Skin cancer is now the most common cancer in the U.S. but is preventable by using good judgment. Thirteen new studies confirm what most of us have suspected, that protecting your skin from damaging UV rays with clothing, sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and shade, decreases sunburns, tanning and the formation of moles—all factors in developing a potentially fatal skin cancer like melanoma.
About 20% of Arizonans are likely to develop skin cancer during their lifetime. In addition to the health burden of treating skin cancer, the annual economic burden is $5.3B. Our ADHS SunWise Program focuses on preventing skin cancer with free sun safety curriculum that is now mandated for all 1,100 K-8 public schools. SunWise has been educating students and teachers statewide with free school assemblies and district workshops for over 12 years.
Your kids may have participated in the annual poster or video contests and demonstrated their favorite ways to stay safe in the sun. To learn more about strategies to prevent skin cancer, check out the Community Preventative Services Task Force findings and be sure to visit the SunWise home page for free resources, video and poster contest winners and more. SunWise is also playing a part in our acclaimed Empower program by encouraging child care facilities to be SunWise.
