About Sunsport
Stanford student-athletes deserve the best: the best educational opportunities, the best coaching and instruction, the best facilities and equipment, and the best in sports medicine, including the best instruction and protection against skin cancer and other damage caused by sun exposure.
The Stanford Department of Dermatology, the Stanford Cancer Institute and Stanford Hospital & Clinics have teamed up with Stanford Athletics to provide the most comprehensive sun protection outreach and research program of any university in the nation: SUNSPORT.
SUNSPORT (Stanford University Network for Sun Protection, Outreach, Research and Teamwork) will reduce the incidence of skin cancer and other sun-related damage by providing risk awareness and sun-protection education to Stanford’s student-athletes, athletic faculty and staff, fans and supporters, and the University community at large.
Envisioned and lead by a dedicated team of Stanford dermatologist—many of whom were collegiate athletes—SUNSPORT is grounded in the longitudinal surveillance of athletes’ sun protection awareness and behavior.
SUNSPORT’s primary goal is to raise risk awareness, increase appropriate sun-protection behaviors and reduce the incidence of skin cancer among all target audiences.
SUNSPORT maintains both a passive and active presence on the Stanford campus. Behavioral reminders and educational materials will be available in the athletic facilities throughout campus, and SUNSPORT facilitators will have an active presence at select home sporting events, such as football games, swim meets and golf tournaments. SUNSPORT outreach will include free dermatological screenings at Stanford sporting events, distribution of educational materials, sunscreen and/or branded program items.
SUNSPORT launched in September 2012, and will use the 2012-2013 academic year as a pilot period to refine methods and enlist partners, including Stanford student-athletes and alumni, local community members and business leaders.
SUNSPORT is designed to be scalable and reproducible. Stanford University’s example will encourage adoption of SUNSPORT-like programs at other universities throughout the NCAA, as well as at sports leagues from youth to professional levels.
Everyone is encouraged to join the SUNSPORT team!
If you’re interested in supporting the SUNSPORT program, please contact:
Michael Claeys
Sr. Communications Manager
Stanford Cancer Institute
(650) 736-7862
mclaeys@stanford.edu
