The AADA celebrated Melanoma and Skin Cancer Prevention and Detection Month® on Tuesday, May 7, 2013, by hosting a Capitol Hill briefing from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. in the Cannon Caucus Room at the Cannon House Office Building.
This congressional briefing was intended to raise awareness about melanoma, encourage early detection of skin cancer, and to educate the public about sun safety strategies, such as discouraging tanning bed use, to prevent future skin cancer incidences.
The briefing featured:
- Brett Coldiron, MD – President-Elect, American Academy of Dermatology Association
- Rep. Charlie Dent (R-PA)
- Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) – skin cancer prevention advocate
- Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) – skin cancer survivor
- RADM Boris D. Lushniak, MD, MPH – Deputy Surgeon General and a dermatologist
- Alyson Fuller, Ph.D. – former indoor tanner and melanoma skin cancer survivor
- Johnny Bench – Baseball Hall of Famer and skin cancer survivor
A contingent of national health care organizations joined the AADA to highlight the dangers of indoor tanning. The AADA's partners for the event include the following groups:
- American Academy of Dermatology Association
- American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
- American College of Mohs Surgery
- American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association
- American Society for Mohs Surgery
- Melanoma Research Foundation
- National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention
- The Skin Cancer Foundation
Following the briefing, dermatologists conducted free skin cancer screenings – using a UV camera – that was open to the public. The screenings, like others conducted across the country throughout the year, will help save lives by finding melanomas in their earliest and most treatable stage and teach participants to perform skin self-exams.
The following AADA members performed the skin cancer screenings from 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the Cannon Caucus Room:
- Sandra Read, MD
- Kelley Redbord, MD
- Alison Ehrlich, MD
- Larry Green, MD
- Ali Hendi, MD
- Sabrina Newman, MD
- Maral Skelsey, MD
AADA indoor tanning advocacy activities
The AADA has been working closely with regulatory agencies, and both state and federal legislatures to protect minors from the dangers of indoor tanning.
About SPOT Skin Cancer™
The Academy launched SPOT Skin Cancer™ in 2012 — an initiative to help eradicate skin cancer through public awareness and education, community outreach programs and services, advocacy, and supporting research. Each May, the Academy launches its skin cancer public awareness efforts to highlight Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month®. Since 1985, dermatologists have conducted more than 2.3 million free skin cancer screenings, detecting nearly 227,000 suspicious lesions and more than 25,000 suspected melanomas.