Companies help keep girl safe from the sun
The 11 years that followed have brought variations on the same theme tons of sunscreen and long-sleeved shirts, the inevitable severe sunburn, doctors saying be more careful and a search for someone who could explain why it happens.
Last April, Steve and Kittie Tenney, of Highland, finally found that someone in Dr. Cheryl Lee Eberting, a dermatologist who looked at a persistent sore on the girl's nose and another on her cheek and said, "it's skin cancer." Followed a couple of days later by word that Lizzie, now 12, has a rare genetic condition called xeroderma pigmentosum, or XP. Her DNA lacks something that would let it fix damage caused by ultraviolet light, which leads to skin cancer. And unless her family can limit that UV damage, she is likely to die of malignant melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma.
Wednesday, an Alpine business owner and his wife joined the battle to protect the girl from the sun.
Another company, Rocky Mountain Tinting, plans to tint the windows of the family car.
The condition is very serious, even deadly, over time. It can cause blindness. Through the support group, the Tenneys met families that had had as many as 700 surgeries to remove skin cancers. Already, Lizzie has had two such surgeries. But if she can limit the UV exposure and damage, life can be full and long, Kittie Tenney said.
The Tenneys have eight children, and it's unusual that among so many, only their baby has the disease, she said. But they're all, Lizzie included, relieved to have a diagnosis and a plan.
The girl is a student at Renaissance Academy, where she's involved in choir and theater. She's in the school play, loves to play with Webkinz and hang out with her best friend and walk the family dog when the sun goes down.
More information is online at www.xpfamilysupport.org. Besides helping families like the Tenneys arrange window film and providing a UV meter, the support group also sends doctors to Guatemala to provide skin cancer removal surgeries, according to Michele Milota.
E-mail: lois@desnews.com
Recent comments
What a great company. My fathers company did this for years for...
Metro Jim | Nov. 28, 2008 at 7:46 p.m.
My name is Kitty Tenney and I wish you, Kittie Tenney, and your sweet...
Kitty Tenney | Nov. 17, 2008 at 3:36 p.m.
I am so proud of Jim and Prov Hall for volunteering and helping this...
Pattie | Nov. 17, 2008 at 3:26 p.m.
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