Free Lee's Summit Skin Cancer Screening
Free Skin Cancer Screening for Skin Cancer Awareness Month
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and Cornerstone Dermatology is offering a free skin cancer screening at Bridge Space in Downtown Lee’s Summit from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on May 30.
The screening will take place in the Philanthropic Board Room at Bridge Space, 210 SW Market Street. The screening is first-come, first-serve and is intended to check a few areas of concern. Please RSVP here. A clinic appointment should be made for more extensive examinations or to discuss any other skin concerns.
Skin Cancer: Why Early Detection is Important
Ben Rao, local businessman and owner of Bridge Space and Family Shepherd, is no stranger to skin cancer. In May 2010, the then 40-year-old was shaving his neck when he noticed a suspicious spot on his back – a mole with irregular shape and coloring. Rao went to his dermatologist, who biopsied the spot. Further testing revealed Stage 3 melanoma that had spread to Rao’s lymph nodes.
Following successful treatment, this month Rao celebrates 15 years of being cancer-free. He has a scar on his back that he says reminds him of a piece of bologna, a good reminder to follow up with his dermatologist every six months as a patient at higher risk of recurring skin cancers. Rao wears sun-protective hats and clothing, and SPF 50+ on any areas of exposed skin. He stresses the importance of early detection.
“I know that I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the diagnosis and care I received when I did,” Rao says.
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and nearly 20 Americans die from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer every day.
Skin cancer is highly preventable and treatable when detected early, says Dr. David Fieleke, board-certified dermatologist and Cornerstone Dermatology founding physician.
“Unlike other cancers, skin cancer can be seen on the surface of your skin,” says Dr. Fieleke. “A skin cancer check from a board-certified dermatologist is a visual exam that is painless and could save your life.”
The American Academy of Dermatology’s Skin Cancer Check program is a campaign to create a world without skin cancer through public awareness, community outreach programs and services, and advocacy that promote the prevention, detection and care of skin cancer.
Since 1985, dermatologists have conducted more than 2.8 million free skin cancer checks and detected more than 290,000 suspicious lesions, including more than 30,300 suspected melanomas.
More Resources
For more information about how to prevent and detect skin cancer, including instructions on how to perform a skin self-exam, visit PracticeSafeSun.org. There, you can download a body mole map for tracking changes in your skin.
If you’re not able to attend this free screening but are concerned about a suspicious spot, please call 816-287-1528 to schedule an appointment at Cornerstone Dermatology.