The day in late June started out like any other.

Dan Holinda, executive director of the Alberta/ N.W.T. division of the Canadian Cancer Society, woke, showered and started to shave.

Midway through shaving, he turned the mirror toward the bald spot at the back of his head. Holinda — "in my vanity," he says with a laugh — periodically checked its status because his son often teased him that the spot was growing.

That day, Holinda saw something new: a dime-sized mark in the middle of the bald patch.

Immediately, Holinda recognized it as cancer.

"I knew right away it was melanoma, but had no idea what stage. I suppose what kept me calm is I knew that it had not been there a couple of months earlier."

Having spent the last eight years advocating on behalf of people with cancer, Holinda knew that earlier diagnosis meant an improved chance of survival.

He thought of his wife and two kids, ages 14 and 20, and acted without delay.

"What went through my mind is that my kids are not ready to let me go, and I’m not ready to let them go."

He called his doctor, who saw him right away, measured the spot and referred Holinda to a dermatologist, who biopsied the growth. Within 10 days, Holinda was diagnosed with Stage 1 melanoma and underwent surgery to remove a loonie-sized patch from his head and another skin graft from his hip.

The surgery, done under local anesthetic, was "very surreal."

"I was awake and talking with my surgeon throughout it. With my background, we were talking about cancer issues . . . and that’s when things really sunk in. My cancer survival clock has started ticking. Emotionally, that was very, very difficult."

And life-changing. His outlook on life has transformed since his surgery. The 55-year-old avid golfer ramped up his fitness regimen and lost weight. He’s made a point of not worrying about things he can’t control.

At work, he’s more driven than ever to advocate for people with cancer and raise funds for research.

Until his diagnosis, Holinda’s understanding of cancer came from his job or his friends and colleagues who had cancer and beaten it, or died from the disease.

His melanoma made him realize the immense value of cancer screening, public education and support. "What’s not lost on me is that I was very lucky to be diagnosed as Stage 1. Some people go in and hear that it’s Stage 4."

He asks men, in particular, to be vigilant about screening. September was Men’s Health Awareness Month and the Canadian Cancer Society encouraged men to speak with their doctors about screening and early detection. "Men, especially, are not good at managing our own health," he says.

He encourages everyone — men and women — to get regular screening checkups, even if they don’t think they are at risk.

Holinda, who always wears hats and sunscreen when golfing, didn’t think he was a likely candidate for skin cancer. He’d forgotten that, as a kid, he was hospitalized for a terrible sunburn, a known risk factor for melanoma.

Holinda recommends people pay attention to small changes in their bodies and contact their doctors when they notice something amiss. Don’t delay because of fear or time constraints, he says.

"We need to become our own advocates. If you notice something, see your doctor, get informed."

He adds that the Canadian Cancer Society will help people who have cancer or suspect cancer, as well as their families.

"If you can’t find your way through the health system, call us. We’ll stand with you . . . or call me directly and I’ll stand with you."

He advises bringing a friend, colleague or family member to the doctor’s office when a biopsy is done or results are delivered.

"You need someone else who can listen and absorb information, because what stays on your mind is that you have cancer."

Holinda is doing well. His head and hip are "healing nicely," and he will follow up with a dermatologist every six months.

"This has been a tremendous gift, because I don’t want to waste the rest of my life. I want to make a difference to others," he says.

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Melanoma is less common than the two other forms of skin cancer: squamous cell and basal cell skin cancers. For early detection of all skin cancers, check your skin regularly. Make sure you or someone else checks hard-to-see places such as your back, back of your neck, ears and backs of your legs.

If you know you’re at risk, speak to your health-care provider about a regular referral to a specialist for a full body exam.

What to look for:

- Any change in a birthmark or mole that changes shape, colour, size or surface.

- Any new growth on your skin — pale, pearly nodules that may grow larger and crust, or red, scaly, sharply defined patches.

- Any sore that doesn’t heal.

- Any patch of skin that bleeds, oozes, swells, itches or becomes red and bumpy.