After former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres, 45, announced she’s hoping her treatment for metastatic melanoma will soon come to a close, she’s sharing the gratitude she has for everyone whose helped her through her disease.
“Thank you all for your prayers, for not letting go and sending me your good wishes!” she wrote in a recent Instagram post, before thanking her mother, children, and fellow Puerto Rican actress and Miss Universe Joyce Giraud for their support during this difficult time.
Read MoreIn the post, she also used hashtags related to melanoma awareness. “Educate yourself TODAY for a safer tomorrow,” she wrote, using hashtags like “#CancerAwareness,” “#Melanoma” and “#iGotThis.”
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The post is keeping with Torres’ larger effort to help others becoming a face for melanoma awareness. In a recent interview with Hola! USA, she said that the primary reason she’s gone public with her disease is to help others who may be at risk, "The reason why I decided to open up and share the process I was going through was that it all took me by surprise. … [I] didn't know it could be so dangerous."
Early Detection for Skin Cancer
As Torres mentioned in a recent post, skin checks are something you can do at home in front your mirror, and they can play a crucial role in early detection.
In a previous interview, Dr. Cecilia Larocca, a dermatologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, told SurvivorNet that she recommends people do a skin check once every month and look for any abnormal moles or markings using the ABCDE method.
The ABCDE method, Dr. Larocca told SurvivorNet, can help people identify if they have any new moles, any moles that are changing color or shape, or any skin markings that are becoming itchy or painful — all of which may be early indicators of melanoma. However, Dr. Larocca also pointed out that having an atypical mole doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer — but it is something to get checked out by a dermatologist.
Torres’ Melanoma Journey
Torres first announced she had cancer in an Instagram video recorded in Spanish in February, 2019.
RELATED: Dayanara Torres, Looking Relaxed and Happy, Updates Fans on Her Metastatic Melanoma
This December, Torres updated her fans with a video of herself in the hospital, looking relaxed and happy as she shares that she has had two surgeries.
"Gracias Dr. Hamid & the whole staff at #TheAngelesClinicAndResearchInstitute for your incredible Love & Support, always making me feel loved like family… I know I'm in the best hands," she wrote.
Torres and ex-husband singer Marc Anthony share two teenaged sons named Christian and Ryan. Torres told Hola! USA that she worries about them more than herself. "I know I will be fine, but when the night comes and you go to bed, you think about your children and that uncertainty is so strong."
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