Former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres Diagnosed With Skin Cancer
"If you see something or feel something different in your body, have it checked."
Miss Universe 1993 winner Dayanara Torres has cancer. The former beauty queen revealed her diagnosis in an emotional video explaining her illness.
In the video, Torres wears a pink pullover in front of family photos and a statuette of Jesus. She recorded the video in Spanish, but captioned it in English.
Dayanara Torres has cancer: Revealing the diagnosis
"As mothers we are always taking care of everyone around us... our kids, family, friends & often we forget to take care of ourselves," she wrote. "Today I have some sad news... I have been diagnosed with skin cancer 'melanoma' from a big spot/mole I never paid attention to, even though it was new, it had been growing for years & had an uneven surface."
She detailed that her fiancé Louis D'Esposito (who's currently the co-president of Marvel Studios), begged her to get the mole checked, and eventually made the doctor's appointment himself.
"After a biopsy and a second surgery last Tuesday the results, unfortunately, are positive," she said. "Now, we are waiting to see which treatment I will be receiving."
Torres said that doctors had already removed a "big area" from the back of her knee, as well as two lymph nodes at the top of her leg, where it had already spread. She's currently hoping it hasn't spread any further.
"I have put everything in God's hands and I know he has all control," she said. "My sons, although a bit scared, know about my faith and know they have a warrior of a mommy."
She closed her video, which was uploaded on World Cancer Day, with a plea to her followers to never neglect their health: "If you see something or feel something different in your body, have it checked."
Celebrities with Skin Cancer
Dayanara Torres has cancer, but she isn't the only celebrity who's been diagnosed with skin cancer, the world's most common cancer. Here are just some of them.
Hugh Jackman
Though his character Wolverine has powers of regeneration, Hugh Jackman is very human, and just as susceptible as anyone to skin cancer. He has had six skin cancers removed, and consistently reminds his fans to protect their skin from the sun.
Diane Keaton
Skin cancer runs in Diane Keaton's family, and she was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma at just 21. More recently, she's been diagnosed with squamous cell cancer, which had to be removed via two surgeries.
Khloe Kardashian
In 2017, Khloe Kardashian revealed that she had to get a mole removed, and gets checked every three months.
Ewan McGregor
In 2008, the Trainspotting star revealed that he had a cancerous mole removed under his right eye. He also had several facial moles removed as a precaution.
Bob Marley
When he noticed a dark spot under his toenail, Bob Marley thought it was just a soccer injury, but it turned out to be a kind of skin cancer called acral melanoma — which isn't linked to UV radiation. This kind of cancer is harder to detect, and by the time Marley got a diagnosis, it had spread. He died at 36.
Skin cancer is usually associated with fair skin, but Bob Marley's diagnosis proves that it can affect anyone. And now that the news that Dayanara Torres has cancer has come out, it's important that we all take heed of her advice and be more aware of our bodies. If you notice a strange-looking mole or discoloration, schedule an appointment and get it checked out.
READ: How I Found Out I Had Breast Cancer: Real Women Share Their Stories