By Quin Welch, Building Kentucky
As the Kentucky State Fair opened its doors to fair-goers from across the Commonwealth in August, the Kentucky Cancer Program and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield partnered to offer free skin cancer screenings to fair attendees for the full duration of the fair.
According to the National Cancer Institute, Kentucky has a higher melanoma skin cancer rate than sunny states like Texas, California, Arizona and Florida. The good news, though, is that when detected early, the survival rate for melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – is 99%, according to the American Cancer Society. Despite the proven success of early detection, roughly 20 Americans die from melanoma every day, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Additionally, melanoma rates in the United States have risen rapidly over the past 30 years, doubling from 1982 to 2011. Since then, there has been a 31.5% increase in cases of melanoma, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.
2024 marked the 35th year Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Kentucky Cancer Program have partnered to help fair-goers take control of their health by offering these free screenings.
