November 11, 2020
Dr. Carolyn Ellis with Jayci Fournier, Sr. Manager of Youth & Teen Engagement, and Y Academy kids.
On Monday, November 9th, 2020, The Bangor Region YMCA held a small ribbon-cutting ceremony at The Bangor Region YMCA’s Camp G. Peirce Webber for its new sun shade structure, funded by an American Academy of Dermatology Shade Structure Grant. This structure will provide shade over Camp G. Peirce Webber, protecting 250 children each day during future summers from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays and helping to reduce their risk of skin cancer.
Dermatologist, Dr. Carolyn Ellis, a member of the AAD, sponsored The Bangor Region YMCA’s grant application and attended the ceremony. During the event, Dr. Ellis spoke to children about the importance of sun safety and answered their questions about how to safe under the sun.
The shade shelter was installed in an open clearing at the camp, which is exposed to full sun during camp hours. This area is used daily throughout the summer, particularly for archery activities. Children learning and practicing archery each day include 3rd through 6th graders attending Camp G. Peirce Webber, as well as 7th through 10th graders in the YMCA’s Adventure Camp who also use the open clearing.
According to the AAD, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and it only takes one blistering sunburn during childhood or adolescence to nearly double a person’s chance of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, later in life. Seeking shade is an easy way to reduce the risk of skin cancer, along with covering up and wearing a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
The Shade Structure Grant Program is part of the AAD’s SPOT Skin Cancer™ campaign to reduce the incidence of skin cancer by educating the public about effective skin cancer prevention tips. To learn more about the Shade Structure Grant Program or for ways to prevent and detect skin cancer, visit SpotSkinCancer.org.