Greene County Public Health has partnered with numerous organizations this summer to educate, build awareness of and promote sun safety. Through the Iowa Cancer Consortium and the Iowa Department of Public Health and Human Services, they were able to distribute sunscreen to these partners.
“We need to protect our skin from too much ultraviolet (UV) light,” explained Greene County Public Health director Becky Wolf. “The invisible UV rays from the sun, tanning beds and sunlamps damages skin cells, which could result in skin cancers. A tan is actually a sign that the skin has been injured.”
Since receiving an allotment of sunscreen through the Sun Safety Community Project, Public Health has distributed one gallon each to the Jefferson and Grand Junction pools, The Children’s Center and Natural Wonders childcare. It has supplied packets of sunscreen to RAGBRAI riders and Greene County Fair attendees, as well as the Family Medicine and McFarland Clinics, Jefferson Family Dentistry, Teusch Dental, Jefferson Community Golf Course, Hy-Vee and Medicap pharmacies and bottles of sunscreen to in home daycares and libraries throughout the county.
