Renee Juhans
Headquarters, Washington, DC                  April 24, 2000
(Phone:  202/358-1712)

NOTE TO EDITORS:  N00-18

NASA TEAMS WITH THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 
OF DERMATOLOGY TO FIGHT SKIN CANCER

      As part of its ongoing commitment to prevention and early 
detection of skin cancer, NASA will team up this year with the 
American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) to screen NASA employees for 
skin cancer on AAD's annual Melanoma Monday.  AAD members will 
volunteer their time to participate in this special screening.

     The screening will begin at 9:30 a.m. EDT on May 1, in room 
CD70 of the Health Unit at NASA Headquarters, 300 E St., SW, 
Washington, DC.  Senior NASA officials along with AAD President 
Dr. Richard K. Scher will be available from 10 to 11 a.m. EDT to 
discuss the importance of skin cancer prevention and detection.

     Media representatives interested in conducting interviews are 
invited to attend the screening and should contact Renee Juhans at 
(202) 358-1712, by COB April 28, to confirm attendance.

     Melanoma Monday, now in its sixth year, has been designated 
"National Skin Self-Examination Day" in order to raise awareness 
about melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, and encourage 
Americans to begin a lifelong habit of regular skin self-
examinations.

     NASA management is constantly looking for ways to improve the 
health and safety of its employees and recently launched the 
Agency's first-ever Solar Safe Skin Cancer Reduction Program to 
limit sun exposure of the NASA workforce and raise awareness of 
skin cancer detection and prevention.

     Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United 
States with about 1.3 million new cases diagnosed each year.  It 
is estimated that 47,700 people in the United States will be 
diagnosed with melanoma in 2000, an eight percent increase from 
1999. 

Additional information on NASA's Occupational Health Program can 
be found at: 

        http://ohp.ksc.nasa.gov/disciplines/occmed/

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