What was it like being diagnosed with skin cancer at a young age?

Living in one of the few deserts in Canada, being diagnosed at a young age has been tough. In Penticton we’ve got two lakes, one on each end of town. We’ve got tons of outdoor activities such as hiking, climbing and golf which people come from all over to experience. The number of times I’ve had to tell friends or family, “no” because I don’t want to be exposed to UV rays for hours at a time is probably in the thousands. I feel like I’ve had to be very careful with choosing when to do the things I love, working around the suns schedule. Although, everyone has become very understanding I still feel like a burden sometimes. Luckily for the people that know me, if I say I’m going to the beach, they know I’ve got a spot with the best shade.

After your cancer journey, what would you want others to know about skin cancer?

Skin cancer doesn’t seem as scary until you have it. It can be super easy to cure if you catch it early. Unfortunately, if it goes undetected it can quickly spread. It’s extremely important to be aware of skin cancer and educate yourself on how to stay vigilant. As I stated earlier, I was fortunate to catch it early. I now get to have my skin checked over every 6 months by a dermatologist. Before my diagnosis I never even thought about skin cancer because I just assumed it only really ever happens later in life. Well, I’m living proof that it can happen at any age. So please educate yourselves on sun safety!

Can you describe your emerging brand and the influence behind it?

Enjoy the Vu is something I’ve wanted to do for years. I’ve ordered tons of UPF clothing but have always found I didn’t like how there weren’t any fun designs and even the way they fit. In a sense a lot of UPF clothing is directed at an older generation. I am starting with long sleeve golf polos, the reason being, I picked up golf last summer. I would wear a white rash guard underneath a bright orange polo. I remember a guy driving up asking if I had lost a bet. Nope just trying to be sun safe! I’ve noticed a huge trend in more vibrant style golf polos but there aren’t any long-sleeve polos out there. I will eventually branch out to other outdoor categories such as hiking, climbing and pretty much anything else outdoors that people want. Also, I will absolutely be doing women’s clothes! At the end of the day, the goal is to spread the importance of sun protection and create the awareness around skin cancer. I’m the living proof for my brand and I don’t think it gets more authentic than that.

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