With the summer season about to begin, the region’s largest health system and one Long Island town are joining forces to combat the most common form of cancer.
Northwell Health and the town of North Hempstead will be offering free skin cancer screenings at town parks and pools and will provide free sun screen at those same locations and town beaches.
“Obviously prevention is the best medicine,” said North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena at the town’s Manorhaven Beach park and pool.
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WATCH HEREA Northwell Health dermatologist will conduct the cancer screenings inside a mobile van. That van will visit several town parks on Wednesdays in July.
“It’s much easier to treat skin cancer when it’s caught early and we’re grateful to provide that opportunity,” said dermatologist Dr. Silvija Gottesman.
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SIGN UP A New Hyde Park woman who visited the mobile van last year said the screening found a “freckle” on her skin that turned out to be melanoma.
“It saved my life,” said Maureen Smith. "This was something that didn’t seem suspicious at all."
Health
During a follow up visit, the 76-year-old Smith says the dermatologist found and treated another potentially dangerous spot on her skin.
“If I hadn’t gone over there, who knows?” said Smith.
Many New Yorkers don’t have access to a dermatologist, Dr. Gottesman said. Others just put off skin cancer screenings. But they should be done every year, she advises.
"What can you lose?" Smith said. "It was free, took a short time and brought me years of life.”
