UA News

The Arizona Cancer Center's Living in Harmony with the Sun event will inform people how to protect their skin against sun damage.

One out of five Americans will develop skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the United States.

The good news is that most skin cancers are preventable and, if detected early, are highly treatable.

To help people learn how to enjoy Arizona's approximately 350 sunny days each year and understand UV exposure, the Arizona Cancer Center's Skin Cancer Institute is joining the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum to present the fourth annual "Living in Harmony with the Sun" event.

The May 2 and 3 event will include activities that focus on skin cancer prevention and detection. The event, which will be held 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., coincides with Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month in May.

"Living in Harmony with the Sun provides an opportunity for people in Arizona to learn about what they can do to reduce their risk of getting skin cancer while enjoying our abundant natural beauty," said Denise Spartonos, the community outreach coordinator for the Skin Cancer Institute. The institute is located at The University of Arizona and is affiliated with the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

The event will be held at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Rd, and is free with the price of admission to the museum.

Local dermatologists will be on hand to conduct a limited number of free skin cancer screenings, which will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. During the last three years, more than 500 people received skin cancer screenings at the annual event.

Also, interactive educational displays and children's activities will also be featured and vendors such as Neutrogena and Solar Eclipse clothing will be on hand to display sun safety products.