SunSmarts Skin Cancer Screening Campaign Kicks off in Coventry on Friday

From the office of U.S. Sen. Jack Reed:

Seeking to spread the word on skin cancer prevention and detection, U.S. Senator Jack Reed is teaming up with the Rhode Island Department of Health, The Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island, and other medical professionals on Friday, July 24th at 10:30 a.m. in Coventry to launch the 2015 SunSmarts campaign, which offers free skin cancer screenings at local beaches around the state. The goal of the free screenings is to help identify cases of skin cancer in their earliest, most treatable stages and educate the public about effective sun protection.

Conducted in a private setting by board certified dermatologists and dermatology residents affiliated with University Dermatology, the free skin cancer screenings include a visual inspection of a patient’s skin by a medical professional with no blood work required. A typical screening takes about 15 minutes and officials hope to screen about 500 beach goers.

The first come, first served screenings will be offered at East Matunuck Beach in South Kingstown (July 24); Scarborough Beach in Narragansett (July 26, with free parking for Governor’s Bay Day); Roger Wheeler Beach (Sand Hill Cove Beach) in Narragansett (August 7); and Misquamicut Beach in Westerly (August 21).

The SunSmarts public health campaign is made possible by The Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island, a broad based coalition of partners who have come together to provide input on the planning and implementation of programs and services around comprehensive cancer control. Other community partners in this effort include ABC 6, the Rhode Island Department of Health, University Dermatology Inc., Lifespan Community Health, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, the American Cancer Society, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM), the City of Newport, and Walgreens.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more than 3.5 million skin cancers in over 2 million people diagnosed annually. Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon, and it is estimated over 76,000 new cases of invasive melanoma will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year.

Dermatologists note there are several precautions to help reduce sun damage, including:

• Seeking shade instead of direct sunlight during the peak hours of UV radiation (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

• Properly applying sunscreen before sun exposure and reapplying throughout the day.

• Wearing hats, sunglasses, and covering up with clothing.

The event is being held at the Coventry Summer Recreation program, which has implemented a successful, innovative Skin Cancer Prevention program that encourages youth to apply and re-apply sunscreen every two hours between 10:00 a.m. and 3 p.m., and throughout the day as needed.

Rhode Islanders interested in receiving a free screening and consultation are asked to wear their bathing suits and stop by any of the screening events scheduled this summer. Those who require a follow-up will be referred for dermatology consultations.