VITAL PATHWAYS

Home ·  Board Members ·  Press Releases ·  Southern Aroostook Partners for Trails ·  Houlton Riverfront Project

Par Course ·  VP Sponsored Walks ·  VP Schedule of Events

Vital Pathways’ Skin Cancer Prevention Initiative Draws Diverse Crowds

After months of planning and preparation, Vital Pathways’ Skin Cancer Prevention Initiative recently culminated with a lecture series hosted by Stephen Fine, President of the Melanoma Education Foundation. Vital Pathways Community Liaison Andrea Newman said the sessions, funded through a Maine Cancer Foundation grant, drew in people from a variety of backgrounds. “We hosted three one-hour sessions, entitled Melanoma: Stopping the Terrorist on Your Skin, per day for two days in locations from Littleton to Hodgdon,” Newman explained. “We coordinated the sessions in this fashion to ensure convenience in hopes of attracting the most diverse group of people possible. Our plan was successful because our attendees included farmers, teachers, homemakers, office workers, and industry professionals…to name just a few.” Among those in attendance was Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District Manager Angela Wotton. “I think Vital Pathways did a good job in gathering various sectors of the community to attend these meetings,” Wotton commented. “I thought the presentation was a good education on the causes and signs of potential melanoma and how so many skin cancer cases could have been prevented and/or easily treated just by early visual detection. You know your body best, right?” Newman added that it was Vital Pathways goal from the beginning to educate not only as many people as possible about melanoma, but also to appeal to those who would take the information gained from the trainings back to their employees, students, colleagues, friends and families. “We knew employers who took this training would take precautions to protect their employees, that educators would look out for their students, and that every participant would take what they learned and pass it on to those they care about,” Newman elaborated.             MSAD #29 School Nurse Audrey York said she plans to “pass along” what she learned to her students every chance she gets. “I expected to learn about someone like me, who had been exposed to a lot of sun while teaching swimming lessons for the community for several years, would need to watch out for,” York noted, “but what surprised me most was the ages of young people who have died from melanomas. I certainly will be trying to pass along as much information as I can to our high school students and their parents.” In addition to providing information on prevention and detection of skin cancer, the seminars also featured facial sun damage screenings. “I was surprised to see how many people lined up following the lectures to get their facial screenings from Mr. Fine,” Newman remarked. “People even asked for body parts other than their face to be screened. People truly wanted to know how much damage their skin has received over the years.” One of the largest screenings was conducted at special session geared towards municipal employees hosted at the Houlton Town Office. Newman said she was extremely pleased with the town’s high level of support for the initiative. “The Town of Houlton was on board with this from the very beginning,” Newman stressed. “We received a tremendous amount of support from everyone at the Town Office, Parks and Rec., Public Works, and the Police and Fire Departments.” Glenn Miller of the Houlton Fire Department said he found the session to be “very worthwhile.” “The class was not lengthy and was very informative,” Millar stated. “I got a lot of information from the class so I suggested that my wife and daughter attend the evening session at Houlton Regional Hospital. They did attend and found it to be worth while as well.” Among those on board from Houlton Regional Hospital was Bonnie Quint, who agreed with prevention at an “early age.” “I personally thought the presentation was interesting and informative,” Quint commented. “I think this is certainly education that all school children should receive, and it would make sense to have new parents be aware so they can start protecting their children at an early age.” Newman went on to say that guest speaker Stephen Fine was a wonderful communicator and really reached out to people with his knowledge and personal experience with losing a loved one to malignant melanoma. “You didn’t feel like you were being lectured to in these sessions, “Newman said. “It was more like a friend was giving you some information that might help you because he cares.” Newman added that Fine was as impressed by the people of Southern Aroostook as they were with him. “From the time he arrived in town, everyone greeted Steve with open arms,” Newman stated. “Houlton Town Council Chairman Paul Cleary and Rep. Richard Cleary joined us for dinner the first evening and we had a wonderful time. Afterward, I took Steve for a tour of the town including a nice stroll around the downtown area and over Gateway Crossing which impressed him greatly. He was here to address a serious issue, but fortunately got to see some of what this community has to offer while doing it.” In a letter written to Vital Pathways, Fine had this to say. “I enjoyed meeting you and I’m grateful for your help in spreading the word about melanoma in the Houlton area. The attendees at the outreach sessions were fully engaged and asked excellent questions. Thank you again for your support; I look forward to our future collaborations.” Newman said feedback from the sessions has been entirely positive and that she has received a staggering amount of calls and emails from people who couldn’t attend the sessions but knew someone did and wanted to know more about how to protect themselves. “Never underestimate the power of positive peer pressure,” Newman added. Newman said she is most pleased with those who said the event prompted them to make an appointment with their doctor or dermatologist. “Several people have approached me to let me know they made that appointment and plan to do regular skin checks,” Newman mentioned. “It made me feel a sense well being to know that we were able to bring this kind of assistance to the area.” Those wanting to know more about the Melanoma Education Foundation and its programs are invited to visit their website at www.skincheck.org or feel free to contact Vital Pathways at 207-532-3071 or via email at vital.pathways@yahoo.com. (October 1, 2007) EDUCATING THE MASSES Melanoma Education President Stephen Fine recently traveled throughout Southern Aroostook giving public lectures on the detection and prevention of skin cancer. ASSESSING THE DAMAGE Melanoma Education Foundation President Stephen Fine conducts a facial sun damage screening on Otis Smith, director of the MSAD 29-70 Adult Education Center.

READY FOR ACTION

Vital Pathways’ Skin Cancer Prevention Committee Gears Up for Summer

With the first day of summer fast approaching and hot balmy days soon upon us, everyone is making their way into the great outdoors for some much needed fun in the sun. However, there’s a local group of concerned citizens who want to make sure everyone practices “Sun Safety” before heading outside.

Vital Pathways’ Skin Cancer Education Advisory Committee was recently formed to administer a $3,000 grant the organization received from the Maine Cancer Foundation to promote skin cancer prevention awareness in the Greater Houlton area. Vital Pathways Community Liaison Andrea Newman explained why it wasn’t hard to garner support for this important initiative.

“After we received the grant I put out a request throughout Southern Aroostook asking for the support of anyone who might be interested in assisting with the administration of this program,” Newman elaborated. “Before I knew it my Advisory Committee was 23 members strong with partners coming together from a multitude of backgrounds. Support like this is what makes the County such a wonderful place to live and it’s also the reason why we get so much done in our communities.”

Committee member Elizabeth Dulin, Director of Houlton Regional Hospital’s Health Services Foundation, had this to say about her participation. “I am thrilled at having the opportunity to work on this initiative,” Dulin stated. “As Director of the Health Services Foundation everything we do is in support of quality healthcare for all those we serve.  It is vital that people realize the importance of regular skin care screening - as keeping a watchful eye on our skin now could save a lot of heartache later on. We need to continually remind ourselves that even though the sun is wonderful it can also be harmful when we don't monitor how much of it we are exposing ourselves to.  Healthy communities provide strong leaders giving us the strong communities of today and for the future. Anything I can do to assist this group with getting the word out will be time very well spent.”

Also on board is Louisiana-Pacific Site Safety Manager Michele King who offered insight into the industry perspective. “By the end of the year, LP will be creating a new product,” King confirmed. “Because of its size, this product will be stored outside creating a new exposure that we need to protect our people from, and that is the sun and skin cancer.  The great thing about this initiative is it comes at the perfect time, prior to exposing our employees, so we can be proactive rather than reactive.  It is also information we can provide to employees for their families, because their safety is important to us as well."

Newman clarified that the guidelines of the grant call for skin cancer prevention education for area schools, public health officials, and community members. “Once our committee members sat down together it was immediately clear that we were all on the same page,” she commented. “Our goal is to educate as many people as possible about sun safety so our citizens can make informed decisions about how to protect themselves from the sun’s harmful UV rays while enjoying their time outdoors.”

Mary Harbison, MSAD #70 Assistant Principal, discussed the how this project will fit into the district’s agenda on health and wellness. “The opportunity to provide information to our students about the use of sun screen to aid in the prevention of skin cancer aligns perfectly with MSAD #70's health curriculum in encouraging our students to make healthy, well informed choices about their health.”

Newman added that recreational sun exposure is not the group’s only concern. “Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Maine,” she stressed. “While not all instances of melanoma are caused by unprotected exposure to the sun, repeated UV radiation exposure can cause skin cancer and a staggering amount of our population makes their living by working outside. We’re talking about farmers, construction workers, public works and parks and recreation employees, road crews, loggers, linesmen, rangers, and so many more. Many of these people are outside year round and UV rays can harm you in any season. It’s becoming more and more common to hear about family members, neighbors, friends and co-workers being diagnosed with skin cancer so it’s time to give people the tools they need to protect themselves from this often preventable disease.”

The committee plans to provide those “tools” to the community by partnering with the Melanoma Education Foundation.

According to Newman, Melanoma Education Foundation President Stephen A. Fine will be traveling to Southern Aroostook to give a series of six lectures about early self-detection and prevention of melanoma July 17 and 18. “The Maine Cancer Foundation approved our partnership with this organization due to their proven track record throughout Maine and the rest of New England for providing effective community-wide and school-based educational programs,” she noted. “We’re very excited about bringing an organization of this caliber to the County.”

In keeping with their goal to educate “as many people as possible,” the advisory committee is in the process of coordinating morning, afternoon, and evening sessions throughout Southern Aroostook. “We’re going to be focusing all of our energy on organizing these sessions during the next few weeks, and then we plan to launch an aggressive advertising campaign in order to achieve maximum attendance levels,” Newman assured. “When and where the sessions will be held will be listed on our website and promoted by our local media in the coming weeks.”

In the meantime the committee advises everyone to following the ABC’s of Sun Safety…

• Avoid unprotected exposure to the sun, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.,
  when the sun’s rays are the strongest.
• Block out the sun by using sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher, and reapply every two
  hours. Be sure to reach often-missed areas, such as your ears, neck, hands, and
  feet.
• Cover your body with long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Wear a broad-brimmed
  hat and sunglasses with UV-protection lenses.

Vital Pathways’ Skin Cancer Education Advisory Committee members and partners are: Janice M. Arsenault, Maine DOT Director of Employee Health and Wellness; Butch Asselin, Houlton Police Chief; Lynn Brown, MSAD #29 Wellness Coordinator; Carl Campbell, Linneus Sno-Sports/Aroostook Riders ATV Club; Rep. Richard Cleary, D-Houlton; Elizabeth Dulin – Houlton Regional Hospital Health Services Foundation; Joyce Fitzpatrick – Drews Lake Property Owners Association; Gary Hagan, Nickerson Lake Property Owners Association; Mary Harbison, MSAD #70 Wellness Committee; Karen Hardy, Aroostook County Action Program; Doug Hazlett, Houlton Town Manager; Dan Jacobs, Maine Forest Service; Michelle King, Louisiana-Pacific Corp.; Wanda MacIlroy, Northeast Publishing Wellness Committee; Erica McCrum, Southern Aroostook Tobacco-Free Outreach Project; Chris McGuire, Houlton Water Company; David B. Moore, farmer; Bonnie Quint, Houlton Regional Hospital; Bernie Reece, Houlton Parks and Rec. Dept.; Kevin Tingley, Houlton Public Works/Town of Houlton Wellness Committee; Angela Wotton, Southern Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District; Dana Wright, USDA-Farm Service Agency/farmer; and Sue Young – Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians. Representing Vital Pathways are: Darla Alling, Louise Beaulieu, Marie Carmichael, Don Collins, Clint Cushman, Christy Fitzpatrick, Larry Hamilton, Don Keiser, Iva Sussman, Tracy Tweedie, and Audrey York.

(June 1, 2007)

Vital Pathways is pleased to announce that they have been awarded a $3,000 grant to promote skin cancer prevention awareness in the Greater Houlton area from the Maine Cancer Foundation.

“Vital Pathways is very excited about getting this initial grant from the Maine Cancer Foundation,” stated Vital Pathways Chairperson Don Collins. “We look forward to working with and expanding our partnership to provide skin cancer education awareness information to the communities we serve.”

Vital Pathways Community Liaison Andrea Newman explains what this grant will mean to the area.

“This funding will be used to foster preventative thinking in relation to skin cancer prevention,” Newman stated.

“As it stands, most people don’t see a dermatologist or even their primary care physicians for regular skin screenings. This can be dangerous due to the fact that by the time an untrained eye notices something suspicious, an advanced cancer could be present.”

In fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, one American dies of melanoma almost every hour and one in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their lifetime.

Newman went on to explain that Vital Pathways’ action plan is centered on the utilization of a skin cancer prevention program offered by The Melanoma Education Foundation.  The foundation is a non-profit organization which assists communities, industry and schools with skin cancer awareness education.

“The Melanoma Foundation has a great track record in Maine and we are excited about what they can bring to this area,” Newman added.

Newman went on to say that writing this grant affected her on a personal level.

“My father was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in the 1980s for which he received treatment, but then relapsed with cancer eventually being found in his stomach and then his lungs which took his life. It was hard to say what role the initial diagnosis played in contributing to the other forms of cancer, but I relived his experience over and over again in my mind while I was writing this grant.”

Like much of the population in Aroostook County, Newman’s father was a farmer who spent countless days in the sun with little or no protection from its harmful rays.

“Farmers, construction workers…anyone who makes their living in the out of doors are of great concern to me,” Newman stressed. “We spend a great deal of time educating our youth about the importance of sunscreen and the dangers of recreational tanning, while our farmers and laborers are often overlooked. I actually spoke to a friend who lost her father, also a farmer, to malignant melanoma over a decade ago about this grant and she said it was about time a community-wide initiative took place.”

Newman also spoke with Dana Wright, a local farmer and Farm Loan Manager at the Farm Service Agency in Houlton.

“Our agency serves local farmers in the same general service area as Vital Pathways,” Wright stated. “It is evident that farmers and related agricultural workers are an important segment of at-risk persons for skin cancer and would benefit greatly from education and other activities for awareness and prevention.”

Also in support of the initiative is the Town of Houlton.  Community Development Planner Don Keiser had this to say.

“Vital Pathways is a wonderful example of how citizen volunteers can contribute to the health and vitality of a community. In this era of tight budgets, community service organizations like Vital Pathways represent a potentially significant resource to the Town because of their ability to seek grant funding from sources that are not open to local governments.”

Newman said this round of funding will be specifically used for outreach and education for the general public and the agencies and professionals who serve them. She added that Vital Pathways has one year to administer this initiative and may then apply for additional funding through the Maine Cancer Foundation.

Vital Pathways is currently in the process of developing a Steering Committee to assist with the administration of this grant. Anyone who is interested in serving on the committee are invited to contact Newman at (207) 532-3071 or at vital.pathways@yahoo.com.

Several Vital Pathways Board Members and Town Officials gathered at the Houlton Town Office recently to witness the signing of a $3000 grant agreement between Vital Pathways and the Maine Cancer Foundation to promote Skin Cancer Awareness Education. Pictured (L-R) are: Houlton Community Development Planner and Vital Pathways Board Member Don Keiser, University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4H and Youth Development Professional and Vital Pathways Vice-Chairperson Christy Fitzpatrick, Vital Pathways Treasurer Darla Alling, Vital Pathways Community Liaison Andrea Newman, Southern Aroostook Tobacco-Free Outreach Project Director and Vital Pathways Secretary Tracy Tweedie, and (seated) Vital Pathways Chairperson Don Collins. Present but not pictured were Houlton Town Manager Doug Hazlett and Vital Pathways Committee Member Iva Sussman.

(Febuary 15, 2007)