This is our fourth visit to this location, and many thanks to Daniel Behroozan, MD, who was on hand to screen patients. It was a fairly quiet day, which was new for us.  We’ll just have to enjoy it while we can!

Despite a last minute change with parking at Rite Aid, the screenings were a success. Over the two-day period we were able to screen 82 patients and provide information to others. Agata Marriott, MD; Erik O. Gilbertson, MD, and Jens Thiele, MD were wonderful, and between them found three suspected melanomas.

It’s always fun to stop at a partner’s office so employees can experience what their company is doing in the community. Today we visited Baekart (parent of Solar Gard^® Window Film). Everyone who stopped by the RV was excited to see the display and happy to know that people all over the country were learning about Solar Gard^®.

The Sports Chalet in Chandler, AZ was the last of our Arizona stops for the 2010 season. Despite it being a short day, it was busy and we had a constant flow of people who stopped by to get their annual screening. The Sports Chalet was happy to have the Tour back for another year and once again, they were very hospitable. They provided us with a perfect parking spot, some extra shade for people waiting, and a large cooler filled with ice cold water to keep everyone nice and cool.  Katherine Lim, MD, returned for her second day of Tour duty and was pleased to see how people came out to have a screening. She said, “I cannot wait until next year!"

This was a busy day for Bass Pro Shop in Mesa, AZ. Everyone who stopped by the RV was able to get a screening and since we did not have a long line, people were able to wait inside the RV where it was cooler. Doctors Susan Pardee, MD; Paul English, MD; and Katherine Lim, MD, were on hand throughout the day to provide the screenings, and were all excited to take part in such a wonderful program. The doctors found three suspected melanomas and multiple suspected nonmelanoma skin cancers.

The Academy Sports in Webster, TX, was the lucky last stop before the Tour heads west to Arizona. Webster is located just outside the Houston metro area and is close to the coast, which means lots of sun worshipers.

Our wonderful Narin “Joe” Aprsarnthanarax, MD, was able to screen 31 people in just two hours and most importantly, he detected two suspected melanomas.

Everyone at Randall’s Grocery store in Houston was fantastic and very hospitable. Staff set up several tents for shade and brought out lots of chairs so that people could sit while waiting for a screening.

Jamie Tschen, MD, Allyson Kopel, MD, and Thomas Nichols, MD, were anxious to hop on board the RV and get the screenings underway. They were great, discovering two suspected melanomas as well as numerous suspected precancers and nonmelanoma skin cancers. Local radio station KRBE 104.1 was at the event and they entertained our visitors. Throughout the day we had a constant stream of traffic but never an overwhelming line, which was perfect. One participant said, “Thank you for the screening.  It was wonderful and I have a huge weight off my shoulders.”

We can’t wait to return to Randall’s next year!

We had a rainy start in Houston today but lots of people still came out to get their free skin cancer screenings at the local Academy Sports store. Everyone who came was grateful we were in town and excited to check out the Tour and what we had to offer.

It was nice to have Mark Garcia, MD, and his nurse Tracy Leal back for another year. Several people who had seen the Tour on Telemundo earlier in the week stopped by the San Marcos, TX. Academy Sports. It’s a beautiful, brand-new store, and the staff provided us with a parking spot right at the entrance.  Everyone who stopped by, even if they didn't want a screening, was very excited about the Tour and happy to get some samples.

The event was great. Academy Sports in Austin, TX was prepared for Tour and situated us on the sidewalk right next to the entrance. The morning was spent handing out brochures and samples to visitors.  Everyone who stopped at the Academy store Friday morning was sure to see the RV and walked over to see what we were doing. The second half of the day Robert Fox, MD, came onboard and helped to provide almost 30 screenings in a very short time.

Despite the scorching temperatures, the two full days of screenings at Cabela's in Fort Worth, TX, were a success, to say the least.

We had a perfect parking spot directly in front of the store, where everyone was sure to see the RV.  The first day we certainly kept dermatologists Jack Cohen, MD, and Alex Berlin, MD, very busy. Both Telemundo and NBC stopped by to interview the doctors (with Chris acting as translator for Dr. Cohen) and get footage. The spots had a huge effect on Wednesday’s turn out.

On the second day, people lined up early, despite the hot temperature and long wait, participants wanted to stay because they all said they knew how important it was to get their annual screening.  And we lucked out with Scott Miller, MD. When he saw how busy it was, he decided to stay the entire day instead of the three hours he was scheduled for! Apparently he and Dr. Cohen are old friends. Both definitely deserve a very big thank you note for all of the time and support they gave us on Wednesday. Over the two days, we screened over 150 people and found two suspected melanomas.

Today’s Rite Aid stop was in Cordova, a suburb of Memphis, and it turned out to be a busy spot. The manager was very eager to have us there and had parking spots blocked off in front for the RV.  Several people were waiting for us when we arrived.

The medical team for this event was from Mid-South Dermatology and they were wonderful. It was clear that James Turner, MD; Malika Tuli, MD; Marcia Starns, PA-C; and Loree Easley, PA-C were used to working together and things really moved along. Thank you!

Thanks to Rex Amonette, MD, and his surgical assistant, Rhonda Williams. In addition to screening dozens of patients, he was also able to give a quick interview to ABC 24.

The Union Ave Rite Aid in Memphis isn’t too far from downtown, so the RV got some good exposure. The store is located next to a fire station and for the third year in a row, the firefighters came over for their annual free skin cancer screening. They all said that they look forward to the Tour each year and appreciate the service. Dr. Amonette said he was so happy to be able to participate, and hopes this program continues to grow. So do we!

A little bit of promotion really goes a long way!  The Tour was promoted at Rite Aid, the University of Kentucky’s Markey Cancer Center, and in some local Lexington, KY media—and it really impacted the turnout.

When we arrived on Wednesday, 25 people were waiting and by the time the doctor arrived, over 60 people were in line.  On day two we again arrived 45 minutes early, and this time discovered 46 people waiting. By the time we completed our brief set up, 70 people were waiting!

The Markey Cancer put up a 20x20 canopy to provide shade, and luckily the weather was in our favor—there was a nice breeze on both days.  Rite Aid supplied water and chairs and also set up a table with additional wellness brochures.  Both days would not have been as successful without the help of associates from UK Markey Cancer Center, Commonwealth Dermatology, and the Kentucky Cancer Program. A staff of 12 joined us and made it possible to screen 121 people in two days. Many thanks to William McDaniel, MD, Carmen Combs, and all of the other associates who made our event possible.

Best of all, the patients were happy:  “Lexington is so grateful that you made us part of your wonderful tour,” one participant said.

The weather was perfect, the Lexington, KY Rite Aid team was wonderful (they brought out additional chairs and coolers filled with ice cold water to help keep everyone cool),  and lots of people came out for a free screening.

Dana Black, MD, and her two nurses were definitely troopers. It was very hot in the RV, and they still managed to see 70 patients in five hours! We really enjoyed their company and would love to work with them next year.

A team from the Lexington Herald-Leader stopped by for a few brief interviews with participants and the doctor, and snapped some photos.  We’re looking forward to the next few days in Lexington!

A patient said, “My dermatologist retired so I am here today to have a screening and find a new dermatologist.” Hope we were able to help!

Indianapolis was a great stop for the Road to Healthy Skin Tour. Gander Mountain, an outdoor retailer, was the spot for the two days of screenings.  The store was ready for the Tour; they had signs at each register to let people know about our arrival and also had a huge sign at the exit of the store to advertise our visit.

Several employees came out to get a screening and told us that they had been looking forward to their free skin cancer screenings all week. With the help of Christine Kuhn, MD; Ally Somani, MD; and Nahid Shahrooz, MD, we were able to screen over 50 people and hand out some useful information on skin cancer prevention.

Everyone at the Oak Brook Family Recreation Center in Oak Brook, IL, was very nice and excited to get free screenings from Jeffrey Hsu, MD; Alix Charles, MD; and Julie Moore, MD. The patients weren’t the only people who were glad to see us — Dr. Hsu said, “I am glad to see you and the Tour are back on the road!”

We also had Riley Wharton, Miss Teen Midwest International 2010, join us. Her platform for pageants is skin cancer awareness and she was very excited about the Tour and the opportunity to help out today. She spent most of the event greeting people and talking to them about skin cancer and prevention.

The Sports Authority in Willowbrook, IL, is a beautiful store and we had another successful Tour stop! Reunka Bhatt, MD, found a suspected melanoma as well as several suspected nonmelanoma skin cancers. She said, “This program is such a great idea.  So many dermatologists do not have the chance to give back to the community but this RV makes it almost impossible not to.”

Whew! Today was a day like no other, but in the end, everything worked out well.

A day or two before the event, we learned that WGN-Chicago wanted to do a story on the Tour at their station and slated it for 11:30 AM. Preparing for this required an 80 mile drive to, from, and all around Chicago! First we drove 50 miles from our hotel to the Sports Authority in Vernon Hills, IL, and dropped Chris off with the tables and brochures. Then Christie turned around and headed back into Chicago to get the RV situated at the TV studio.

Martha Arroyo, MD, met the RV at the station. The segment turned out great – approximately four minutes in length, with info on the Tour, an interview with Dr. Arroyo, and footage of a “screening” (featuring Christie).

As soon as the shoot was completed, Christie and Dr. Arroyo returned to the Sports Authority to begin the screenings. Dr. Arroyo and Cara Garretson, MD, were able to screen 30 people between 1-4 PM, discovering two potentially deadly suspected melanomas.

Centegra Health Bridge in Huntley, IL is a great stop for the Tour and with 109 screenings, today’s event broke our previous record for number of screenings performed in one day! Vic Khanna, MD, found two suspected melanomas and multiple suspected precancers and nonmelanoma skin cancers.

Dr. Khanna was happy to come on board and provide the local community with free skin cancer screenings. He brought along one of his PAs to help.  And everyone at the Centegra Center was so nice! They brought out chairs and bottled water for everyone waiting and also helped manage the line throughout the day. Kay Preshlock is a wonderful hostess and was ecstatic to be part of the Tour — thank you, Kay!

The Rite Aid in Livonia, MI was happy to have the Road to Healthy Skin Tour back for another year. Mary Satterfield (the Rite Aid manager), was fabulous. When we arrived, she met us in the parking lot and got us situated for the day. She then helped to line up all the people who were waiting and even made a list of their names. Later, she brought out chairs and came out with a cooler full of cold water. She even provided some balloons for us to tie around the tents!  Thanks, Mary.

With the help of Sami Abassi, MD and Andrew Mitchell, MD, the Tour was able to provide almost 50 exams and discover many suspected skin cancers. And once again, we got really positive feedback. “I haven't had insurance in three years,” one patient said. “I was laid off from the automotive industry, and have wanted to get this spot checked but have been scared that if it was something bad, it would affect my chances of getting insurance in the future.  But I saw the doctor — I’m fine and now have peace of mind. Thank you so much.”

Our screenings in Troy, MI were great. We had a steady flow of people and both Lori Federonko, MD, and Indira C. Misra Higgins, MD were happy to come back for another year. Each found a suspected melanoma.

We get such great feedback from patients. As one person said, “Before, I never would have gone to a screening, but my father and my aunt were just diagnosed with some form of skin cancer last month. So I started looking online for free screenings and came across the Tour.” We were glad to help.

The event was steady for most of the day.  Everyone who stopped by and wanted a screening was able to receive one.  We also had several visitors that stopped by the tour. Esti Gumperts, MD; Marlene Willen, MD; Angela K. Brimhall, DO, and their colleagues were very excited to be part of the program and said they would love to help out next year.

A special thanks to Dr. Willen: “I remember in the previous year doing the screenings that it was so sunny and hot,” she explained. “So this year I brought along some umbrellas for the patients waiting.”  How thoughtful!

Today’s event was a little slower than the on May 26!  It was Memorial Day weekend and a gorgeous day, so that definitely had an impact on attendance.  It was great to have WDTV stop by to film a screening and interview Mary Hall, MD. She was very excited about the tour and said she would love to do it next year!

One patient said, “A lot of people think they only need sunscreen if they are going to be in the sun all day.  But I wear it every day. It is part of my getting-ready routine.” That’s what we like to hear!

Camp Hill, PA turned out to be our busiest stop on the tour yet: David Amato, MD, screened an amazing 108 people (!!), which is a new record for the Tour. He found two suspected melanomas and multiple nonmelanoma skin cancers. Thanks to the Rite Aid PR team and local news stations, who got the word out about the screenings. Almost everyone we saw commented that they had learned of the Tour from the news.

When we arrived in Lancaster, PA a little after 9 AM there were already close to 20 people lined upin the rain waiting for us! As soon as Stephanie Mackey, MD, arrived we started screening. Halfway through the event, the local FOX news station stopped by and grabbed an interview with Dr. Mackey, and some footage of a screening.

One women told us she drove three hours from Alexandria, VA after seeing the tour on ‘Good Morning America’ a week or so ago!

There was never much of a line but we had a steady stream of traffic all day in Wyomissing, PA.  Both Harriet Comite, MD, and Robert Nagy, MD, were excited to be with us and eager to volunteer next year. Between them, they found a suspected melanoma and several other suspected skin cancers.

The team from radio station 106.1 in Philadelphia entertained visitors with music and games and kept things lively during our stop here today. Erum Ilyas, MD, was in the midst of moving to a new location, but managed to make it to today’s event to screen patients for two and a half hours.  We really appreciate her commitment to the Tour, as did our patients — she found two suspected melanomas!

Even people who hadn’t heard about the Tour were glad to see us: "I really came to Rite Aid to pick up my prescription,” said one patient. ”But since I saw you, I guess I will get checked out."

After the screenings, the radio team stayed a little longer and people stopped by for information about the Tour.

Jeanine B. Downie, MD, was on hand to perform exams today.  Johnson & Johnson is a great stop.  It’s nice for employees to see what the company they work for is doing in the community.  Everyone was very excited about the tour and happy to have a chance to experience it.  Even the people who were busy and did not have a chance for a screening came by for a quick look inside the RV and grab some information from the table.

We started the morning at FOX Studio, where the news anchor interviewed Erum Ilyas, MD, inside the RV for a news segment. While we were at the studio, some people showed up for a screening, thinking that it was being held there! Fortunately, they were able to meet us later at Rite Aid. Our departure for Rite Aid was delayed a bit by the studio, but thankfully Jeffrey Pollock, MD, and his nurse Gale Pollock were able to wait for us and ended up staying a little later to see everyone in line. A big thanks to them for being flexible and helping us out.

We drew people from up to three hours away! One patient said, "I saw the tour on ‘Good Morning America’ the other day.  So I looked up the schedule and I was bummed.... I had just missed you in my area.  So I decided that since I had today off, I would take a drive in the rain and traffic to see you.  It was three hours one way." Wow!

It was great to have the tour return to the same location for the third year in a row. Caroline Kim, MD, and her colleague, Mee-Young Lee, PA also joined us for the third time. “I look forward to this every year,” Dr. Kim said. The store and the patients were also happy to see us again. “In Boston we spend most of the year covered up,” a patient pointed out. “But the few months the sun comes out, we can do some serious damage without sunscreen on.”

Dr. Kim mentioned that she had been on the radio (WBZ) the evening before the event to speak about skin cancer and answer questions from callers. Several people that came for screenings had heard her on the radio.

It was raining in Wethersfield, CT, but we really enjoyed having Edward H. Benjamin, MD, and the Solar Gard reps with us today. Dr. Benjamin has a wonderful personality and was a lot of fun to work with. He kept us laughing throughout the day and when he retires from dermatology, we think stand-up comedy could easily be his next career.

One patient told us, “We used to own two tanning salons and tanned almost every day. Now we don’t own a salon, but we go a couple of times a week. I just went this morning.” Unfortunately, this gentleman actually had a huge suspected basal cell carcinoma on his arm, as well as several suspected precancers.

Our two days of screening at the Wayne, New Jersey Rite Aid went well. Dimitris Zouzias, MD; Neena Chima, MD; Cheryl Ackerman, MD, and Heba Abdulla, MD, discovered a number of suspected skin precancers and cancers. They were really excited about the Tour and all said they would love to participate next year.

Our visitors were really grateful for the copies of Fitness, sunscreen samples, and brochures. One said, “It was a perfect day to come to Rite Aid. I was able to buy all my usual products and get a free skin cancer screening.” Another guest admitted, “I tricked my husband into coming today [for a screening]. He thought we were just going to Rite Aid. Little did he know!”

The Road to Healthy Skin Tour had its third successful year in at the Rite Aid in Hoboken, NJ. We had several returning patients and lots of new ones. Adolfo Fernandez-Obregon, MD, is very well known in the community and having his name on the Rite Aid sign helped draw many people to the screenings. He actually saw 10 of his regular patients throughout the day.

Dr. Fernandez-Obregon had a medical student and resident shadow him for the day. They both were extremely excited about the tour and getting a chance to participate.

The free samples, including sunscreen, were very much appreciated: “Getting this sunscreen makes this the perfect Cinco De Mayo!” one patient said. “Time for a few drinks!”

It was a busy weekend in the Atlanta area, with several annual festivals and events taking place. Fortunately, that didn’t stop people from coming to Rite Aid to receive a free skin cancer screening.

The Road to Healthy Skin Tour was featured on Fox 5’s morning show. Gloria D’Hue, MD, was interviewed in the studio, and three additional segments with Linh Tran, MD, were shot at the RV. Between Drs. D’Hue, Tran, and Kimberly Ward, MD, we screened 63 people and found one potentially deadly melanoma, as well as five suspected nonmelanoma skin cancers.

The TV coverage generated a great response, and people from all over Atlanta came to Rite Aid for the screening. Also, many people from the surrounding businesses walked over on their lunch break to find out about the Tour and to get some information about skin cancer prevention. And even without the TV coverage, it appears that the Tour is well known. One visitor exclaimed: “You were here last year! I remember you. I’m glad to see these screenings are available again this year.”

Watch the “Good Day Atlanta” coverage of The Road to Healthy Skin Tour here and here.