Memorial Day’s arrival is a reminder to think about sun-safety measures.
The unofficial kickoff to the summer season brings a cautionary warning as people head out to work and play in the sun and heat.
May is Skin Cancer and Melanoma Awareness Month and the Delaware Division of Public Health’s Cancer Prevention and Control Bureau and the American Cancer Society recommend some simple steps to reduce damage from intense ultraviolet rays.
Paulette Robinson-Wilkerson is a Delaware Department of Health and Social Services Program Administrator for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. She says Delaware’s beaches and outdoor sites are great attractions, but with some caveats.
“It’s okay to frequent them, but we really need to be educated about protecting our skin and making sure we come prepared for that sun," she said. "A lot of people don’t realize the damage doesn’t just happen overnight, it progresses five years, ten years, fifteen years down the line that you actually see how that sun damages your skin.
Robinson-Wilkerson suggests applying sunscreen at a SPF of at least 30 and reapply every two hours between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Also, wear UV-protective clothing, sunglasses, and lip balm when outdoors.
Delaware Cancer Registry says that between 2016–2020, melanoma was the sixth most common cancer type in the state, making up approximately 6% of all newly diagnosed cancer cases.
Delaware is number ten on the national list for having the highest skin cancer incidents of melanoma.," Robinson-Wilkerson said. "Again, that is really what drives us to bring this to DelDOT workers.”
She says that the DPH Cancer Prevention and Control Bureau reached over 450 outdoor DelDOT staff in three sessions held this spring to inform employees.
For more information on preventing, detecting, and treating skin cancer, visit HealthyDelaware.org.
