MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - On the eve of Memorial Day weekend, many Minnesotans are gearing up to take advantage of the warmer weather with outdoor activities, such as running, gardening, golfing and grilling. To remind folks to protect themselves while having fun in the sun, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has declared today Don't Fry Day.

Matt Flory, director of health care partnerships for the American Cancer Society of Minnesota (ACS), says Minnesotans can use the phrase "slip, slop, slap and wrap" to remember sun safety.

"We use these quick words to help people remember to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat and wrap on sun glasses, basically to protect their skin against ultraviolet rays by covering up or using suntan lotion, especially SPF 15 or higher."

Skin cancer is very common, but entirely preventable with precautions, according to the ACS. Those who have a family history of skin cancer, plenty of moles or freckles, or a history of severe sunburns early in life are at a higher risk.

Growing up in the Midwest, Mara Mayberry, a survivor of skin cancer, loves every chance she has to get outdoors, but admits that her generation didn't have much awareness of skin cancer.

"There was no such thing as sunscreen back then, and as a red-headed, freckled girl, I had several bad burns along the way, which you recover from and only realize later what impact it has on your skin."

Mayberry had her first run-in with skin cancer in the 1990s with a mole removal. She underwent more serious surgery to remove squamous cell skin cancer in 2004, and says it was a real wake-up call.

"Since that point, I've returned to the dermatologist twice a year for a full body check, and invariably, they find something. So, I've had several treatments to prevent future damage."

Luckily, nothing her doctors have discovered has turned out to be melanoma; the more life-threatening form of skin cancer. But, Mayberry is on a mission to prevent other young women from going through her experience, and touts her new mantra - "porcelain is pretty."

"The impact of skin cancer on your looks far exceeds the beauty of a bronze body. Your skin is the biggest organ of your body and you really have to protect it."

The ACS urges year-round, life-long skin protection. It recommends detecting skin cancer early by recognizing changes in moles and skin growths, and have a physician check out anything that looks unusual.






get more stories like this via email

After more than 50 years of use, some Michigan lawmakers say naloxone may not be the best choice in an overdose situation.

Naloxone is sometimes called the "Lazarus drug" because of its powerful ability to seemingly resurrect people after a drug overdose.

Sen. Kevin Hertel, D-St. Clair Shores, and some of his colleagues have introduced a bill which would open the door for what they say are more costly, but more powerful, antidotes.

"Given the prevalence of fentanyl in our communities, and how much stronger some of these drugs that we're now seeing are, we believe -- and in talking with others -- that there should be other tools to respond to an overdose," Hertel explained. "To make sure we're doing everything we can to save somebody's life."

Not everyone is on board with the proposed legislation, Senate Bill 542. Opponents argued the more expensive naloxone alternatives are not necessary, and using them would only increase profits for the pharmaceutical industry.

Jonathan Stoltman, director of the Opioid Policy Institute in Grand Rapids, said while the naloxone alternatives do help in overdose situations, they can also cause nasty side effects.

"The newer approaches, they put people into more severe withdrawal," Stoltman pointed out. "That's a pretty profound negative side effect. The one approach is very inexpensive and works great; the other approach is far more expensive and has this strong negative side effect."

Sponsors of the bill say they're hoping to give Michigan residents a chance to chime in on the issue in a public hearing sometime in June. Michigan saw more than 3,000 opioid overdose deaths in 2021.


get more stories like this via email

New Mexico saw record enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act this year and is now setting its sights on lowering out-of-pocket costs - those not reimbursed by insurance. More than 56,000 New Mexicans are enrolled in a medical health insurance plan on the state exchange - an increase of 12,000 people overall.

Colin Baillio, deputy superintendent with the state's Office of Insurance, said the state has boosted its outreach and made efforts to improve the overall consumer experience.

"We saw a 40% year-over-year increase, and New Mexico saw the biggest percentage increase during the open-enrollment period among all of the state-based marketplaces," he explained

Part of the enrollment increase is due to what's called the "unwinding" - a federal directive that required all states to redetermine Medicaid eligibility following a three-year pause on checks during the COVID pandemic. He said by using expanded tools made available by the federal and state government, 8% of New Mexico's population is now uninsured - down from 23% in 2010.

Following approval by lawmakers in the 2024 legislative session, the New Mexico governor signed seven health care-related bills into law - one of which requires annual reporting of prescription drug pricing. Baililo said the Affordable Care Act built the foundation that has allowed the state to pursue additional affordability initiatives.

"I'm really glad to see that there's so much interest in the next step of health reform, really leaning into these out-of-pocket cost issues and making it easier for people to afford to stay covered and see their doctors," he continued.

Two years ago, the state also passed a one-of-a-kind law that did away with behavioral health co-pays for people in certain insurance plans.

New York's medical aid-in-dying bill is gaining further support. The Medical Society of the State of New York is supporting the bill. New York's bill allows terminally ill people with only six months to live to use this option, with safeguards requiring two physicians' approval.

The bill's Assembly sponsor Amy Paulin, D-Westchester, said despite the growing support, other hurdles lie ahead.

"Now we have what I believe, if it came to the floor, a majority. There's still a hesitation on the part of leadership. You know, we need members to assure leadership that they no longer have reservations," she said.

Other newly resolved concerns center on making sure insurance companies and doctors who don't support this aren't held liable. She's optimistic the bill will pass after nine years in the Legislature. New York would be the 11th state along with Washington, D.C. to have medical aid in dying legislation.

Corinne Carey, senior New York campaign director with Compassion and Choices finds the pandemic drew a vivid picture of a person's end-of-life experience. There were images of people dying on ventilators, apart from loved ones, and unable to communicate. She said people began thinking about a "good death."

"And, what is a good death is being surrounded by loved ones, having some measure of control, experiencing the touch of your loved ones, and being the one in the driver's seat," she explained.

Now people have different options for end-of-life care, each of which presents various challenges. Polls show medical aid in dying has garnered considerable support since being introduced in 2015. A 2022 Compassion and Choices poll finds 57% of nurses support medical aid in dying professionally, although fewer support it personally.