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Spring 2017 : Cancer prevention efforts in full swing

Cancer prevention efforts in full swing

MD Anderson aims for greater reach at Shell Houston Open

BY Allison Schaffer

Photos by Adolfo Chavez III

As the official cancer center of the PGA TOUR, MD Anderson touches countless members of the golf community every year with a message of cancer prevention and a reminder of the dangers from continued exposure to the sun. From offering free sunscreen and UV-protectant sunglasses to providing shaded grandstands for sweltering golf fans, MD Anderson's primary mission on the golf course is to prevent cancer from occurring in the first place.

MD Anderson provided multiple sunscreen stations, filled with free Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen SPF 50, across the course for tournament attendees. Stations included mirrors to ensure that sunscreen could be applied correctly.

This year, cancer prevention efforts expanded dramatically at the Shell Houston Open. MD Anderson dermatologists Saira George, M.D., assistant professor, Dermatology; Anisha Patel, M.D., assistant professor, Dermatology; and Sana Zahiruddin, M.D., resident, Dermatology; provided nearly 100 skin screenings, free to players, caddies and the public over the course of the week.

Therese Bevers, M.D., medical director of the Lyda Hill Cancer Prevention Center at MD Anderson, chats with a tournament attendee and shares healthful lifestyle and cancer prevention tips.

Cancer prevention experts including Therese Bevers, M.D., professor, Clinical Cancer Prevention, also were on hand to answer questions from tournament attendees about anything under the sun.

Golf fans found respite at MD Anderson's Strike Through Cancer Pavilion and shaded grandstands near the 18th green. In addition to the 30-foot Strike Through Cancer Wall, the biggest attraction was the sunscreen station, upgraded this year to include a mirror to encourage thorough sunscreen application on faces, ears and necks.

A custom Snapchat filter gave tournament attendees the chance to share cancer prevention and sun safety messages on social media.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. It's also one of the most preventable.

Tom Buchholz, M.D.

executive vice president and physician-in-chief

"Over the past few years, we've educated millions of people on ways to reduce their risk for developing cancer. By having our expert dermatologists and cancer prevention specialists on-site at the course this year, I'm hopeful that even more people will take notice and take action," says Buchholz.

Saira George, M.D., performs a skin screening inside a shaded tent located conveniently off the 18th green.

MD Anderson also had a presence at The PLAYERS Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and will be at the TOUR Championship in Atlanta, Georgia, in September.

MD Anderson and Topgolf have teamed up in hopes of taking cancer prevention efforts to even greater heights. MD Anderson is the official charity partner of Topgolf, a premier entertainment and event venue that offers point-scoring golf games for all skill levels, with more than 40 locations across the U.S. and U.K. Through the summer, Topgolf will share cancer prevention messages at all locations nationwide. In July, the company will run a fundraising campaign, a first-of-its-kind initiative for Topgolf. Customers will have the opportunity to donate $5 to receive a $10 play coupon, with all funds going back to MD Anderson to support crucial cancer research and prevention programs.

To kick off Shell Houston Open festivities, the PGA TOUR Wives Association donated $5,000 to MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital to host a golf-themed party on March 28 for teen and young adult patients. Nearly a dozen patients headed to the Four Seasons hotel in downtown Houston, where they were treated to a night of fun in the Swing Suite, featuring two Topgolf simulators. They also enjoyed plenty of other games and food courtesy of the PGA TOUR Wives Association. Mark Rolfing, a cancer survivor and longtime NBC Sports/Golf Channel analyst, and his wife, Debi, were on hand, along with the PGA TOUR wives.

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