One of the best parts of summer is the sunshine it brings to cloudy Northeast Ohio. What’s not so great is how that same sunshine ages our skin and threatens our health.
Nearly 90% of melanomas, the deadliest form of skin cancer, are caused by exposure to UV light and sun. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S.
Cleveland Miles for Melanoma hopes to raise $100,000 during its walk/run event Sunday, Aug. 7 at Edgewater Park. Teams are forming now. All proceeds will benefit the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF), the largest independent organization devoted to melanoma. Committed to the support of medical research in finding effective treatments and eventually a cure for melanoma, the MRF also educates patients and physicians about prevention, diagnosis and the treatment of melanoma. The MRF is an active advocate for the melanoma community, helping to raise awareness of this disease and the need for a cure.
The Miles for Melanoma Cleveland event at Edgewater Park will open at 7:30 a.m. for check-in and packet pickup. Opening Ceremonies begin at 8:45 a.m. The 5 K walk/run starts at 9 a.m. The Closing Ceremony will follow after all runners have returned.
For details about forming teams and other ways to contribute or volunteer, go to the Cleveland Miles for Melanoma website.
Here are more melanoma facts:
- Experiencing five or more blistering sunburns between ages 15 and 20 increases the risk of getting melanoma by 80 percent.
- You can help prevent melanoma by seeking shade whenever possible, wearing protective clothing, avoiding direct sunlight between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and using broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF of at least 30 every day.
- Research has found that indoor tanning does not protect against sunburn.
- A comprehensive meta-analysis concluded that the risk of cutaneous melanoma is increased by 75% when use of tanning devices starts before 30 years of age.
- Indoor tanning devices are proven to cause cancer and have been classified into the highest cancer risk category by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Cancer Research (IARC).
