The Price of Neglect

Lars Johnson spent his youth on the water, soaking in the sun in an effort to get the perfect tan. A healthy looking man who has run 16 marathons, he never gave a second thought to the risk of getting melanoma, even though his mom was survivor. But in 2003 the years of neglect caught up to him.

That’s when his wife spotted a mole on his back that didn’t look right. He went to see his dermatologist and was soon diagnosed with melanoma. He had found it early enough to treat it.

“There’s no question my wife saved my life,” says Johnson, now 48. “It’s usually the spouse who finds it.”

But he wouldn’t get off that easy. He found another mole in July of 2004, requiring another surgery, and left with a five-inch scar on his chest to match the one on his back. Now he wants people to be aware of the risk.

“We can prevent most skin cancer,” says Johnson of Al Johnson’s Restaurant in Sister Bay. “The key part is sunscreen, use waterproof and apply frequently. Start the habit young in your kids.”

Johnson didn’t use sunscreen for four decades and he continues to pay the price. In 2006 his optometrist found a compound nevi (a freckle) on his retina. It hasn’t affected him yet, but he can only watch and wait, hoping it doesn’t require removal.

Now he wears 30 SPF sunscreen, and wears a hat and sunglasses whenever he runs on the road.

“Everyone should have their skin checked once a year,” he says. “I just think of how lucky I am that my wife found it.”