 miles symbolizing how many times he had carried me in years we were together. Together we have raised more than $12,000 for melanoma education in hope to make a small difference in this fight. Melanoma claimed Dave’s life much too soon, but his memory, spirit and legacy live on in all that he touched.

When I toe the starting line next Monday, I will not be alone. 37,000 runners will be physically with me, but countless others will be with us in spirit and soul. Boston Strong! I can only hope to run well and to live up to Dave’s amazing legacy during the race, but I know if I falter he is still there to lift me up and help me persevere, as he always did.

If you are new to this story, here is an update:

In December 2012, I lost my cherished friend, and FAANT lost a phenomenal physical therapy partner, when David Bloom lost his battle with melanoma. It is an understatement to say that David was a terrific clinical partner in the practice for more than 10 years. He touched the lives of thousands of athletes and helped them reach their goals on a physical, and many times, a spiritual level. David was also a compassionate, loving friend; a supportive husband and an amazing father of 5 boys.  He was a community leader and a beacon of God’s love in all the groups he was involved with. Even in his darkest hours you could see his faith burning brightly while he bravely fought his cancer. David left us way too young and his loss is deeply felt by all that knew him.  

On the one-year anniversary of his passing, I was searching for a way to celebrate his life and work, while trying to make a difference in the fight against skin cancers that affect so many young vibrant people like David.

After much prayer, I feel led to run the 2014 Boston Marathon to honor David and raise money for melanoma awareness and research.  David helped me through a nagging injury so I could run my first Boston Marathon in 2002, with my little brother Rob. I will remember that day and his support forever.

 I felt this tribute to his life and work will help the FAANT family celebrate his life, and feel like we have made a difference in fighting this terrible cancer that touches so many. Join me in the fight against melanoma by donating to the cause. I will personally match every single donation to double their effectiveness. Our goal is to raise $15,000 in the name of David Bloom. 

For more information about the cause or to make a donation, click here.

Myths Vs. Facts About Skin Cancer

Skin Cancer Myths vs. Facts

MYTH #1: 80% of a person’s lifetime exposure to the sun happens before the age of 18, so after that age it really doesn't matter how much sun I get!

                FACT: Only 23% of lifetime sun exposure occurs by age 18. You can and should help prevent sun damage at every age!

MYTH #2: Tanning at a tanning salon is safer than tanning outdoors because it is a controlled dose of radiation.

                FACT: When compared to those that have never tanned indoors, indoor tanners have a higher risk of all kinds of skin cancer. A controlled doe of tanning lamp radiation is a high dose. Frequent tanners using new high pressure sun lamps may receive as much as 12 times the annual UVA dose they received from sun exposure.

MYTH #3: The sun is the best way to get Vitamin D

                FACT: Our bodies can produce Vitamin D following exposure to the Sun’s UVB radiation. However, after a limited amount of sun exposure (5 min daily in NYC at noon in the summer), Vitamin D production reaches its maximum. Further UV exposure will actually breakdown Vitamin D to inactive compounds. Furthermore, sun exposure does increase your risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging. The safest way to get Vit D is through diet and supplements!

More Myths to be busted next blog!!!!

Can’t wait for more info? These Myths vs. Facts were provided by www.skincancer.org

Dr Marybeth Crane is running the 2014 Boston Marathon to celebrate the life of David Bloom and raise money for the Melanoma Foundation. To learn more about this important cause click here.

Sun Safety is Important: Even in the Winter!

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types of skin cancer—basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas—are highly curable. However, melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more dangerous. About 65%–90% of melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.

For more information about skin cancer risks, go to http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/index.htm  

The FDA published new regulations about sunscreen in 2012 to protect consumers. Do you know how to read your sunscreen bottle?

Sun Safety Tips!

Spending time in the sun increases the risk of skin cancer and early skin aging.  These tips are even important in the winter months when people get lazy about sun exposure; especially runners and triathletes!

To reduce this risk, consumers should regularly use sun protection measures including:

•    Use sunscreens with broad spectrum SPF values of 15 or higher regularly and as directed.

•    Limit time in the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun’s rays are most intense.

•    Wear clothing to cover skin exposed to the sun; for example, long-sleeved shirts, pants, sunglasses, and broad-brimmed hats.

•    Reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours, more often if you’re heavily sweating or jumping in and out of the water.

Save your skin! (And maybe your life) with these tips!

Dr. Crane is running the 2014 Boston Marathon in honor of David Bloom, a beloved physical therapy partner of FAANT to raise money for melanoma awareness. For more information or to donate to the cause click here. Dr. Crane is personally matching dollar for dollar your donations. No amount is too small to make a difference!

Oral Sunscreen? Try Heliocare to Decrease the Burn!

I just got back from a fabulous vacation over Thanksgiving in Turks and Caicos. Amazingly I came back slightly tan, but no sunburn this time! Liberal use of 50 SPF sunblock and daily dose of Heliocare definitely made all the difference. I lost a very close friend to melanoma last year and this woke me up to the dangers we face everyday in Texas due to significant sun exposure. My dermatologist friend, Dr. Angela Bowers, introduced me to Heliocare and I really think it made the difference.

Runners are notoriuous for getting patchy sunburns. Even if you remember to slather on the sunscreen, you somehow managed to miss your nose? Or the back of your hand? Or the back of your calf? You're not the only one. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, most people apply less than half of the optimal amount of sunscreen, a habit that adds up to a lot of burned patches and uncomfortable rides home from races. The ahi tuna look the day after a marathon is just not good!

If you don't completely trust your sunscreen skills, you might be interested in Heliocare, a supplement that promises sun protection in a pill. Each Heliocare capsule contains 240 milligrams of an extract of Polypodium leucotomos, a tropical fern rich in antioxidant compounds such as caffeic acid and ferulic acid.

Here is some info I took from their website:

Users are instructed to take one capsule every day with water or juice. Two capsules are recommended before heavy exposure to the sun. I took two a day on vacation.

The claims

The company website says Heliocare is an "all natural oral antioxidant which helps protect against UV ray damage and aging." The fine print clarifies that "it is not a sunscreen and should be used in addition to topical skin protection."

The bottom line

No supplement could ever replace the need for sunscreen, but the idea of sun protection in a pill isn't as far-fetched as it may sound., says Dr. John Murray, a professor of medicine in the dermatology department at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C.

As Murray explains, sun damage is an oxidative process. UV rays can trigger the release of harmful compoundsknown as free radicals, and antioxidants can help protect the skin by mopping up the free radicals before they have a chance to cause mischief. In fact, Murray says, plants contain antioxidants largely to protect themselves from harmful rays.

But taking a pill isn't necessarily the best way to harness the protective power of antioxidants, Murray says. Instead, antioxidants are likely to be more effective if they are applied directly to the skin: In 2008, Murray and colleagues published a study showing that a topical ointment containing antioxidant vitamins C and E helped prevent both visible sunburn and the type of DNA damage that can raise the risk of skin cancer.

"Ingesting a pill doesn't mean that the antioxidants will actually reach the skin," Murray says. For example, you can protect your skin somewhat by taking vitamin E and vitamin C supplements, but "the effect isn't going to be as great as [topical] vitamins E and C."

Murray doesn't recommend any particular product. However, some sunscreens, including Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock Lotion and Soleil Expert Sun Care, do contain antioxidant vitamins.

There is solid evidence from the lab and human trials that extracts of Polypodium leucotomos -- Heliocare's active ingredient -- can offer at least some sun protection, says Dr. Salvador Gonzalez, a dermatology researcher at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City who has co-authored at least 17 studies on the plant.

For example, he co-wrote a study published earlier this year that found that a Polypodium leucotomos extract blocked skin-damaging enzymes and helped build up collagen in human skin samples exposed to UV rays. Gonzalez is a paid consultant for Industrial Farmaceutica Cantabria S.A., the Madrid-based parent company behind Heliocare.

"It's important to keep in mind that Heliocare is not a magic bullet against sunburn," Gonzalez says. He estimates that the supplement provides a sun protection factor of 3, which would put it roughly on par with a weak sunscreen. It's certainly not enough to completely prevent sunburn, he adds, but any burns would be slower to develop and less severe.

Oral sunscreen sounded far-fetched to me, but I definitely noted a difference. Reminder: This is not an alternative to sunscreen, just some additive protection!

Dr. Crane is running the Boston Marathon in honor of David Bloom, a beloved physical therapy partner of FAANT to raise money for melanoma research and awareness. For more info or to donate to the cause click here. Dr. Crane is personally matching dollar for dollar your donations! No amount is too small to make a difference!

MyRunDoc Running Boston Marathon in Tribute to a Friend!

I have dedicated the 2014 Boston Marathon to the memory of David Bloom, my long-time physical therapy partner at Restoration Physical Therapy. See the whole story on my fundraising page for the Melanoma Foundation of New England.


Fundraising Websites - Crowdrise