Karen Klickmann, (847) 240-1735, [email protected]Jennifer Gale, (847) 240-1730, [email protected]Julie Bremer, (847) 240-1743, [email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY SADDENED BY LOSS OF MAUREEN REAGAN, ADVOCATE AND FRIEND
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (August 15, 2001) - Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, claimed the life of Maureen Reagan, daughter of former President Ronald Reagan, last week at her home in California at the age of 60. Ms. Reagan courageously battled melanoma for five years. During that time, she was a tireless crusader in raising awareness of skin cancer detection and prevention.
"All of us in the dermatologic community are saddened by the death of Maureen Reagan," said dermatologist Ronald G. Wheeland, MD, President of the American Academy of Dermatology. "Maureen helped save lives. Her efforts to educate the public about melanoma while battling this deadly disease were extraordinary."
When she was first diagnosed with skin cancer in 1996, Ms. Reagan knew the prognosis was uncertain. But she valiantly fought the disease, which went into remission following aggressive treatment. Unfortunately, as is often the case with melanoma, it came back more aggressively and eventually spread to other organs.
During her long fight, Ms. Reagan was interviewed by numerous national and regional media, including The Today Show and ABC's 20/20, about her struggle with melanoma. Even though her treatments made her quite ill at times, she bravely shared her personal experience as a way of helping others.
Sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for melanoma. The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that 80 percent of sun damage occurs before
age 18. Ms. Reagan publicly admitted her days of lying in the sun and tanning in her youth. She realized that this behavior could have been prevented and used her experiences to educate others about the dangers of overexposure to the sun.
In 1998, Ms. Reagan received the President's Gold Triangle Award from the American Academy of Dermatology. This honor was bestowed in recognition of her commitment to skin cancer prevention and the importance of skin self-examinations. Ms. Reagan's father shared her dedication to skin cancer awareness, proclaiming the first National Skin Cancer Prevention and Detection Week in 1985 while he was President. Through this program, which continues today, volunteer dermatologists have conducted more than 1.2 million free skin cancer screenings across the country. Since the program's inception, more than 15,000 suspected melanomas have been detected.
In 2001, an estimated 51,400 new cases of melanoma are expected to be diagnosed in the United States - a 9 percent increase from 2000. Even more alarming, a projected 7,800 people will die from the disease.
"Skin cancer is one of the easiest cancers to detect in its earliest stages because the signs are right there on the surface of the skin," said Dr. Wheeland. "The AAD encourages everyone to practice sun safe behavior and conduct regular skin examinations."
Ms. Reagan was a strong believer in the importance of skin self-examinations - often reminding the public to examine themselves "from the top of your head to the tip of your toes," as she said on many occasions.
The American Academy of Dermatology, founded in 1938, is the largest, most influential, and most representative of all dermatologic associations. With a membership of over 13,000 dermatologists worldwide, the Academy is committed to: advancing the diagnosis and medical, surgical, and cosmetic treatment of the skin, hair and nails; advocating high standards in clinical practice, education, and research in dermatology; supporting and enhancing patient care for a lifetime of healthier skin. For more information, contact the AAD at 1-888-462-DERM or www.aad.org.
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