Remember the pain of your last outdoor adventure?
Next time, wear sunscreen.
It’s officially summer, meaning weeklong camps, high-adventure trips, and outdoor fun are just around the corner.
It also means the sun is out in full force.
And it’s your responsibility to promote sun safety in your pack, troop, team, or crew, says Mark Hyde, a Scouter who works as a physician assistant at a Utah skin cancer clinic.
His goal is to increase awareness about skin cancer, reminding adults that “the sun damage we receive as a child or adolescent contributes greatly to these cancers.”
“I see the devastating effects on a daily basis,” he writes. “I also hear the phrase, ‘we didn’t know to be careful in the sun.'”
So when preparing for the next trip, remember Hyde’s acronym: SCOUT.
S is for sunscreen. Use SPF 30 to 60 and reapply at least a few times a day while camping.
C is for clothing. Encourage Scouts to wear long pants, shirts, sunglasses, and hats (preferably broad brimmed). Also look for clothes that offer UV protection.
OUT means out of the sun. Stay in the shade from 11-2 when the sun’s rays are most intense.
Encourage your Scouts to follow these rules and you’ll significantly reduce their risk of skin cancers down the road.
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