In recognition of its commitment to student health, the CU Anschutz Medical Campus has earned the “Skin Smart Campus Award” from the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention (NCSCP).
As part of the award, CU Anschutz will receive more sunscreen dispensers from the NCSCP to add to the dispensers already installed in several campus locations.
“CU Anschutz is honored to receive this award, which highlights our dedication to student well-being,” said Olivia Hutton, a student in the CU School of Medicine and member of the Skin Cancer Task Force. “By promoting skin cancer prevention and education, we hope we can set a good example for our students and other institutions.”
The CU Anschutz Student Senate signed a Memo of Understanding with the NCSCP, which agrees to: prohibiting indoor tanning devices on campus or in university-affiliated buildings; not listing any off-campus housing which includes access to indoor tanning beds; not permitting any indoor tanning salon to be included as a university-affiliated debit card merchant; and providing access to an educational webpage on the campus website, focusing on the risks of UV exposure and skin cancer prevention practices, to students, faculty, and staff at all times.
“About 1 in 10 melanomas in Colorado are thought to result from indoor tanning. This measure will hopefully reduce that number.” – Robert Dellavalle, CU Dermatology Professor
According to the Global Burden of Disease Study, about 352,000 people worldwide were diagnosed with potentially deadly melanoma in 2015. That includes 81,000 cases in the U.S.
“Indoor tanning puts students at risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer,” Hutton said. “By taking the steps necessary to earn this award, CU Anschutz has taken action to reduce the incidence of melanoma in young people, and we hope other schools will follow in its footsteps.”
“About 1 in 10 melanomas in Colorado are thought to result from indoor tanning,” added CU Dermatology Professor Robert Dellavalle, co-chair of the Colorado Skin Cancer Task Force. “This measure will hopefully reduce that number.”
The NCSCP’s Skin Smart Campus Initiative, launched in response to The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer, aims to promote skin cancer prevention and education on college campuses. For more information, visit SkinSmartCampus.org.
