Gratitude Series | Katie King
Colorescience Gratitude Series
Living in gratitude is a simple, succinct yet very powerful guide to knowing how to treat your fellow woman (and man!). In that spirit, we’d like to share some special stories as a way of expressing gratitude for the elegance, beauty and yes, ephemerality of life.
My name is Celeste and am a writer and designer living in New York City. I was given the opportunity to meet three amazing women, in and around the Colorescience family. The common thread is that each woman has ‘experienced’ Melanoma in her life. Each story is meant to enlighten, embolden, educate and inspire.
Today, we meet Katie King, who works at Colorescience in Carlsbad, California. She works closely with doctor offices and other accounts and believes that joining Colorescience has, quite literally, brought her life full circle. Here’s why...
Celeste: Tell us about your experience with Melanoma
Katie: My mom was diagnosed with Melanoma at 18 and struggled with it until it took her life at 42. When we see childhood pictures of her, she was the most carefree, happy-go-lucky girl and really had what looked like the perfect childhood .. she lived and breathed the great outdoors every single day.
Celeste: We’re so sorry to hear this.. Would you share with us more about her?
Katie: I used to read her diaries. She was a 10th-generation San Diego girl, and really lived the classic California lifestyle. The diaries show that just about every day, she was really happy .. she was going to the pool or hanging at the beach. But .. there was no mention of sunscreen anywhere …
Celeste: Did she have siblings? What happened with them?
Katie: She was light haired and fair skinned unlike her two brothers, who were of darker tones, and never were diagnosed with Melanoma. There is family history - my mom’s grandmother died of it at 38 but my mom’s mom never got it. It’s said that Melanoma can skip generations but I can’t use that as an excuse for myself.
Celeste: How did you grow up, as the 11th generation San Diegan?
Katie: So with us, my mom was rigorous about sunscreen and wearing special clothing. Even so, I get checked frequently (every 3- 6 months) because we know in our family, that most skin cancers are treatable but only if caught early. I have had over 10 moles removed, and thankfully none have been classified as pre-cancerous.
You have to be conscious about your body and get properly checked at a minimum of once a year.
Celeste: Tell us about your life working at Colorescience? (Katie is a Business Partner Relations Rep for Colorescience covering the South and Central U.S.)
Katie: This is where I am supposed to be. I truly believe that I was meant to come here. The product is modern, innovative and different. Because I grew up in a situation where skin cancer was so real, it has been eye-opening to find out that most people hardly think about it. I enjoy working with doctor’s offices and spas and sharing how our unique makeup with built-in sun protection is easy to use. I love knowing I am making a difference in people’s lives.
Celeste: Which Sunforgettable product do you use?
Katie: I have blonde hair, blue eyes and oily skin and it was always a struggle to wear sunscreen. I used to use spray Neutrogena but it’s messy and thick, and I was always thinking ‘Ugh… I don’t feel like doing this’. Now, I use Sunforgettable Mineral Sunscreen Brush SPF 50 and the Sunforgettable Lip Shine SPF35. The brush is super sheer, clean and evens out my skin tone, and the lip gloss is the only one on the market with an SPF 35 so I love it. They are both my daily must-have sun protection.
Celeste: Tell me, what are you grateful for this year?
Katie: I am grateful for new beginnings, fresh starts and always knowing that there is new chapter coming my way.
Celeste: That’s so great. We should all be grateful for new beginnings. Is there anything you think about when you think about the nature of GRATITUDE?
Katie: Very much. I think about what I learned from my mom. She taught me to forgive, count your blessings and to be thankful every day.
Celeste: Thank you so much for your time today. Tell me, how will you celebrate Thanksgiving 2015 ?
Katie: I will be at my Dad’s house .. we always have a big family dinner. My stepmom is a wonderful cook and is preparing an amazing Thanksgiving meal.
I trust you have learned a little something – and dare I say it directly – and feel a bit more grateful for what and whom you have in your life.
Please consider sharing this with friends and family near and far, neighbors and colleagues. As Katie points out, most people really don’t think about sun protection and Melanoma, or if they do, it’s oftentimes only in high summer or on holiday. But the truth is that sun protection is a year-round need, and timely detection matters for every one of us.
In fact, why not share Katie’s story on Facebook or your own blog? You would be surprised at how the right story at the right time can create GOOD in the WORLD. For further information on skin cancer, please refer to the SkinCancer.org or click here to find one of our partner dermatologists near you.