Students bring awareness to skin cancer

By: Hayden Gnat

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime. Melanoma, a more dangerous type of skin cancer, will account for more than 76,380 cases of skin cancer in 2016. But three sophomores have taken it upon themselves to spread skin cancer awareness. Lynn Nguyen, Cathy Ho and Courtney Bui are competing in a HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) competition, trying to spread the most awareness for a certain cause of the group or individual’s choosing.

Melanoma causes most skin cancer deaths, accounting for nearly 10,000 of the more than 13,000 skin cancer deaths each year. Skin cancer is one of the least talked about forms of cancer, but it can have terrible permanent damage to your skin and health. One of the biggest focal points this group has decided to focus on is tanning. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an affiliate of the World Health Organization, includes ultraviolet (UV) tanning devices in its Group 1, a list of the most dangerous cancer-causing substances. Group 1 also includes agents such as plutonium, cigarettes, and solar UV radiation.

“We hope to spread awareness and to prevent from getting it for all ages,” sophomore Cathy Ho said. “You can prevent it by using the appropriate sunscreen, avoid tanning beds and be conscious of staying in the sun for too long.”

Nguyen, Ho and Bui have been spreading awareness not only through facts about skin cancer and how to be safe, but also asking people to pledge their use of any tanning beds and using sunscreen if out in the sun for long periods of time. Skin cancer still proves to be one of the biggest misunderstood forms of cancer. The group of Nguyen, Ho and Bui hope to reach every corner of the school’s populous and make sure everyone knows what is truth and what is myth.

“I am behind this cause because it is easily overlooked by athletes and most students,” Nguyen said. “They don’t really take interest in it, making it more dangerous.”

You can help spread the cause by visiting these girls skin cancer Twitter page (@SKCIN) or go and donate to the Melanoma Research Fund or visit www.melanoma.org to learn more about this disease.

Bui, Ho and Nguyen (left to right) spending a day getting people educated and trying to get people to donate to their cause.