The End of the Road — For Now

The Road to Healthy Skin Tour has wrapped for 2009. We hope to see you next year! We’d like to thank presenting sponsors AVEENO^® and Rite Aid; supporting sponsors Columbia Sportswear, Solar Gard^® Window Film, and DUSA Pharmaceuticals, Inc.^®; and our official media partner, Fitness magazine. Their support made the tour possible.

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The Road to Healthy Skin Tour also relied on the many dedicated dermatologists who volunteered their time and expertise in order to screen patients all over the US — from Massachusetts to California, and from Washington to Florida. Thank you!

Since 2008, the Road to Healthy Skin Tour has held 165 screening events, where 275 dermatologists have found a total of 116 suspected melanomas. Melanomas are the most dangerous form of skin cancer, and can be deadly if not detected and treated in a timely manner. Doctors have also found 1,198 suspected actinic keratoses (precancers); 574 suspected basal cell carcinomas; and 189 suspected squamous cell carcinomas. The Road to Healthy Skin Tour been featured on television programs all over the country, including Good Morning America and Today (are we famous yet?). The RV covered a lot of ground — we drove 22,477 miles this year, for a grand total of 41,335 miles!

Patient feedback has been great. There was a man who drove over 500 miles (!) from Topeka, KS, to Boulder, CO, for a screening. We also saw a Lancaster, PA, resident who told us, “If it wasn’t for you all being here I would have waited another couple years for a screening.” We heard, again and again, how much this service is needed. We’ll never forget the Jackson, MS, man who turned up right at the end of our day: once we’d seen some of his very suspicious-looking lesions, the doctor stayed late to fit in an extra screening. As it turned out, this patient had two suspected melanomas, two suspected squamous cell carcinomas, and a couple of suspected basal cells. Then there was the Peoria, AZ, man we basically forced to get a screening when we saw the spot on his arm — it turned out to be a suspected melanoma. He said he probably would have never gone and got it looked at if it wasn’t for us.

We were so glad to help these people, but please don’t wait for the RV to come to your town! Learn how to perform a self-exam and recognize the warning signs of skin cancer, and see a doctor for a professional skin screening every year.

And now we’re looking ahead to next year. Do you know a dermatologist who’d like to volunteer? We’d love to hear from you — please drop us a line at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and sign up for the Tour newsletter. We’ll have updates on where the Road to Healthy Skin Tour is headed next!

Thank You to All The Doctors Who Volunteered to Perform Screenings!

Dermatologists who participated in the Road to Healthy Skin Tour screened patients for following conditions:

• Actinic keratosis (AK) currently affects more than 10 million Americans. AK is the most common type of precancerous skin lesion and, if left untreated, can lead to a cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma.
• Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer, affecting more than one million Americans annually.
• Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) affects more than 250,000 Americans and claims 2,500 lives each year. Squamous cell carcinoma can sometimes metastasize (spread) quickly, so it is important to detect the cancer in its earliest stages.
• Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and has increased more rapidly than any other form of skin cancer during the past 10 years. With nearly 60,000 cases and 8,000 deaths occurring each year in the United States, melanoma has reached epidemic proportions. However, when diagnosed and removed early, melanoma is usually curable.