National Campaign to Educate Children about Sun Safety Launched

Source

American Academy of Dermatology

Forums

Related Articles

LIBERTY CORNER, N.J., March 2, 1998 -- It is estimated that 80 percent of lifetime sun exposure occurs before the age of 18. And just one bad blistering sunburn during childhood can double the risk of skin cancer later in life. But sun damage can be reduced. Research indicates that regular use of a sunblock with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or higher during the first 18 years of life can lower the risk of certain skin cancers by 78 percent.

To educate children about the importance of sun safety, the American Academy of Dermatology and Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc., the maker of the Coppertone(R) brand, have partnered to initiate a multi-year national sun safety educational campaign. Called Block the Sun, Not the Fun(SM)!, the campaign is designed to make kids, the most vulnerable segment of our society, active participants in lifelong practices to protect themselves from the sun's harmful rays.

The Block the Sun, Not the Fun! sun safety campaign will be taught to children, grades kindergarten through three, by their teachers in the classroom setting. Sun safety messages will be delivered through three components: a Teaching Guide which incorporates sun safety messages into fun and exciting activities teachers can share with their students; a classroom poster that reinforces the importance of practicing sun safety every day throughout the year; and, a Family Sun Guide students can take home to discuss sun safety behavior with their parents/caregivers through games, activities and a poster contest.

The Block the Sun, Not the Fun! Teaching Guide features subjects ranging from language arts to math. In the "Sunburn Concern" lesson, students act out a play featuring sun-savvy kids and incorporating sun-safety tips, "Why We Need the Sun" helps them understand how important the sun is and asks them to create an invention that uses solar energy, and in "Graph It" they chart out ways in which people block the sun based on a school-wide poll.

The Family Sun Guide includes many activities children can do on their own or with a parent including a true/false quiz, a maze through which a sun-smart kid has to travel to find sunblock and gear to protect him from the sun, and a picture in which items to protect kids from the sun are hidden.

Both the Teaching and Family Guide include a poster contest in which students visually depict a sun-smart message. The contest is sponsored by the American Academy of Dermatology and Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, maker of Coppertone suncare products. Entries will be judged based on how well the sun-smart message is communicated. The winning poster will be featured in the 1999 Block the Sun, Not the Fun! sun safety campaign. The winner receives a trip for four to Disney World and finalists -- one from each state that enters -- win Polaroid cameras.

The Block the Sun, Not the Fun! campaign will be unveiled at the American Academy of Dermatology's annual convention in Orlando, Florida on March 2, 1998. More than 100,000 teachers will then receive the program along with their March issue of Instructor magazine. Schering-Plough, maker of the Coppertone brand, became interested in initiating a sun safety campaign targeting children after reviewing the results of a study they conducted which found that 87 percent of Americans felt that teaching children how to effectively use sunscreen is of utmost importance.

"When we realized how hungry people were for information about sun safety for kids we immediately recognized a void that we, as the leading marketer of suncare products for children, should help fill," explained Tom Feitel, Vice President, Suncare Marketing at Schering-Plough HealthCare Products. The Coppertone brand has been a leader in the children's suncare products segment since it introduced a sunblock specially developed for the delicate skin of young children in 1987.

"The American Academy of Dermatology is pleased that Schering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc., maker of the Coppertone brand, agreed to join with us in educating children and their parents about sun safety," said Dr. Roger Ceilley, President, American Academy of Dermatology. "Sun damage is responsible for up to 80 percent of the visible signs of premature aging of the skin including rough, leathery patches and wrinkles. Skin cancer is one of the few diseases which can be minimized if people protect themselves from the sun, especially when they are young. That's why this sun safety educational initiative is so important," Ceilley added.

The American Academy of Dermatology is the largest medical association representing dermatologists who are the experts in the diagnosis and medical and surgical treatment of conditions of the skin, hair and nails.

Coppertone is a trademark of Schering-Plough HealthCare Products Inc. of Memphis, Tenn., a subsidiary of Schering-Plough Corp. of Madison, N.J., a research-based company engaged primarily in the discovery, development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical and health care products worldwide.

For more information about the Block The Sun, Not the Fun! sun safety educational campaign or poster contest, call 312-856-8888, or visit http://www.aad.org or http://www.coppertone.com.

CONTACT: Tracy Pritts, 312-856-8825, Ann Murphy, 312-856-8824, both of Porter Novelli; or, Donna Stein, 847-330-0101 x341, of the American Academy of Dermatology