Beachgoers can get free skin cancer screenings at Rhode Island beaches and parks this summer, thanks to the return of the annual Skin Check program led by the state health department, Brown Dermatology and other statewide partners.
Four screenings are scheduled between Saturday, July 12, and Aug. 15. The first 100 people at each event will receive a private, on-site screening from dermatologists or dermatology residents affiliated with Brown. No registration is needed and those who need additional care will receive referrals for follow-up appointments.
“One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime,” Dr. John C. Kawaoka, an associate professor of dermatology and residency program director at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School, said in a statement. “Everyone is at risk, even those with darker skin tones…Every year we find a number of skin cancers, including melanoma, many of which people had no idea that they had.”
The health department recommends that participants wear bathing suits or easily removable clothing to allow doctors to examine areas of concern.
“Along with getting in the shade and using a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more, getting a skin check is the most important thing you can do to protect against skin cancer,” Rhode Island Department of Health Director Dr. Jerry Larkin said in a statement. “Cancer screenings have the power to save lives.”
Local TV news outlet WJAR is the media partner and sponsor for the Skin Check events. Other partners include the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island, Brown University Health Community Health Institute and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM).
“Skin Check has a long history of providing free screenings to residents in our communities who need it most,” Megan Daniel, Executive Director of the Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island, said in a statement. “It’s inspiring to see individuals and businesses who want to support this service and help reduce the burden of cancer in Rhode Island.”
Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, and about one in five Americans will develop it at some point in their lives. Every day, an estimated 9,500 people are diagnosed with the disease.
Rhode Island falls slightly below the national average for melanoma of the skin, with 19.8 cases per 100,000 people compared to 22.7 nationally, per data from the National Cancer Institute that spans 2017 through 2021.
More tips for sun safety and skin cancer prevention are available on RIDOH’s website.
This story was originally published by the Rhode Island Current.
