4titude Award Winner Rhonda Sparks from UV Skinz

By Heather Ledeboer | Category: 4titude Awards

It has been a long time since I have posted a 4titude Award winner.  The 4titude Award goes to women who have gone through a challenge or trial or had a deep loss and has come through on the other side stronger and helping others.  Rhonda Sparks is the owner of UV Skinz and her story is inspiring. ~Heather L.

Please share the trial, set back or loss you have experienced:
My loss consisted of losing my 32-year-old husband, Darren, to skin cancer just three days after the September 11th tragedy.  My world came crashing down around me in one fell swoop.  We had three young boys at the time; Ethan/6, Seth/3, and Caleb/1.

Despite the pain you have endured, what beauty have you seen come out of this?
It took several years to process the grief and loss, but once I could see some light again through the trees, I was able to really ponder on all the blessings my life consisted of.  I was also able to honor and experience Darren and my children in a way I never would have.  The lessons Darren has left me with in the ten years we shared together have altered my universe indefinitely.  I see things differently now.  I have a new set of eyes for what truly matters and why we are here.  Because of him, I love more deeply, cry more often, I laugh when no one else gets it, and I count my blessings numerous times throughout the day.  I have more compassion for people and what their day/life may be presenting to them.  (Hey, maybe that person who just cut me off the road is racing to the hospital to hear his grandmother’s last breath or his babies first.)  We never know and I try hard not to presume I do.  Darren has blessed me with these newfound perspectives.  I am a better person because of him. 

In fact, my whole direction in life changed because of him.  After my grief, I decided to start a non-profit in his honor (DLF Foundation) that helps bring more awareness and education about the potential dangers of the sun.  I also started UV Skinz (www.uvskinz.com).  UV Skinz sells peace-of-mind from the sun’s damaging rays.  We manufacture UV protective swim shirts and clothing for the entire family (sizes 6m to 4XL) and make it a top priority to provide the most fun, fashionable and affordable sun protection around!  Our products carry a UPF rating of 50+, which blocks over 98% of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays (whereas most sunscreens don’t even touch the UVB rays).  Most people don’t realize that over 1.3 million cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year; 1 in 5 Americans.  Or that one severe sunburn as a child more than doubles the risk of getting skin cancer as an adult.  We want to help change these statistics by raising awareness about the need for proper sun protection.  95% of skin cancers are preventable!  I wanted to help bring products to the market that can help families live sun safe, while never forgetting how important it is to LIVE and HAVE FUN outdoors!

To what or to whom do you credit this beauty?
I credit the whole experience of true love and extreme loss to this beauty.

What advice or wisdom do you wish to share with others having been through this experience? 
Stop and smell the flowers.  Take nothing for granted.  Count your numerous blessings each day.  And laugh and enjoy life!  There are no guarantees.  We only have right now.  And if you can truly wrap your brain around this idea, you quickly realize not to fret over the small incidentals.  Life is awesome!

If someone else reading this is going though something similar, do you have any resources to recommend they look into further for help or support?
I can recommend a ton of great books that helped me through my journey.  The best one was called ‘I’m Grieving As Fast As I Can’ by Linda Feinberg.  It is written for young widows.  It had invaluable information when I needed it most.

Posted Monday, August 10, 2009