2007 LPGA Safeway International at Superstition Mountain Golf Club, Phoenix, AZ

PHOENIX DERMATOLOGISTS TO HELP GOLF LOVERS “PLAY SAFE IN THE SUN” AT LPGA SAFEWAY INTERNATIONAL

Crowds of tournament golf fans will partake in free skin cancer screenings and sun safety education at Superstition Mountain Golf Club, March 23-25, 2007 thanks to Women’s Dermatologic Society’s award-winning community outreach service.

Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club

Phoenix, AZ (March 14, 2007) - A team of Phoenix dermatologists representing the Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS) will promote sun safety and skin cancer prevention among the higher-risk golf community through the award-winning “Play Safe in the Sun” campaign at LPGA Safeway International, Superstition Mountain Golf Club, March 23-25, 2007. The event will be co-hosted by WDS members Jeanette Pitts, MD, Division Head, Dermatologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Arizona and Suzanne Connolly, MD, former chair of the Mayo Clinic AZ Department of Dermatology and Vice President of WDS. Several Phoenix-area dermatologists, nurses and others will volunteer during the weekend to provide tournament visitors with free skin cancer screenings, Dermascan assessments, sunscreen giveaways and educational materials.

Board-certified Arizona dermatologists will offer free skin cancer screenings for tournament visitors at the following times in the Women’s Dermatologic Society tent:

Friday, March 23: 12:30 pm-3:30 pm
Saturday, March 24: 9:30 am-3:30 pm
Sunday, March 25: 9:30 am-3:30 pm

The Women’s Dermatologic Society presents the “Play Safe in the Sun” campaign to the public at a time when:

Skin cancer ranks as the most common form of cancer in America, with more than one million new diagnoses expected in 2007.
Skin cancer is the leading form of cancer among young women, ages 25-29, and the fastest-growing form of cancer among 18-29 year olds.
Studies have shown that golfers face a heightened risk of developing skin cancer due to prolonged sun exposure.

People of all ages and skin types are urged to make the daily commitment to protect their skin and safeguard their health, since overexposure to the sun is the primary and most preventable cause of skin cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends:

Regular visits to your dermatologist;
Liberal application of a high SPF, broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen to all exposed areas of the body and face, with re-application every two hours;
Wearing sun-protective clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and sun-glasses,
Sun avoidance during peak hours

“Play Safe in the Sun” campaign co-host Dr. Pitts notes that outdoor enthusiasts, particularly in sun-drenched regions like Arizona, need to make sun safety part of their daily routine on a year-round basis, even with cloudy skies. “You can still enjoy outdoor activities. Just be smart about the way you do it,” comments Dr. Pitts. Dr Connolly reminds people to “check the expiration dates of your sunscreen, thoroughly apply a golf-ball size amount of broad-spectrum sunscreen 15 minutes before going out and re-apply every two hours, or every nine holes if you’re playing golf.”

The WDS “Play Safe in the Sun” campaign at LPGA tournaments earned the AAD’s prestigious national “Gold Triangle” award in 2005. The upcoming Skin Cancer Screenings are part of the AAD’s National Skin Cancer Volunteer Screening Initiative.

Funding for “Play Safe in the Sun” campaign at LPGA Safeway International is generously provided by Medicis, The Dermatology Company and Doak Dermatologics. Product contributions are furnished by Procter & Gamble, OrthoNeutrogena, Blue Lizard and the SHADE Foundation.

WHO: Volunteer dermatologists representing the Women’s Dermatologic Society
WHAT: FREE SKIN CANCER SCREENINGS AND SUN SAFETY EDUCATION AT LPGA Safeway International Tournament
WHERE: Superstition Mountain Golf Club, Women’s Dermatologic Society Expo Tent
WHEN: Fri 3/23 (12:30pm-3:30pm); Sat 3/24 and Sun 3/25 (9:30am-3:30pm)
INFO: CONTACT 877-WDS-ROSE (937-7673)

• Event Wrap Up (Also Available In PDF)
• MORE INFORMATION: 1-877-WDS-ROSE (937-7673) | www.womensderm.org

For further information about Women’s Dermatologic Society, visit:
www.womensderm.org
www.playsafeinthesun.org

Contact Kerry Parker, Executive Director, at 1-877-WDS-ROSE

WDS supports the careers and professional development of women dermatologists. The WDS mission is to help women in dermatology achieve their greatest potential by striving to foster, promote and support women’s issues in dermatology; identify, train and recognize women leaders in dermatology, and provide a forum for developing relationships. “Play Safe in the Sun” initiative is a community outreach service of the WDS.