According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Currently, one in five Americans develops skin cancer during their lifetime. Every hour one person dies from this disease. Since 1973, new cases of melanoma have increased approximately 150 percent.
Children spend lots of time outdoors. While some exposure to sunlight can be healthy, too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation can be dangerous. Children need sun protection education since unprotected exposure to the sun during youth puts them at increased lifetime risk for skin cancer. One or two blistering sunburns in childhood may double the lifetime risk of developing melanoma. By educating children and teaching them how to protect themselves at an early age, we can give them the knowledge and ability to protect their future health. In adulthood, regular skin checks and early detection are key. If found early, most skin cancers and melanomas are curable. It is when they go undetected and/or untreated for too long they can become deadly.
When Dean Hedstrom first found out he had melanoma, he learned that skin cancer is not caused from activities he did out in the sun a day ago, a week ago, a month ago or even a year ago. He learned it is something you get after a long time, many years, of incorrect protection from the sun. With this new learned information he turned to Kris, his wife and founder of the Dean Hedstrom Foundation for Melanoma Awareness, and said "we need to educate the children. We need to spread the word and create melanoma awareness."