SOMERVILLE – Somerset County and representatives from the Regional Chronic Disease Coalition of Somerset and Morris Counties (RCDC) kicked off Skin Cancer Awareness month today on “Melanoma Monday.”

“Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, so it is vital that we continue to educate people and raise awareness about this disease,” said Freeholder Mark Caliguire, public health and safety liaison. “We encourage all residents, including young people, to conduct self-exams and to get regular skin checkups by healthcare professionals. This form of cancer is highly treatable when caught early.”

Helping to raise awareness about the prevalence of skin cancer and the importance of early detection were Freeholder Mark Caliguire, Dr. Steven Q. Wang, director of Dermatologic Surgery and Dermatology at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center in Bernards, melanoma cancer survivor Colleen McDonald, and Somerset County RCDC representative Lucille Y-Talbot.

On display in front of the Somerset County Historic Courthouse were the Coalition’s Rays(Raise Awareness about your Sun) art panels, which showcased illustrations of the sun that were submitted by Somerset and Morris County artists and photographers. 

Representatives from the RCDC provided literature from the Cancer Support Community of Central New Jersey, Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center and Somerset Medical Center.

The RCDC, which is made possible through a grant from the New Jersey Department of Health Office of Cancer Control and Prevention, strives to prevent premature death and disability from chronic disease, especially cancer, through advocacy, education and community outreach.

For more information, contact Lucille Y-Talbot, Somerset County Health Department public health consultant coordinator, at (908) 203-6077.