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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 4, 2015 | 42 Oakville man Tees Off for Melanoma Awareness by Bob Mitchell Oakville Beaver Staff Health "Connected to your Community" It might seem a bit odd that the Melanoma Network of Canada is using a golf tournament to raise funds to help fight a potentially deadly sunexposure disease. "Some of my friends wondered if it wouldn't be better to do something indoors like bowling, but that's exactly the point...," said Don Fernald, 57, of Oakville, who was diagnosed with melanoma in 2007 after initially thinking a mark on his right forearm was just a pesky mosquito bite that wouldn't go away. "You can still enjoy the outdoors, but be smart about it. It's about sun awareness and sun safety. You don't have to be paranoid about staying out of the sunlight," he said. The fourth Tee Off for Melanoma Aware- ness golf tournament was held on May 21 at Oakville's Glen Abbey Golf Club. More than $220,000 has been raised from this effort, according to officials. "It's the first time I've felt well enough to play instead of waiting for everybody to finish and meet them for lunch," said Fernald, a retired marketing executive, who has been working with Melanoma Network of Canada to spread awareness. "This time I'll be out there whacking the balls with all the other hackers," he said before the tournament. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. In fact, one person dies every hour from melanoma in North America. The leading cause is overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sun or artificial sources, such as tanning beds. More common in males than females, it's esOakville resident Don Fernando is a survivor of melanoma and recently spoke to the Oakville Beaver about his experience with the skin cancer in an effort to spread awareness and dispel myths. | photo by Eric Riehl ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or www.facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) Why Do Oakville Families Trust Us with All Their Dental Needs? CosmetiC & Family Dentistry · implants invisalign · Dentures... From start to Finish! CROWN/DENTURE REPAIRS & RELINES, WHILE YOU WAIT Mon. - Fri. 9am - 6pm Saturday 9am - 1pm seniors DisCount Free Consultations New patients & ChilDren welcoMe OAKVILLE'S ONLY DENTAL OFFICE WITH A LAB ON PREMISES 2274 Lakeshore Rd. W. (at East Street) Oakville 905-827-2066 · www.brontedentist.com Dr. Michael Vo d.m.d · Kim Chung d.d. timated one in 59 Canadian men will develop melanoma in their lifetime and one in 290 will die from it. Fernald finally had the `bite' examined by a specialist after he and his wife Danielle returned from spending their 30th anniversary in Europe. It was melanoma, but fortunately it hadn't spread and was surgically removed. "I thought, well, it could have been worse, but I'm 50 and that's my experience with cancer," Fernald said. But then, in 2011, he discovered several lumps under the skin near his right elbow. They were removed with no signs of the cancer spreading into his blood system or organs. When more pebble-sized lumps were discovered in March 2012, further tests indicated this time it had spread to his lungs. He was put on a clinical trial of a new drug (Zelboraf) that specifically targeted this type of melanoma. The results were remarkable. Within a month his cancer was reduced by 80 per cent. It eventually disappeared. Fernald spent nearly two years on the medication until his doctor took him off it in 2014. Of course, there were side effects. see Fernald on p.43 Isn't It About Time For A Hearing Test??? Come And Visit An Independent, Caring Family Hearing Aid Clinic All Services, Sales, Hearing Tests, Programming, Repairs, Batteries, Home Visits Jennifer Nolan Wendy Caswell Latest in technology, models and styles, blue tooth and accessories. Price ranges from $500.00 to elite levels. Over 25 y of know ears l e and exp dge erience. Lakeshore H E A R I N G Paramedical S E R V I C E S Established Since 1979 lakeshoreparamedical.com 113 JONES STREET, OAKVILLE, ON · 905-827-2902