Don’t Fry Day: Today & Everyday

Each year the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention designates the Friday before Memorial Day as Don’t Fry Day to raise awareness of the importance of sun safety. This year’s theme, Small Steps for Sun Safety, highlights the many small steps we can take to be more sun safe, like wearing sunscreen daily, covering up with clothing, and seeking shade.

Don’t Fry Day and other prevention campaigns are important because rates of skin cancer are increasing nationwide. In fact, skin cancer continues to be the most common cancer in the United States. Experts believe that 90% of skin cancers are preventable. The Melanoma Research Alliance is thrilled to join the 40+ other members of the NCSCP to promote this campaign.

“Our message is simple: Sun protection shouldn’t be overwhelming. When taken together, small changes to your lifestyle – daily sunscreen use, scheduling outdoor activities in the early morning or late afternoon, covering up with clothing, hats, and sunglasses –can significantly reduce your skin cancer risk later in life. We want people to think of these small steps as an investment in their future skin health,” says Becky Kamowitz, co-chair of the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention.

The Don’t Fry Day Toolkit, available online, includes a variety of resources to help individuals and organizations raise awareness of the importance of sun safety. Including templates for press releases, social media posts, and more. The campaign, now in its 13th year, is expected to reach millions of people with important messaging about sun safety.

Learn more about the campaign here.