In 2014, the United States Surgeon General issued a call to action to help prevent skin cancer in America. With 5 million people treated each year in the United States, and an estimated annual cost of $8.1 billion in treatment, his objective is to increase awareness of the dangers of skin cancer.
The report calls for key stakeholders to consider skin cancer as a “major public health problem.” In particular, the report outlines five strategic goals to help prevent skin cancer in the United States:
1. Increase opportunities for sun protection in outdoor settings;
2. Provide individuals with the information they need to make informed, healthy choices about ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure;
3. Promote policies that advance the national goal of preventing skin cancer;
4. Reduce harms from indoor tanning; and
5. Strengthen research, surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation related to skin cancer prevention.
Just one year later, MB Miami Beach Suncare, along with the City of Miami Beach, Mount Sinai Medical Center and the MB Foundation, responded to this call by launching an initiative to offer free sunscreen to all who live, work and play on Miami Beach. The first of its kind in the nation, the project includes 50
public sunscreen dispensers located throughout the City of Miami Beach at the beach access points (near a lifeguard stand), the public parks and pools. The project launched just in time for the City’s Centennial Celebration as a gift for the community.
Our goal is make sunscreen accessible as a reminder of the importance of protecting your skin from the intense Miami sun, 365 days of the year. We hope to be able to facilitate partnerships like this in other areas of the country in an effort to expand this program throughout the U.S. and abroad while truly making an impact in helping to prevent skin cancer.
Source:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer. Washington, DC: U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; 2014