Meet Laura Anne Page: Alamance County's "Skin Cancer Warrior"

Meet an Alamance County local who is making an international difference spreading awareness about skin cancer.

Check out those Freckles and Moles

Laura Anne Page is an Alamance County local, a senior at The Burlington School, a skin cancer survivor and an advocate for skin cancer awareness.

In November 2020, Laura Anne was 16 and diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, BCC, also known as skin cancer.

BCC is the most common skin cancer, yet extremely rare in children and teens, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

“I want everyone to know that just because it’s rare, doesn’t mean that you can’t get it,” Laura Anne said.

The skin cancer looked like banal freckles or small moles on her chest, near her breastbone.

“I had this mole for as long as I can remember." Laura Anne Page said. "Then it gradually grew bigger and got darker,” she explained. “I knew that changes in a mole were not normal, so I got worried.”

The Page Family would have never considered it was skin cancer until Laura Anne and her mother, Amanda Page, saw two separate dermatologists- who performed biopsies on the moles. Nine days later, Laura Anne was diagnosed with BCC.

"Just think if we had waited six more months," Amanda Page said.

The revelation shocked them both.

"The realization that I had cancer really kicked in that night and I just started to cry," Laura Anne said.

Instead of studying for her physics test (which she went on to ace), Laura Anne began researching skin cancer, leading her down a path of national advocacy for skin cancer awareness as a high schooler.

A month and a half later in January 2021, Laura Anne had surgery to remove the skin cancer and would end up having a total of five biopsies.

"I was very anxious, but at least I got to miss school for the day!" Laura Anne said.

Since her diagnosis, Laura Anne has made a habit of sun protection by using sunscreen, covering up with clothing and wearing a hat and sunglasses when outside.

She also regularly checks her moles by taking photos of her moles and seeing a dermatologist often, something she encourages everyone to do.

"Go to a dermatologist to look at their moles, do your own skin check, do your own research," Laura Anne said.

Healthy Skin Champion

For the Page Family, their battle with skin cancer has led Laura Anne to a newfound passion: advocacy.

"The research part, the media part; It's given her a passion for something that she didn't have before," Amanda Page said. "I've never seen her be more passionate about anything than she has this."

It took Laura Anne a year to feel comfortable enough to tell people about her experience with skin cancer.

"At the beginning, it was kind of hard because I was 16 but not anymore thankfully," Laura Anne said. "I still have the scars, so I see them every day,"

After her experience with skin cancer, Laura Anne wrote about it on her Instagram, which drew the attention of the nationwide Skin Cancer Foundation based in NYC.

The Skin Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit that "empowers people to take a proactive approach to daily sun protection and the early detection and treatment of skin cancer," according to the Skin Cancer Foundation.

"It's a really good feeling but it's also overwhelming," Laura Anne said about becoming an ambassador for the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Today, Laura Anne is 18, has been in remission for two years, and has become one of The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Healthy Skin Champions.

One way Laura Anne champions skin cancer awareness is through social media.

She often shares her experience and resharing skin cancer content on social media to warn other teens about the dangers of skin cancer is an ambassador or "skin cancer warrior" for the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Laura Anne was honored by The Skin Cancer Foundation this year by asking her to write their yearly fundraising letter to thousands of people and supporters.

She also interviewed with an international company, NOTA Mole tracker, to share her experiences and raise awareness.

Laura Anne will graduate high school in spring 2023 and recently committed to Wingate near Charlotte to study communications. She hopes to continue her advocacy through media jobs for an organization that focuses on mental health or skin cancer foundations.

Share on Socials

Check out an interview with Laura Anne and international mole tracking company, NOTA Mole Tracker below.

To read or share Laura Anne's story, visit https://scfredesignpro.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/MyStory.pdf.

Donate to the Skin Cancer Foundation, and share other posts from the Skin Cancer Foundation at https://www.skincancer.org/get-involved/.

This article originally appeared on Times-News: The Skin Cancer Foundation to honor Burlington high school student for advocay