The conditions and the outdoor behaviors of people in Hawaiʻi make skin cancer a higher probability than other locations.
A new Skin✓ Van will be touring Oʻahu to promote skin cancer prevention for Hawaiʻi residents starting on April 20, 9:30 a.m. to noon at Kalihi Valley District Park. The mobile unit will be staffed by students, staff and doctors from University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, the John A. Burns School of Medicine, and the Hawaii Dermatological Society, and will tour beaches, courts, parks and other outdoor venues. The initiative was launched by the Friends of the UH Cancer Center to educate community members on skin cancer prevention methods.
“We are excited to share important facts and knowledge about skin cancer, a disease that affects thousands of individuals right here in the state,” said Rex Chang, Friends of UH Cancer Center board president. “We know that prevention is key to reducing cancer incidence and mortality, so expanding the Cancer Center’s reach through community projects like the Skin✓ Van are incredibly helpful in keeping Hawaiʻi’s people healthy and safe.”
The van is fully equipped with educational materials, photoaging software and tools to measure one’s total sun exposure throughout their lifetime. All tools and resources highlight the importance of sun protection.
Visit the website for more information.
More about skin cancer
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States, with approximately 10,000 people diagnosed annually in Hawaiʻi alone. It is also the most preventable type of cancer. Many Hawaiʻi residents are at increased risk for skin cancers such as melanoma and basal and squamous cell carcinomas, due to extended exposure to the sun. Common prevention methods include wearing UV protective sunscreen and clothing, staying in the shade and avoiding artificial sources of UV exposure like tanning beds and sunlamps.
