SOUTHEAST CANCER CONTROL COALITION RECEIVES GRANT

Sun and fun often go together, but safety must also be considered. The Southeast Cancer Control Coalition is introducing new sun safety kits. To receive a kit, please call 471-1823.

The Southeast Cancer Control Coalition benefits 16 different counties-Ste. Genevieve, Perry, St. Francois, Bollinger, Madison, Cape Girardeau, Wayne, Stoddard, Scott, Mississippi, Carter, Ripley, Butler, New Madrid, Pemiscot, and Dunklin. The coalition is made up of different organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, St. Francis Medical Center, County Health Departments, Caring Communities, Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Project (BCCCP), Community 2000, and volunteers from the bootheel.

The Southeast Coalition wrote a sun safety grant designed to help in the fight against skin cancer. One in six Americans will develop skin cancer during his/her lifetime and the major cause is exposure to the sun. Southeast's high number of agriculture workers puts the area at a very high risk.

The grant consisted of sun safety kits and educational programs. The kits are called Sun Safety Suitcases and include the following:

*A wide brimmed hat * Flip charts

*Sample policies * Posters

*A teaching guide * Brochures

*Sunscreen * An umbrella

*Sample shade cloth * Sunglasses

*Teaching curriculum for daycare and ages K-6

For more information, on sun safety, call your American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit their web site at www.cancer.org.