This was taken at the DeKalb Public Library for their Author Fair on Saturday August 10, 2019. I did my presentation and while I was speaking a member of the audience came up to give me a hug! (They had also defeated their own addiction)

These pictures were taken from the “Book launch party” at Bar Evolution on Saturday, August 17th in Batavia! It was a great time and I am so thankful that I had so many friends and family to celebrate with!!

Photos: Skin cancer survivor talks to students about dangers of tanning

Dec. 17, 2019 (Daily Chronicle) Article by Matt Wells

Skin cancer survivor Jana Roe visited Sycamore Middle School Tuesday to talk to students about her struggles with cancer and her addiction to tanning. Roe emphasized the importance of using sunscreen to avoid overexposure to the sun as well as regularly checking your skin for unusual marks.

Jana Roe displays a slide of herself that shows the results of a treatment for skin cancer during a talk to eighth-graders at Sycamore Middle School Tuesday about her struggles with cancer and her addiction to tanning. Roe was visiting the school to talk to students about the dangers of sun exposure and the importance of using sunscreen as well as always checking your skin for suspicious growths.

Skin cancer survivor Jana Roe shows a scar on her arm from her most recent surgery as she talks to eighth-graders at Sycamore Middle School about her struggles with cancer and an addiction to tanning. Roe was visiting the school Tuesday to convey to students the dangers of sun exposure and the importance of using sunscreen as well as always checking your skin for suspicious growths.

Sycamore Middle School eighth grader Annabelle Simpson looks at slides of the effects of skin cancer and the resulting treatment during a presentation by Jana Roe at the school Tuesday. Roe talked to students about her struggles with skin cancer and her addiction to tanning to emphasize the dangers of too much sun exposure.

Jana Roe talks to eighth-graders at Sycamore Middle School about her struggles with skin cancer and an addiction to tanning. Roe was visiting the school Tuesday to talk to students about the dangers of sun exposure and the importance of using sunscreen as well as always checking your skin for suspicious growths.

Jana Roe introduces herself during a presentation to eighth-graders at Sycamore Middle School about her struggles with skin cancer and her addiction to tanning. Roe was visiting the school Tuesday to talk to students about the dangers of sun exposure and the importance of using sunscreen as well as always checking your skin for suspicious growths.

All photos by [Mark Busch - mbusch@shawmedia.com]

Cancer survivor continues story with Sycamore students

December 18, 2019 (Daily Chronicle)

By MATTHEW N. WELLS

SYCAMORE – Jana Roe said she was headed down a path of self-destruction, and she wanted her daughter to join her.

While she did try to get her son, David, to lounge in the sun and get tan with her, Stacey got the brunt of the bullying. Roe was convinced she had the best life ever, she told students at Sycamore Middle School this week.

She said she’d tell Stacey to come outside and tan with her, but Stacey wouldn’t. Roe would call her daughter “chicken.”

“You don’t want to be pretty like me?” Roe said. “Are you afraid of the sun? I would say anything to my daughter to get her to come and join me on my path. But each and every time my daughter stood up to me and told me no. You have to know I’ve asked both of my kids’ forgiveness for the way I used to be.”

The addiction caught up to her, however. In 2011, Roe found out she had skin cancer.

After a tense conversation with her doctor, who asked Roe if she was prepared to die, Roe started fighting the disease.

Roe, who now talks to schools in the hopes they make smarter choices than she did, said her children, now adults, have since forgiven her.

Roe, who was addicted to tanning, shared her story of tanning her skin at all costs Tuesday with Pam Nelson’s eighth-grade health class at Sycamore Middle School.

“The habits they have, we think are harmless until they become addictions,” Nelson said.

Roe asked the class of 34 students how many have made a mistake. The whole class raised their hands, and Nelson raised both of hers.

Roe shared photos of herself, despite the fact it pains her to see those images, which showed the various conditions her skin has been in since she started going through her skin cancer treatments in 2011.

In the seven years Roe has been talking to students, she’s received letters from students telling her what they got out of the presentation. One student shared how they learned they should think about the choices they make and how they shouldn’t use peer pressure.

Another student wrote about how they’ve had many addicts in their life and how it hurts to see the people they care about destroy their lives. The student said Roe’s lifestyle changes gives them hope.

For information about Roe’s battle against addiction and her recovery, visit her website at http://www.janaroe.net