Sunscreen and a hat are the two must-have fashion accessories to wear to the Tucson Festival of Books this weekend, March 9 & 10.

To help promote sun safety, the Skin Cancer Institute at the University of Arizona Cancer Center will make it easy for visitors with four sunscreen stations throughout the UA campus mall offering free skin protection during the book festival.

“With more than 100,000 people attending the event it’s important for us to help our community and visitors be sun safe,” said Robin Harris, PhD, deputy director of the Skin Cancer Institute and professor of Epidemiology at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

The sunscreen stations include signs explaining the proper application of skin screen, a mirror to help apply the sunscreen evenly and a gallon of SPF 30 sunscreen. There will also be free sunscreen and skin cancer information available at the University of Arizona Cancer Center Booth #515 in Science City.

The Festival of Books is the area’s first large outdoor spring event. Spring brings warmer and longer days and more intense sunlight. It’s the perfect time to remind the community about protecting your skin from the sun. Ultraviolet rays from the sun are the number one cause of skin cancer, Harris said.

Other helpful tips to remember while attending the Festival of Books:

 

• Dress in long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Darker colors and tighter weaves work best.
• Wear a wide-brimmed hat that covers your head, face, ears and neck.
• Protect your eyes with sunglasses that have large frames and 99-100 percent UVA/UVB protection.

For more information on skin cancer please visit the Skin Cancer Institute website.

 

About The University of Arizona Cancer Center

The University of Arizona Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center headquartered in Arizona. The UACC is supported by NCI Cancer Center Support Grant number CA023074. With primary locations at the University of Arizona and University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson and at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, the Cancer Center has more than a dozen research and education offices in Phoenix and throughout the state and 300 physician and scientist members who work together to prevent and cure cancer. For more information, go to www.arizonacancercenter.org