Miami Dolphins Tackle Melanoma at Home Opener Against Oakland

MIAMI, Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- In partnership with Melanoma Exposed™, an educational campaign aimed to raise awareness of melanoma and its risk factors, the Miami Dolphins will be hosting a second free skin cancer screening event at Sun Life Stadium before the September 16 game against Oakland. At the first skin screening event in June, nearly 200 Dolphins fans were screened for skin cancer, where several suspicious moles were identified and individuals were referred on to see their dermatologists. Join the Dolphins once again and help them double the number of fans screened.

"The Miami Dolphins are proud to be a part of the Melanoma Exposed campaign," said Miami Dolphins Head Coach Joe Philbin. "All of us – players, coaches and fans – should be thinking of our skin health year round, not just in the summer months. So I encourage all fans to get screened for skin cancer at the Oakland game on September 16."

Early diagnosis and treatment is a serious problem in Miami – a study published last year found more than a quarter of melanoma patients diagnosed in Miami-Dade county were already at a late stage, especially those living in areas with a higher percentage of Hispanics. Melanoma can be deadly if not caught early and treated properly. Florida residents need to learn more about melanoma and must be especially careful about its risk factors. The sun's UV rays are a risk factor for melanoma,and Florida has the greatest amount of annual UV ray exposure in the U.S.  

Miami Dolphins CFO Mark Brockelman's wife, Jan, passed away from melanoma in 2010. Brockelman attended the first screening event in June, bringing with him his two daughters and Jan's family and friends. "This campaign is very meaningful to me and my family – it is our family's mission to get the word out about melanoma and the dangers of sun exposure."

A special team of licensed dermatologists will be conducting the free skin screening exams on September 16. The event will accommodate approximately 500 free screenings throughout the day. The first 100 fans that get screened will win a pair of free tickets to the upcoming game against St. Louis on October 14. Additionally, three fans who attended the screening event in June will attempt to kick a field goal from the 50 yard line at halftime for a chance to win $10,000.

WHAT:  Miami Dolphins and Melanoma Exposed™ Skin Cancer Screening Event

WHEN:  Sunday, September 16, 2012, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Sun Life Stadium, Gate C Joe Robbie Alumni Plaza (347 Don Shula Drive, Miami Gardens, FL 33056)

For more information about Melanoma Exposed, and to learn more about melanoma risk factors, visit www.MelanomaExposed.com. Visitors can share what they've learned with family and friends by using the interactive tools on the website, such as "Throwing a Forward Pass" to their Facebook friends in high prevalence areas, and test their melanoma knowledge (and football skills) by playing Goalpost Avenue, an online educational game coached by Coach Cowher, also available as a free app for tablets.

About the Melanoma Exposed Campaign
Melanoma Exposed is a public awareness campaign designed to educate Americans about melanoma and its risk factors and encourage them to take a more active role in their skin health, which may include receiving routine skin cancer screenings by a dermatologist and performing regular skin self-exams. The Melanoma Exposed campaign is a partnership with the Melanoma International Foundation, Melanoma Research Alliance, Melanoma Research Foundation, and The Skin Cancer Foundation, and is sponsored by Bristol-Myers Squibb. For more information about the campaign, visit www.MelanomaExposed.com.

About the Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins, owned by Chairman of the Board/Managing General Partner Stephen M. Ross, currently play in the AFC East of the National Football League. The organization has played in five Super Bowls, winning championships in 1972 (VII) and 1973 (VIII). The franchise also has won five conference championships and 13 division championships and is the oldest continuous major-league professional sports franchise in the state of Florida. For more information, visit the organization's website at dolphins.com.

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SOURCE Miami Dolphins