County of Monmouth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 6, 2010

County asks residents to 'choose their cover'
Events planned to raise awareness
and reduce skin cancer mortality

FREEHOLD, NJ – The Monmouth Cancer Coalition has arranged to provide free skin cancer screenings at six Monmouth County beach locations on Saturday, July 17. A list of dates, times, and locations can be found on the coalition's Web site at www.monmouthcancercoalition.org

The Monmouth County Office on Aging, Disabilities and Veterans' Interment has joined the Monmouth Cancer Coalition in providing free cancer screening for adults, and all four New Jersey shoreline counties will participate in this highly successful event.

The program, called "Choose Your Cover," will combine the collected expertise of all five Monmouth County medical centers, two health departments and six municipalities to fight skin cancer where risks are perhaps the greatest - at the beach. The rain date for the event is Sunday, July 18. 

In Monmouth County, screenings will be offered to adults between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at beaches in Bradley Beach, Asbury Park, Long Branch, Highlands and Sea Bright. This is a simple test that can detect signs of skin cancer. Educational materials, sunscreen and door prizes will be provided. The screening will be held at the following locations:

  • Bradley Beach - Ocean and LaReine avenues
  • Asbury Park - Boardwalk at First and Ocean avenues
  • Long Branch - Boardwalk at The Great Lawn
  • Highlands -Robert D.Wilson Memorial Community Center & Snug Harbor Beach, 22 Snug Harbor Ave., Highlands
  • Sea Bright Beach - Public Beach Area, 1097 Ocean Ave.
  • Belmar - The Taylor Pavilion, boardwalk at 5th Street and Ocean Ave.  

"Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with thousands of new cases diagnosed annually," said Freeholder Amy A. Mallet, liaison to the Monmouth County Health Department. "However, it has an extremely high recovery rate when diagnosed early. Because most types of skin cancer have been linked to long-term sun exposure, it is important for Monmouth County sun worshipers to take advantage of this simple, free screening."

The purpose of "Choose Your Cover" is to raise awareness about the risks of skin cancer due to sun exposure. In New Jersey and Monmouth County, melanoma is one of the fastest growing cancers.  In Monmouth County, melanoma incidence rates are fourth-highest in the state and, contrary to most cancer types, have been increasing dramatically in recent years.

"New Jersey has a significantly higher risk of skin cancer than other states, and Monmouth County is higher than the average of New Jersey counties," said Dr. Arnold M. Baskies, chairman of the Task Force on Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment in New Jersey. "We believe that sun safety can make a big difference and that education about skin cancer is  key to saving lives."  

Some facts about skins cancer:

  •  Melanoma is an epidemic. Incidence rates are rising about 4 percent annually among ages 15 to 34 and at a rate of 9 percent for those over age 65.
  • One person dies every hour from melanoma; almost 70,000 Americans will be diagnosed and 8,700 will die from the disease this year.
  • Melanoma is the fifth-most-common cancer in men and the sixth-most-common cancer in women.
  • In Monmouth County, incidence rates of melanoma are third-highest in New Jersey; mortality rates are more than 10 percent higher than the state average.

The program sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Office of Cancer Control and Prevention and the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey as grant recipient.

The Monmouth Cancer Coalition is a volunteer organization comprised of representatives from the health and human service communities, education, business, faith-based organizations and the general public. Its mission is to increase awareness, education and access to cancer screening and care through developing and sustaining collaborative relationships within the community for the purpose of reducing cancer morbidity and mortality in Monmouth County.

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