With over 5 million cases of people being diagnosed with melanoma in the United States, skin cancer is America’s most common cancer. On the more “fortunate” side, it is also one of the most preventable cancers (Melanoma Foundation).

May is Melanoma Awareness Month, with Melanoma Monday as the first Monday of May.

Melanoma Monday is a focused campaign during Melanoma Awareness Month. The special month provides people with several campaigns to inform about the causes, risks, and treatment of skin cancer in its various forms.

One of the messages is to make people aware of how to avoid skin cancer. About 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers and 85% of melanoma cases are associated with people being exposed to ultraviolet radiation from the sun, so, with summer coming up, people should make sure to keep their skin properly protected with sunscreen (Skin Cancer Facts).

There are multiple ways to help spread awareness about melanoma this month. Even though many of us are separated due to the pandemic, you can still help share the facts about melanoma and save lives. If you wish to go even further, you can get political about it. To affect access to care and the diagnosis of skin cancer, you can contact local officials and urge them to support legislation that makes early detection and screenings for skin cancer more widely available. To find out more, go to Aim at Melanoma.