However, in 1979, Arizona Cancer Center (ACC) researchers and community dermatologists discovered the result of all those tans and sunburns: Arizonans had an alarming rate of skin cancer—the highest in the United States and the second highest in the world. The Arizona Sun Awareness Project began in response to this public health concern, making information on sun safety available to all Arizona communities.

One of the most important audiences for education about the dangers of too much sun is school children. "We need to educate our children because sun damage is cumulative," explains Laurie Young, director of the ACC Office of Communication and Outreach. "As much as 80 percent of our total sun exposure occurs in the first 18 years of life because children are play-ing outside when the sun's rays are most intense between 10 in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. Children need to develop a lifelong habit of protecting themselves from the sun."

To encourage children to begin developing such habits, educators at the Arizona Cancer Center have written a new Sun-Safe School Guide. The guide provides suggestions for administrators, teachers, and parents to help them promote sun-safe behaviors, policies, and school environmental changes.

To help all Arizonans learn about the dangers of ultraviolet radiation and the risk of skin cancer, the Sun Awareness Project also provides other free materials on sun safety. The packet includes a poster with the warning signs of cancer, a pamphlet on how to examine your skin for signs of cancer, and a guide to skin cancer prevention, called Living Well Under the Sun. Program developers also have written a puppet show for children and produced a presentation for adults.

The printed materials are available at no charge to anyone requesting them and to schools, clubs, and physicians.

Other opportunities are available to those wishing to mount more extensive sun awareness projects. The American Academy of Dermatology has a nationwide program that encourages dermatologists to conduct community-wide skin cancer screenings. Arizona residents wishing to set up such an event in their own town can contact the ACC Office of Communications and Outreach for guidance.

Although recognizing and treating cancers that already have started is vital, the most important part of the message of the Arizona Sun Awareness Project is that even in Arizona, skin cancer is preventable.

In addition to information on sun safety, the Office of Communication and Outreach offers a toll-free line (the COPE Line) that can provide: materials and information on cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment; information on clinical trials of new cancer treatments in Arizona; referrals for clinic appointments; and public education presentations at worksites, schools, civic group meetings, and health fairs.

The 5 a Day for Better Health Recipe Book, published by the Arizona Cancer Center, encourages the public to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. The free book includes more than 70 low-fat recipes.

The Arizona Cancer Center also offers quality educational programming to professionals, students and the public. Events including the annual Waddell Lecture Series, the International Conference on the Adjuvant Therapy of Cancer, and the International Workshop on Chromosomes in Solid Tumors are produced through the Office of Communications and Outreach.

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