"Play Safe In The Sun" Campaign at the Safeway Classic by Pepsi in Portland, OR | Events of the Women's Dermatologic Society

Portland Mayor Vera Katz declared September 16 "Play Safe in the Sun" Day in support of efforts by the Women's Dermatologic Society (WDS) to promote safe sun practices at LPGA tournaments across the country. LPGA player Angela Jerman, the new spokesperson for the campaign, helped kick off the Society's "Play Safe in the Sun" Campaign by undergoing the first screening by dermatologists on-site providing free screenings to players and spectators at the Safeway Classic by Pepsi on September 15-19. Pictured at the tournament with Jerman are (from left) Dr. Wendy E. Roberts, Dr. Karen Vigeland, and Dr. Sandra Read, the Society's President.

CONTACT:

Nancy FitzGerald 760.333.9296/760.322.0232
Kerry Parker
Executive Director, Women’s Dermatologic Society
1-877-WDS-ROSE

LPGA TOUR GOLF PRO ANGELA JERMAN AND WOMEN DERMATOLOGISTS STRIKE A WINNING COMBINATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST SKIN CANCER AT THE SAFEWAY CLASSIC IN PORTLAND

Community Outreach Service is in full swing as LPGA Tour Players, spectators and media participate in free skin cancer screenings and learn the “Every 9 Holes Rule”

September 27, 2004) — Striking a responsive chord in the golf community, LPGA Tour Golf Pro Angela Jerman has joined forces with the Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS) in the fight against skin cancer, with a recent “Play Safe in the Sun” outreach at the Safeway Classic Championship in Portland, Oregon providing skin cancer screenings to 227 tournament spectators, volunteers, media members and LPGA tour players. 43% of individuals screened were
referred to their dermatologists for further diagnosis of suspicious sites and 17% were presumptively diagnosed as requiring biopsies for squamous or basal cell carcinomas and melanomas.

In recognition of the WDS local volunteer screening effort, Portland Mayor Vera Katz declared September 16 “Play Safe in the Sun” Day, to help bring attention to the alarming national epidemic of skin cancer, reflected in the estimated one million new diagnoses in 2004.

Local event host, WDS member and Vancouver, WA dermatologist Dr. Karen Vigeland comments, “It was very uplifting to see that we were truly meeting a need by reaching out to the golf community, thanks to the shared commitment among our dedicated corps of volunteer WDS dermatologists, local nurses and corporate sponsors…and our ideal new spokesperson, Angela Jerman.”

Supportive letters to Ms. Jerman, in connection with her new role in the WDS community outreach service, underscore the life-saving significance of promoting sun protection and early detection. In the words of one writer, a fellow golfer, “I’m alive and well because of early detection of a very good physician….I’ve now learned how very important sun protection is.” Citing the need to get checked by a dermatologist regularly, and to make sun protection “a way of life”, 2nd year LPGA Tour Pro Jerman encourages people of all ages to “take every precautionary measure to protect against the ravages of the sun.” For golf enthusiasts, who face a heightened risk of developing skin cancer due to prolonged sun exposure, Jerman urges, “Re-apply sunscreen every nine holes!”, as recommended by the Women’s Dermatologic Society (WDS).

Dr. Sandra Read, WDS President, national expert on ultraviolet exposure and member of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), states that “Overexposure to the sun is the primary cause of skin cancer, and because it is the most preventable cause of skin cancer, protective measures and early detection are critically important.” Recommendations include liberal, thorough application of a high SPF, broad-spectrum sunscreen to all exposed parts of the body and face; sun protective clothing and wide-brimmed hat, and whenever possible, sun avoidance during the peak hours of 10 a.m-4 p.m.

WDS member dermatologists who collectively volunteered more than one hundred hours for the Safeway Classic Championship skin cancer screenings recently included: Dr. Karen Vigeland, local host and organizer, Vancouver, WA; Dr. Sandra Read, WDS President, Washington, DC; Dr. Wendy E. Roberts, President, California Dermatologic Society, Rancho Mirage, CA; and Dr. Diane Baker, Dr. Carolyn Hale, Dr. Marla Klein, Dr. Maeran Landers, Dr. Phoebe Rich, Dr. Janet Roberts, Dr. Marla Ross and Dr. Kristin Stevens, all from Portland, OR. In addition, volunteers from the local chapters of the Dermatology Nurses Association and Oncology Nurses provided assistance in the screening process. Hands-on support throughout the four days of screenings at Columbia Edgewater Country Club was also given by representatives from Galderma, Dermik and Ortho-Neutrogena, which supplied a UV camera.

“Play Safe in the Sun” at selected LPGA tournament sites is funded through the generosity of an unrestricted grant from Procter & Gamble. Angela Jerman’s role as campaign spokesperson is made possible through collaborative work with Dermik Laboratories, a division of Aventis Pharmaceuticals. Sunscreen samples, thousands of which were distributed to tournament players, spectators and volunteers, were donated by Procter & Gamble, Galderma and Ortho-Neutrogena.

For more information about WDS, visit www.womensderm.org, or contact Executive Director, Kerry Parker, 1-877-WDS-ROSE
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City of Portland Proclamation