Road to Healthy Skin Tour concludes seventh cross-country journey, hits milestone
NEW YORK — The Skin Cancer Foundation’s annual Road to Healthy Skin Tour, presented by Rite Aid, recently wrapped up its seventh cross-country journey, providing free skin cancer screenings and prevention information to communities nationwide.
During this year’s tour, volunteer dermatologists detected 855 suspected pre-cancers and cancers, including 45 suspected melanomas.
The tour strives to save lives by detecting skin cancers early and educating the public about skin cancer prevention by means of sun protection and the need for prompt, effective treatment. Since the tour’s inception in 2008, volunteer dermatologists have detected more than 8,500 suspected cancers and pre-cancers, including 369 suspected melanomas. Since skin cancer is almost always curable when detected early, the tour and its volunteer dermatologists play a crucial role in communities across the country. The five-year survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early is 98%. The survival rate declines significantly if the disease has the chance to spread.
By the Numbers: The 2014 Road to Healthy Skin Tour
Over a four-month period, the 2014 tour made nearly 50 stops throughout 17 states, traveling approximately 14,700 miles. This year, 73 dermatologists lent their time to perform screenings in the tour’s 38-ft. RV, customized with two private exam rooms.
“The Road to Healthy Skin Tour continues to play a crucial role in early detection,” said Perry Robins, president of The Skin Cancer Foundation. “Over the past seven years, our volunteer dermatologists have provided more than 20,000 free skin cancer screenings across the country, and we’re eager to offer even more of these potentially lifesaving screenings next year.”
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that everyone over the age of 18 years see a physician every year for a full-body skin-exam. It’s just as crucial to see the doctor whenever a mole changes or grows. The foundation also recommends that everyone practice a monthly head-to-toe examination of their skin, looking for any new or changing lesions that might be cancerous or precancerous.
The Skin Cancer Foundation’s 2014 Road to Healthy Skin Tour, presented by Rite Aid, received additional support from Energizer Personal Care, the maker of Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropic brand sunscreens, and BASF Corp., a supplier of UV filters and cosmetic ingredients.