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November 29, 2011
BehindTheMedspeak: Heather Staker — featured in Sunday's New York Times Magazine — has a malignant melanoma*
Above, detail from page 6 of this past Sunday's New York Times Magazine.
The caption for the photo: "Heather Staker's tattoo honors her twin sister, who was murdered 19 years ago. Lawyers for the man convicted of Holly's murder say recent DNA evidence exonerates him."
The story by Andrew Martin begins on page 44.
But what got my attention long before I turned to the story was the pigmented lesion at the base of Ms. Staker's neck, below the tattoo:
It has all four of the cardinal danger signs of a malignant melanoma:
I will forward this post to the author of the story as well as the magazine's editors in an effort to encourage them to have Ms. Staker see a dermatologist as soon as possible.
*Until proven otherwise.
.........................
Note added at 2:07 p.m. Wednesday, November 30: The author of the Times story has pulled out all the stops in an attempt to contact Ms. Staker and get her to see a doctor. She lives in downtown Waukegan, Illinois, according to the article. If anyone there happens to read this and knows her or anyone she knows, please ask her to visit a physician: it could save her life.
November 29, 2011 at 10:01 AM | Permalink
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Comments
I'm no expert, but I thought everyone knew those signs (no offense Joe).
If that's the case, is the photographer or copy editor subject to a good Samaritan law for not spotting this?
Posted by: Dave Tufte | Dec 5, 2011 8:35:03 PM
Hooray for you for caring enough to try to get in touch with her to let her know. I must see my derm every 6 months for the rest of my life because of the high incidence of melanoma in my family. I have suspicious spots removed at least twice a year. Thank you for caring enough to try to save someone's life!
Posted by: Katherine @ Grass Stains | Dec 3, 2011 3:06:20 PM
Joe, keep us informed.
Posted by: rob | Nov 30, 2011 11:29:16 AM
I hope she googles her name and sees this, then gets an accurate diagnosis and treatment. And, ASAP
Posted by: Matt Penning | Nov 29, 2011 11:25:24 PM
Good catch, Joe! (I saw the picture, and now I can't believe I noticed the pink hair instead.)
Posted by: Alex | Nov 29, 2011 9:42:59 PM
A lesser blogging anesthesiologist might have thought, "Hmm, this must be an asymmetric, irregularly-bordered, larger than a pencil in diameter, variously colored but mostly brown tattoo."
Posted by: Charles E Flynn | Nov 29, 2011 7:42:53 PM
Another reason I am proud to be one among your host of readers. One hopes all MDs possess a concern for care and a bias for action that equals what several of your topics demonstrate is obviously your own. Well done!
Posted by: Juan Caruso | Nov 29, 2011 4:39:02 PM
Good job joe, but remember the scene from "Uncle Buck" and the Principle.
Posted by: Matt | Nov 29, 2011 3:42:08 PM
Good eye, Joe. And good on ya' for passing on your post.
I hope the folks get in touch with her and she checks it out, ASAP!
Posted by: terrence | Nov 29, 2011 1:50:07 PM
I don't know her, I hope it isn't true - but good on you Joe.
Posted by: yogahz | Nov 29, 2011 10:27:26 AM
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