With high mountain peaks and acres of powdery snow, Utah is known for its great skiing. But Utahns who spend lots of time outdoors at high elevations are at increased risk for sun damage, which can lead to skin cancer. Here's how to protect your skin while you're out earning your turns.
Through community partnerships, Huntsman Cancer Institute is reaching adolescent and young adult (AYA) populations where they are – in schools, neighborhoods, and communities – with an educational recipe for a lifetime of healthy living.
HCI will offer free oral and skin cancer screenings to the public at our Community Open House on August 24.
Sunscreen keeps you safe from harmful ultra-violet (UV) rays, but it works even better when paired with extra sun safety precautions.
Summer offers plenty of chances to get sun damage, especially when you’re outdoors all day. Whether you’re at the pool or beach, on a river trip, in the mountains, or at the amusement park, you’re risking skin damage from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Even on cloudy days, up to 80 percent of the sun’s harmful rays can penetrate your skin, says the American Academy of Dermatology. And UV damage may lead to skin cancer.
Growing up in Roseville, California, Olympic gold medalist Summer Sanders spent every waking hour playing and training outside in the water—usually without sunscreen. “I associated sunscreen with vacation, not training,” Sanders says. Then, in 2014, she was diagnosed with melanoma. No one can say for sure what caused Sanders’ melanoma, but she thinks her frequent exposure to the sun was a contributing factor.
Cancer education and outreach is part of mission of Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). That’s the purpose behind the annual Skin Cancer Screening Clinic, a free full-body exam performed by experienced physicians that is available to the public.
Mary Chamberlain had completed treatment for one type of cancer, melanoma, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She talks about her journey with both cancers, including how she got through chemotherapy when she thought her body couldn’t take it anymore.