Free skin cancer screenings and other tests will be available to visitors at the Midwest Cancer Alliance (MCA) booth during the annual Women’s Expo. The event is scheduled for 3:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23 at the Great Bend Convention Center.
Rachel Laarman, M.D., dermatology resident at the University of Kansas Medical Center, will be on hand to provide the screenings. Dr. Laarman and her colleague, Emily Himes, M.D., will provide full-body skin exams and evaluations of sun exposure.
“It is important for women to take advantage of this opportunity because skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States,” Dr. Laarman said. “It is often curable with the simple removal of the cancer from the skin.
“Since it can be difficult to examine your own skin and notice changes, it is helpful to have a health-care provider determine if there are any lesions that cause concern,” Dr. Laarman added.
The dermatologist also noted that tanning increases skin-cancer risk. “Any woman who has used indoor tanning facilities or had a lot of sun exposure during her lifetime is at increased risk,” Dr. Laarman said. “A screening can help find possible skin cancers at an early stage.”
In addition to skin exams, MCA representatives also will offer free bone density tests, derma scans and sunscreen samples, along with breast and cervical cancer educational materials.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, regular cancer screenings can improve chances of early detection when treatment is likely to be most effective. Approximately one out of four people at MCA screenings is advised to consult with a physician.
St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center is a member of MCA, which is the outreach arm of The University of Kansas Cancer Center. In addition, St. Rose is part of Centura Health, which connects individuals and families across western Kansas and Colorado with more than 6,000 physicians, 15 hospitals, seven senior-living communities, physician practices and clinics, and home-care and hospice services.
