Remember to Wear Sunscreen, May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month

Matt Brooks: Good morning, I’m Matt Brooks on X101 Always Classic, in for another cancer prevention segment with the CSP program of Cayuga, Cortland, and Tompkins Counties. And back in the studio with me is Courtney Maxson, senior public health educator from the Cortland County Health Department. Hard to believe it’s already May, we’re almost halfway through the year.

Courtney Maxson: I can’t believe it, it’s gone by so fast.

Matt Brooks: Now, May has a lot of good things going on: warmer weather, Mother’s Day is in less than a week, and also it’s an important month in cancer awareness because we’ve got a big one to talk about today: melanoma and skin cancer. Courtney, can you tell me about these varieties of cancer?

Courtney Maxson: Yes, so melanoma and skin cancer, it affects everyone; everybody has skin. So, making sure that your skin is covered and protected with sunscreen if you’re out in the sun, clothing, hats, sunglasses—those kinds of things, those are important.

Matt Brooks: And this one, unfortunately, affects a lot of people, too, because as you said, everybody’s got skin. Just the sheer numbers of people affected by this on a yearly basis.

Courtney Maxson: Yeah, each year about 112,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer, and about 8,500 of those people will not survive.

Matt Brooks: And to just go over again, to mitigate the risk for melanoma and skin cancer, it’s really just making sure you are covered up, and places that are not covered if you’re going in the sun, you do have that sunscreen to protect your skin, because Vitamin D is good from the sun, but overall too much sun is a bad thing.

Courtney Maxson: Absolutely, and prevention is key, along with those doctor’s appointments of primary care—getting checked out—or if you feel like there’s an issue, or your regular skin cancer screening at a dermatologist. Those are all very important things.

Matt Brooks: Yeah, as long as you’re going to those regularly scheduled doctor’s appointments, and if you—again, if you notice anything—you know your body best. So if you notice anything that seems off, tell your doctor; they can get you referred to a dermatologist that can take care of this before it gets worse. Now Courtney, before we go, I know there might be some questions people have about skin cancer, sunscreen specifically, because you have all these different SPFs and varieties and such. How do they get a hold of you if they have some questions on what would be best for them?

Courtney Maxson: Sure, they can give me a call at 607-758-5523, and I can get you pointed in the right direction.

Matt Brooks: Oh, thank you again, and it’s going to be summer before we know it.

Courtney Maxson: I know, can’t wait.

Matt Brooks: It’s been another edition of the cancer prevention segment here on X101 Always Classic; I’m Matt Brooks.