Kelsey Reilly is a well known a student athlete at Stonehill College. This year alone, Kelsey has received multiple academic awards, such as the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and theNE-10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll. Last year, she was selected as a first team All-American. If that isn’t enough, Kelsey also serves as the lacrosse team’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative. Despite her busy schedule, Kelsey has managed to find time to fight a cause she cares deeply about. This year Kelsey has encouraged her fellow students to sign a no tanning pledge.
Major: Psychology
Year of Graduation: 2013
What prompted you to reach out to your fellow students to take part in the no tanning pledge?
I wanted tomake everyone more aware about melanoma and hopefully to reduce the amount of sun intake, or even prevent people from tanning at all. Watching my Dad go through many surgeries and treatment was not easy, and I would not want this to happen to anyone if they could help prevent it.
How has the overall response to the no tanning pledge been?
The overall response was very surprising. As of right now, 142 students have taken part which is a lot more than I had expected. I am very happy that students have signed the pledge.
Do you think that people need to be more informed on the harms of tanning? Or do you think people know the risks, but do it anyway?
I think that people do know the risks about tanning, but to a certain extent. Everyone knows that it’s not good for you and could cause skin cancer later in life. By sending out this pledge with actual statistics, I think it made people more aware put into perspective the risks of tanning.
What do you want to say to people who cannot quit tanning?
To people who cannot quit tanning, I would just say that you know what you are doing to yourself by tanning. From a personal experience of watching my Dad, it really is not easy to go through. We can all help prevent ourselves from melanoma, and your life should mean a lot more to you then having color and looking tan.
Sign the no tanning pledge!
http://www.mfne.org/ysii/skinpledgeformc.php
Photo courtesy of Stonehillskyhawks.com