Biography

“More public health efforts, including providing shade and sunscreen in recreational settings, are needed to raise awareness of the importance of sun protection and sunburn prevention to reduce the burden of skin cancer. We must accelerate our efforts to educate young adults about the dangers of indoor tanning to prevent melanoma.”

Marcus Plescia, MD - Director, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control

Biography

“Melanoma causes more deaths than any other skin cancer, more than 9,000 deaths each year, and it has been increasing in recent years, particularly among non-Hispanic whites. Indoor tanning before age 35 increases the risk of melanoma by 60 to 80 percent, so avoiding or reducing indoor tanning is a simple way to reduce risk of getting or dying from melanoma.”

Meg Watson, MPH - Epidemiologist, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control

Biography

“Key partners will need to work with each other and with new partners in various sectors, including media, education, and policy, to coordinate skin cancer prevention efforts at the national, state, and local levels. This approach has the potential to change sun safety attitudes and behaviors and prevent future cases of skin cancer, along with the associated illness, death, and health care costs.”

Dawn Holman, MPH - Behavioral scientist, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control

Biography

“Swimming is an excellent way to get the physical activity needed to stay healthy. However, pool users should be aware of how to prevent infections while swimming. Remember, chlorine and other disinfectants don’t kill germs instantly. That’s why it’s important for swimmers to protect themselves by not swallowing the water they swim in and to protect others by keeping feces and germs out of the pool by taking a pre-swim shower and not swimming when ill with diarrhea.”

Michele Hlavsa, RN, MPH - Epidemiologist, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Disease, NCEZID