Billings Patient Warns 6 Million Americans Face Skin Cancer Each Year After 30 Years Umpiring
Updated
Updated · Q2 News · May 28
Billings Patient Warns 6 Million Americans Face Skin Cancer Each Year After 30 Years Umpiring
2 articles · Updated · Q2 News · May 28
Summary
Jeff Walters, treated on and off for skin cancer since 2008, said 30 years umpiring 75 to 100 baseball games a season left him exposed to damaging sun without regular sunscreen reapplication.
Mohs surgery removed enough tissue from his lip to leave a thumb-sized hole, and he now manages the disease with ongoing topical treatments and routine checkups.
Blair Heidema, Walters' daughter and Billings Clinic's dermatology manager, said preventive monitoring likely spared him additional surgeries by catching problems before they worsened.
Mark Jones, a Billings Clinic Mohs surgeon who treats 800 to 1,000 skin-cancer patients a year, urged hats, long sleeves, sunscreen and UV-protective clothing.
CDC data cited in the report show 6 million people in the U.S. are treated for skin cancer annually, and Jones said one prior skin cancer brings a 50% chance of another within five years.