For Maria Sylvia, a 10-year long relationship with a ‘cool streak’ on her thumb lead to her discovering that what she initially thought was just a mole, was actually cancer.
Proving the need to get yourself checked regularly, especially for anything that seems a bit odd, or any changes in your skin, a 25-year-old Virginia based TikToker has reached 25 million views with a video showing a ‘cool streak’ in her nail.
In the video, you see the caption “me: Having this for 10 years, thinking it was a cool streak in my nail,” before the reveal comes. “It’s cancer.”
Considering the mammoth appeal this video has had, Maria found herself asked, again and again, to explain what was actually going on in greater detail.
@invrfoundwaldo I wish I were joking lol but i have some awesome photos #SmoothLikeNitroPepsi #theadamproject #cancer #darkhumour #fml #myjourney
In a series of follow-up videos, clarifying how long the streak had been on the nail, and how no one had noticed it for its 10-year life span Maria expresses she’d been diligent with keeping on top of checkups.
“I had seen doctors. I was in and out of doctors’ [offices] all the time. I was an athlete, so I was getting physicals every year,” she continued “This was probably circa 2014, and they were like, ‘oh, that’s odd, but you don’t really fit the demographics, so if it just grows any bigger go and see a doctor.’
When working out what it was the TokToker stated “I didn’t have any pain with it, so I just figured it was a mole because that’s what they told me, that it was most likely a mole in my nailbed.”
After pressure from friends to get the ‘mole’ checked out in a more serious manner after the streak darkened, Maria was informed that rather than just being a mole, she had a “subungual melanoma in stage 0.”
@invrfoundwaldo Reply to @alec558 here ya go! Pt. 1
In an interview with Newsweek, the TikToker clarified that even catching things early doesn’t lead to a simple fix.
“I was informed that this cancer can stay in situ (also known as stage 0) for 10-13 years before hitting stage 1. I felt relief that I got it looked at when I did, but I knew there was more to come for getting rid of this cancer.”
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Urging people to keep on top of their health was the main takeaway Maria wanted to impart on her viewers:
“I think some people are afraid to confront the possibility of having cancer and facing their mortality. The biggest thing I have urged is to put your mind at ease and follow through with seeing someone, if this is caught early, it is very curable, and having a wonky thumb for a month or two is better than not having one at all.”
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