Brewers to promote sun safety through support of the 2015 Play Sun Smart initiative

MILWAUKEE - The Brewers are joining Major League Baseball and all MLB Clubs in once again promoting sun safety this spring and summer through the Play Sun Smart initiative, which launches throughout the league this month and will be marked at Miller Park on Tuesday, May 12. Additionally, players, coaches and staff from all 30 Clubs will serve as role models for fans by participating in skin cancer screenings and practicing sun-safe behaviors throughout the season.
 
Play Sun Smart is a joint effort by Major League Baseball, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) and the American Academy of Dermatology (Academy), with the goal of promoting sun safety, raising awareness of skin cancer and offering prevention and detection tips to the baseball community. Since 1999, Academy dermatologists have conducted nearly 37,000 skin cancer screenings through this program. More than 1,200 suspicious lesions have been detected, including 155 melanomas, through the Play Sun Smart club screenings. Just like players and Brewers employees, fans are asked to practice safe sun behaviors and to find a free skin cancer screening in their area by visiting the Academy's website at PlaySunSmart.org.
 
Current estimates are that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Early detection of skin cancer is essential as it is highly curable if detected early and treated promptly. Fans can spot skin cancer early by regularly looking over their entire bodies, including the back, scalp, soles, between the toes and on the palms. If there are any changes in the size, color, shape or texture of a mole, if a new mole develops or any other unusual changes in the skin occur, fans are encouraged to make an appointment to see their dermatologist immediately. For more information about sun safety and the Play Sun Smart program, please visit MLBCommunity.org.

The Play Sun Smart program is one of several cancer-related initiatives supported by Major League Baseball. Other initiatives include Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), whose mission is to support groundbreaking scientific research aimed at getting new cancer treatments to patients quickly; the Mother's Day Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer initiative, which is a program to help increase awareness of breast cancer and raise money towards the search for a cure; and the Prostate Cancer Foundation's Home Run Challenge, which helps increase awareness of prostate cancer and raise money for the search for a cure as part of the MLB Father's Day celebration. To learn more about sun safety and the Play Sun Smart program and also Major League Baseball's various charitable initiatives, please visit MLBCommunity.org.