Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. It is also the most preventable and curable if detected early. Yet one in five Americans will develop the disease in their lifetime, and 40 percent of people admit they never use sunscreen.The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Road to Healthy Skin Tour combats these statistics, offering free skin cancer screenings and education about skin cancer prevention.
This year’s 2nd annual tour, presented by Aveeno and Rite Aid, kicked off Monday, May 4, in Pershing Square, just outside of New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, and will visit more than 80 locations across the country through September 2009.
The tour’s customized RV provides a private space for volunteer local board-certified dermatologists to conduct free, full body skin cancer screenings. Educational materials will be available so that visitors can learn how to perform monthly skin checks at home and properly protect themselves from the sun on a daily basis. Aveeno sun care products will also be distributed.
Last year, the tour attracted almost 7,000 visitors and screened over 3,000 people. Of those screened, more than 3,200 suspicious markings were detected and 39 suspected cases of melanoma were discovered. The goal of the Road to Healthy Skin Tour is to increase the practice of preventative measures to decrease the number of new cases.
For the tour schedule or to learn more about skin cancer prevention please visit www.SkinCancer.org
