Each year in the United States, over 5 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer, making it the U.S.’s most common type of cancer overall. Of those diagnoses, 3 million are non-melanoma skin cancers (including basal and squamous cell skin cancers), which have a very high cure rate when detected and treated early on. May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s the perfect time to share sun safety tips and skin cancer facts with friends and family. If you are looking for ways you can get involved in raising awareness about skin cancer prevention and treatment options to help save lives, check out our top tips.
#SharetheFacts
Whether it’s on social media or in a group text message with your friends and family, start sharing the important skin cancer facts with those around you. And you don’t have to limit your sharing to just during Skin Cancer Awareness Month – we could all use a reminder to practice skin safety every now and then, no matter the time of year. The Skin Cancer Foundation has put together a Skin Cancer Awareness Month toolkit that is a great resource to help you #SharetheFacts. Download the free images containing informative facts and statistics and share them today.
Evaluate Your Sun Protection
Skin Cancer Awareness Month happens every May. As the month leads us into summertime when we’re likely going outdoors more often, it’s a great time to check in on your sun protection. Pull out your favorite sun hat and check out your sunscreen supply. If your sunscreen has expired, you’ll want to replace it with a new bottle to ensure you’re getting full protection from it. This is also a great time to consider upping your SPF. Did you know that while SPF 15 filters out about 93% of harmful UVB rays, making the switch to SPF 100 will filter out about 99%? Of course, after evaluating your own sun protection, take a moment to remind others to do the same.
Share Your Story With Others
Do you have personal experience with skin cancer? If you’re comfortable doing so, consider sharing your story with others. Although skin cancer is often very treatable, the journey to success isn’t always an easy one. Sharing your story during Skin Cancer Awareness Month can help others recognize how vital it really is to protect yourself.
Reach Out to the Young People in Your Life
Skin cancer prevention starts in your youth. Use Skin Cancer Awareness Month as a chance to start a conversation with the young people in your life about the importance of protecting their skin when they’re outdoors.
Make a Donation
If you are interested in making a donation to help fund skin cancer research, awareness, and prevention efforts, there are plenty of great ways to do so. Check out the Skin Cancer Foundation, or the American Skin Association to get started.
Learn More About Skin Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Want to learn more about skin cancer? Take a moment to browse the GentleCure blog. You will find helpful information on skin cancer statistics, how to tell the difference between squamous and basal cell skin cancers, and much more. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with basal or squamous cell skin cancer and you’re researching treatment options, call 855-936-4411 to speak with a skin cancer information specialist about the benefits of Image-Guided Superficial Radiotherapy.
