Chris and Cole Redd enjoy a day of boating under the hot Albany sun. There's only one problem. They aren't wearing any sunscreen and Cole only wears it when he goes swimming.
"I might not wear it if I have a shirt on, but like whenever I go swimming I wear it," said Redd
This is one reason why oncology nurses at Phoebe Memorial Hospital put together an initiative called "Don't' Fry Day".
"Approximately one person dies every hour from skin cancer," said nurse Cindi Downs.
The nurses want the public to be aware of the dangers of sun exposure and how it can lead to skin cancer, especially in children like Cole.
"1 in 5 children during their lifetime will be diagnosed with skin cancer and skin cancer is one of the most preventable cancers there is," said nurse Cathy Shoemaker.
The Skin Cancer Foundation says over the past 31 years, more people have been diagnosed with skin cancer than all other cancers combined.
There are ways to beat the sun. Nurse Shoemaker recommends wearing sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 50. Also, know your body and examine it well.
"They should look for any mole or change in color that's irregular in shade."
The nurses at Phoebe want Chris and Cole, and the rest of us, to be proactive this Memorial Day and not only enjoy the sun, but make sure we're safe in it.
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