The Skin Cancer Foundation kicks off the third year of its mobile education and screening program, “Destination: Healthy Skin,” on Monday, May 13 in New York City, New York. The program is designed to save lives by educating the public about the importance of early detection for skin cancer, as well as effective sun protection for skin cancer prevention.
Inside the “Destination: Healthy Skin” RV, local volunteer dermatologists will provide free full-body skin cancer screenings in customized private exam rooms. Participants will receive information about skin cancer warning signs and proper sun protection. This year, for the first time, the foundation will offer participants the opportunity to have a high-technology facial image scan to examine sub-surface sun damage, utilizing the Canfield Reveal imager system. This is another opportunity to educate participants about the effects of cumulative sun damage and the importance of consistent sun protection.
With this program, the foundation seeks to highlight the need for sun safety, regardless of activity or location, by visiting communities that represent various lifestyles. “Destination: Healthy Skin” events will be held in beach communities, mountain towns, urban, suburban, and rural areas. The “Destination: Healthy Skin” RV will travel approximately 10,000 miles over three months, making its way around the country before returning to the east coast in August for the final event of the season in Greenwich, Connecticut. The foundation will host “Destination: Healthy Skin” two-day events in 18 cities.
“We’re excited to continue this beloved program as we work toward our goal of reducing the incidence and mortality of the world’s most common cancer,” says Skin Cancer Foundation President Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD. “This program is a free public health service that allows us to reach thousands of people in a short period of time. It is an optimal way to educate the public about skin cancer and reach those who may not have the time or means to visit a dermatologist in-office.”
In the first two years of the program, the foundation provided more than 2,000 free skin cancer screenings. Over 85 volunteer dermatologists identified more than 550 suspected skin cancers, while thousands of visitors learned about prevention and early detection.
The RV’s journey will be documented on the program website, the foundation’s Sun and Skin News blog, and social media channels so that people will be able to follow along, thus expanding the reach of the program beyond the communities visited.