Melanoma Monday, a reminder to get that mole checked

Melanoma Monday is the first Monday of National Melanoma Awareness Month, and with it, comes a reminder to prioritize your skin health.

Melanoma Monday is the first Monday of National Melanoma Awareness Month, and with it, comes a reminder to prioritize your skin health. Near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Caitlin Jones, a 30-year-old physician's assistant in Ohio, noticed a suspicious-looking mole on her scalp. Like many patients, she was concerned about going for an in-person appointment. But with some urging by her husband, she saw a dermatologist -- and was diagnosed with melanoma. Now, she has had surgery and is melanoma-free, and is grateful she sought medical care. "I thought, this isn't important enough to pursue right now," said Jones. She added that she did not want to be "another patient that didn't have to be there, and didn't have to be seen in the office, and put people at risk." Health care providers say that Jones is not alone. Experts interviewed by ABC News said many patients have delayed or avoided coming to their appointments during the pandemic.