With
summer right around the corner, several agencies in El Dorado County are
teaming up to spread the word about the importance of sun safety, especially
for children. The El Dorado County Public Health Division, City of
Placerville’s Community Services Department, Marshall Medical Center and El Dorado
Community Health Center are partnering to promote skin cancer prevention and
awareness beginning in May 2017 and throughout the summer months.
According to El Dorado County Health
Officer, Dr. Nancy Williams, skin cancer is one of the most common types of
cancers in the United States and accounts for almost fifty percent of all
cancer cases. “The good news is that nearly ninety percent of all skin cancers
can be prevented by protection from the sun’s rays, or ultraviolet (UV) rays,”
said Williams.
El Dorado County’s outreach efforts
on sun safety target local residents, but have a special emphasis on kids, said
Williams, because sun exposure during childhood accounts for about eighty
percent of lifetime exposure. “We want to promote good sun safety habits for
everyone, particularly children. The earlier good habits start, the more likely
we are to continue them throughout life. We are using the National Council on
Skin Cancer Prevention’s ‘Slip, Slop, Slap & Wrap’ campaign to encourage
kids to slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat, wrap on sunglasses,
and seek shade between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.,” said Williams.
In celebration of National Skin
Cancer Detection and Prevention Month in May, a banner will be placed over Main
Street in Placerville during the week of May 22. Placerville Aquatic Center staff
and pool users will be encouraged to practice sun safety through the launch of
a sun safety lesson plan, adopted from the evidence-based POOL COOL program, at
the start of each swim lesson. “Be Sun Safe” signs will be placed around the
Aquatic Center.
The sun safety campaign will run for
the duration the Placerville Aquatic Center is open to the public (May 28
through September 4, 2017). A special kick-off event, Sun Protection Fest 2017,
will be held on Friday, June 2, 2017, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Aquatic
Center located at 3071 Benham Street in Placerville. The event will include
swimming, food, music, games and prizes. Regular admission cost applies.
For sun safety tips and additional information
about the sun safety campaign, including ways other organizations can help
promote sun safety, please visit www.welldorado.org
or call Kristin Tornincasa at (530) 642-7132.
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