Skin cancer and prevalence of it, is a topic in which I am extremely interested in. When asked to find an article that is related to the Spanish culture, I knew instantly that this was where I wanted to start. Since the age of 17, I knew that I wanted to help people with skin conditions and during that same year I visited ten different cities in Spain. While there, I took great notice in the amount of sunbathing and time spent outdoors. The Spanish people are, in large part, extremely active and healthy in their lifestyles but it does seem that there is a lack in skin care protection in regard to sun exposure.
This article is a perfect illustration of my point and idea for the first entry. The opening statement of the article explains the slow process of “waking Spaniards up” to the awareness of sun protection. As I noticed while visiting the country, it also brings to point the variance in their motives for using a lotion with SPF compared to a very fair skinned person who would use it. Most residents have only the intention of getting that deep, dark tan, instead of using the sunscreen to prevent sun damage. Because of the mindset of a preferred tan rather than protected skin, many children of the country are exposed to harsh UV rays at too early of an age, therefore increasing greatly their chances for developing potentially deadly skin cancers, such as melanoma. The parents want to protect their children but aren’t necessarily sure how. The article directly addresses this issue and brings to light the development of clothing with SPF for children. SolKids is a company developed by a couple who moved from Australia to Granada, and know all-too-well the importance of sunscreen and related products.
I felt like this article was directly relevant to me and my interests and also coincides with Spanish culture. I am choosing to minor in Spanish to help reach out to people and spread the awareness of protecting your skin. Many Spanish speaking countries are very close to the equator and the risk for skin damage from harsh UV rays is very high. The culture of the people of Spain, as mentioned earlier, is to spend quality time with friends and family outdoors. This even includes sitting outdoors for meals at home and restaurants. The goal is to not change them culturally but to keep the people healthy so that they can enjoy these activities for much longer.
