Raheem Mostert turns personal health scare into lifesaving advocacy for skin cancer screenings and early detection

Oct 09, 2025 at 12:09 PM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

The biggest mistake you can make is thinking something can't happen to you.

It's what's almost prevented Raheem Mostert from getting his moles checked out, simply writing them off as "beauty marks."

According to American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), African Americans have the lowest melanoma rates of any racial background, with 1 out of 1,000 Black people having the lifetime risk of being affected.

Therefore Mostert, an avid surfer from Central Florida, didn't think too much about sunscreen before chasing waves in the ocean.

"I thought I was immune to the sun as well," he said. "Didn't know the harsh reality [that] you need to protect yourself no matter the skin type."

That harsh reality would set in during his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers. He scheduled a check-up with a dermatologist for the first time. He was motivated to go after learning that one of his former Pop Warner coaches, a man he deemed a father figure in his life, had died from skin cancer as tumors spread beyond the point of treatment.

If not for the passing of his coach, he may have never gone in for the check-up that diagnosed him with pre-cancerous moles.

"If he were here today, he'd tell me the same thing, 'Take those measures that I didn't.' And be precautious of everything that you do," Mostert said. "That's something that he always taught me, even when I was young and didn't have a father figure in my life.

Raheem Mostert has seen firsthand the importance of regular screening and protecting your skin with sun screen and skin care.

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After he was diagnosed, the running back went through a full body scan to make sure the cancer hadn't spread and had an operation to remove the moles, which were tested and proven to have the potential to turn fatal.

"It was kind of in shock," Mostert said,"because I didn't really know what to expect going into my first appointment but at the same time I really didn't understand either that it was something that could lead into a more devastating cause."

"I was really in awe of the fact that this could've led to something a little bit different," he added. "If I had just been living my lifestyle, not getting checked, it probably could've changed the trajectory of my life and also my family's life. But being there and going through that process was really eye-opening and something I'm going to truly remember for the rest of my life."

Mostert now makes sure his dermatology check-ins are annual. And he's made it one of his life purposes to make sure others follow in his steps.

Not only did early detection save his life, but he's constantly reminded of how it could've saved his coach's before it was too late.

"You've just got to go out there and get your skin checked," he said. "Make sure you're doing everything that you possibly can to prevent any future occurrences.

"You've got to remember, your body is still a temple at the end of the day."

The NFL's Crucial Catch mission is to fight cancer through early detection and risk reduction. Click here to find a screening location near you.

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Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) in the weight room during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.