In this Q & A guest blog with Miss Chinese Vancouver, she shares her views about cancer prevention and tanning.

Congratulations on earning the title of Miss Chinese Vancouver. Why is it important for you to be a role model for young women?

By being Miss Chinese Vancouver 2010, I hope to create a positive influence for young women today by participating in more charity works and fundraising events such as the Canadian Cancer Society. Moreover, I would like to encourage more youth to join in the fight against cancer and give back to the community.

Why do you think educating youth on cancer prevention is so important?

I believe that educating youth about cancer prevention is important since no healing method is better than prevention. With the knowledge of cancer prevention the chance of getting cancer will be smaller.

Do you have any advice for young adults when it comes to staying safe in the sun?

In order to stay safe in the sun, we all should apply sunscreen, avoid long exposure under direct sunlight and try to cover up in days between noon and 2pm to avoid the strongest rays of the day.

Using a tanning bed before the age of 35 can increase your risk of melanoma by 75%, considering that skin cancer is the most common cancer amongst 15-29 years olds do you think that governments should prohibit tanning beds for youth under 18 years old?

Yes, I believe the government should not only prohibit tanning beds for youth under 18, but also to educate the public about the affects of using tanning beds.

Can you share some of your beauty tips for keeping your skin healthy and natural?

I would wear sunscreen everyday even when it’s cloudy since there’s still UV radiation.