Johnny Bench’s Skin Cancer Story: Why We All Need to Wear Sunscreen

Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench is ranked by many as the greatest catcher of all time.

During his illustrious career with the Cincinnati Reds, he spent years on the field in the sun. Eventually, the prolonged sun exposure caught up to him.

Ten years ago, Johnny Bench was diagnosed with Nonmelanoma skin cancer.

“I had some blisters under my eyelids, which I ignored, until someone told me to see a dermatologist. Once I went, I found out I had BCC: Basal Cell Carcinoma. Luckily, I got the blisters removed and have been great ever since.”

Johnny Bench

Nonmelanoma skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. Researchers say 1 in 5 Americans will develop this kind of skin cancer.

The majority of people who develop this type of skin cancer are fair-skinned, blonde-haired, blue-eyed people with a long history of sun exposure.

Some individuals are at risk of developing an advanced type of Non-melanoma skin cancer, generally men over 65 years old.

Dr. Ariel Ostad, Board-Certified Dermatologist, says these are some common skin cancer signs you can look for:

1. Any persistent lesion that may resemble a wart, pimple, blister or mole.
2. Any lesion that may be getting bigger or changing color.
3. A lesion that is bleeding or itchy.

These are all signs of skin cancer and should raise your suspicion.

When in doubt, catch these things early by visiting your doctor for a skin examination.

Today, Johnny is cancer-free and a vocal champion for efforts to Get Real About Skin Cancer.

It’s the website everyone should be going to: letsgetrealaboutskincancer.com

This website gives you all the information about what doctors are seeing everyday. 3.3 million people had skin cancer, but 95% of all Nonmelanoma cancers are treatable.

It’s a beautiful message about how easy it is to prevent this cancer, especially when you are careful from a young age.

Take it from Dr. Ostad and Hall of Famer Johnny Bench, make sure to use plenty of sunscreen while enjoying these summer activities.