Together the Burlington County Health Department and the Burlington County Cancer Coalition will offer free skin cancer screenings this Saturday, June 25 as part of the Choose Your Cover 2011 campaign.
Choose Your Cover 2011 will offer free skin cancer screenings across the state. In Burlington County, the event will be held at the Farmer’s Market, located at the Burlington County Agricultural Center on Centerton Road in Moorestown from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event will include free skin cancer screenings and information on skin cancer prevention with some skin cancer prevention give-a-ways.
“Whether you are basking on one of New Jersey’s beautiful beaches this summer, having fun at the pool, putting out on the golf course, working in the garden, or simply going for a walk or running errands, taking a few sun smart precautions could save your life,” Freeholder Mary Ann O’Brien said.
Skin cancer is currently the most common form of cancer in the United States with more than 3.5 million cases diagnosed each year.
“While the incidence of many common cancers is falling, the incidence of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, continues to rise,” O’Brien said.
While your family history and heredity, such as fair skin and light colored eyes, play a role in determining your risk for developing skin cancer, one of the major risk factors for melanoma, and other forms of skin cancer, is overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
“Overexposure to sunlight is one of the most preventable risk factors for all types of skin cancer,” Holly Cucuzzella, Health Educator for the Burlington County Health Department said. “This is why it is so important to take sun smart precautions and reduce your risk accordingly by wearing protective clothing like a wide-brimmed hat, avoiding the sun during the middle of the day, when rays are strongest, using sunscreen and avoiding indoor tanning. These measures can go a long way toward reducing your risk for skin cancer.”
For more information, contact Holly Cucuzzella at 265–5297 or [email protected] . You can also visit www.chooseyourcover.org for more information and screening locations. Pre-registration for the event is not required.
