I want to begin this post by saying that if I endorse a product on my site it means; I own it, love it, buy it as a gift for others, and I want you to love it too. I do not promote products very often, but when I do, consider me a believer.
A few weeks back I wrote a post about swim shirts. My kids have been wearing them for several years, and I believe all kids should be wearing them when they are in the pool, at the beach, or running around in the front yard sprinkler. One million people will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year, and every hour one person dies from skin cancer. Over 90% of skin cancer is caused by sun exposure. I have always known that skin cancer is dangerous ( I grew up in Florida), but I never really thought about how deadly it really is, until I met Rhonda.
Rhonda’s husband Darren was your typical outdoor guy. He loved to surf and snowboard and of course had many sunburns throughout his childhood. In 1996 Darren was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Darren stayed positive and lively for his three young boys, Ethan, Seth and Caleb and never gave up hope during his long five-year battle with the disease. On September 14, 2001, Darren lost his battle with cancer, at the age of 32.
Rhonda decided to take action with the hope of preventing another family from having to live through this type of tragedy. She started the Darren Lee Farwell Foundation on December 1st, 2001 to help fulfill Darren’s legacy. The Foundation was created to raise general public awareness of the ever-growing dangers of UV radiation from the sun; to educate children and adults as to how to protect themselves from over-exposure by using sunscreens, hats and UV protective clothing; and to facilitate early detection of skin disease by teaching people to be aware of their bodies and to look for the warning signs of skin cancer development.
After starting the Foundation Rhonda made a trip to Hawaii, and brought back some rash guard shirts for her boys. These shirts became so popular, but so hard to find, that Rhonda decided to start UV Skinz a company that sells swim shirts, shorts, hats and other accessories.
There are so many things I admire about Rhonda. When she was hit with a terrible tragedy, she made the best of a bad situation. Instead of looking back she set her gaze forward. Although I am sure she has had her moments, she has made it her mission to keep this from happening to others.
Her website is incredibly informative about why swim shirts are better than sun screen, and believe me as a long time user they are, facts about skin cancer, and her products are cute to boot. This month in honor of Darren’s birthday they are giving away A FREE SWIM SHIRT with any purchase for the entire month of June.
When my oldest son was little he had a severe reaction to sun screen. Every time we applied sunscreen his face would swell up and he would break out in hives. This kept us from taking him in the pool, except in the evening, for the first few years of his life. Thankfully he outgrew this allergy, but if we had known about swim shirts 12 years ago, things would have been a lot different.
I have been buying swim shirts for my kids for the past 5 years. I have purchased from many different companies including Target, Old Navy, Lands End, LL Bean, and local surf shops. The UV Skinz shirts blow away the competition. The sleeves are a little longer than most, for extra sun protection, and the fit is just right, not as tight as rash guard t’s but not so loose as to inhibit swimming. My son loves his UV Skinz shirt and wears it as often as he can, even if we are not going to the pool. In fact, tonight he is even sleeping in his shirt.
I would encourage you to check out Rhonda’s site UV Skinz. Skin cancer is 100% preventable if caught early! Protecting your skin during the first 18 years of life can reduce the risk of some types of skin cancer by up to 78%.
Your kids will thank you for it.
