Hawaii’s first “Skin Check Van” hits the road: Combating skin cancer statewide

By Cynthia Yip

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    HONOLULU, Hawaii (KITV) — The Friends of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center launched a “mobile skin check” initiative to promote skin cancer prevention across the state. The new Skin Check Van is the first of its kind in Hawaii and will tour beaches, courts, parks, and other outdoor venues on Oahu beginning with its debut at Kalihi Valley District Park on Saturday, April 20 from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

Natalia Lukey is a skin cancer survivor. She tells Island News, “I’m more susceptible to skin cancer. So I’m much more aware of it now. Because like we never think we’re going to get cancer, right? It’s like an idea like, No, it’s not going to happen to me. It’s not going to happen to me. But then it does. So you change your perspective of things on how you’re taking care of yourself. Right so you are more careful for sure. For sure. I like if before I would wear sunscreen only in the peak of the day like around noon, if I had to be outside and now it’s early in the morning after shower, rub my sunscreen.”

Lukey was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma in 2023 and had surgery to remove the cancer. On average, 10,000 people in Hawaii are diagnosed with skin cancer every year. A significant health concern because of our year-round sunny climate.

Dr. Ryan Sato is President of the Hawaii Dermatological Society and a JABSOM Graduate. He says, “I think we live in the greatest state. You know, we have the greatest weather, and I tell my patients to I don’t want them to be hermits to just stay indoors that you know, Go out and enjoy, but you know, do it smart. So if you’re going be out, you know, using some protective clothing, whether it be a wide brimmed hat also to sunscreen SPF 30 and above, and if you’re more active, definitely reapplying every hour and also water resistant sunscreen.”

Dr. Sato says catching skin cancer early is vital for successful treatment outcomes.

The U.H. Cancer Center’s new mobile Skin Check Van will begin touring beaches, courts and parks on Oahu starting Saturday, April 20 to teach people about skin cancer.

Kevin Cassel, Ph.D., U.H., a Cancer Center researcher says, “we have a lot of unique tools that we do to educate the community about sun protection. We have a photo spectrometer where we can look at the different levels of melanin and look at lifetime exposure to to UV radiation over time. We have some tools where we can actually photo age young adults and let them see what they will look like over time if they don’t practice sun protection habits.”

The Friends of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center helped to fund the Skin Check Van with $85,000. Board member Spencer Dung’s sister Alana passed away from leukemia. He has a deeper reason to help one of the few designated National Cancer Institute Center, “when my sister got sick, you know, we didn’t have an option for her treatment, we had to go to the mainland. And we were fortunate enough to be able to do that, but not every family is. And so, you know, with the earth Phase clinical trials center that’s being built and being staffed up, you know, people who I have an option to stay home to get the care to be around their families in the community.”

The mobile unit will be staffed by students, staff, and doctors from the UH Cancer Center, the John A. Burns School of Medicine, and the Hawaii Dermatological Society, who will educate community members on skin cancer prevention methods.

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