Drum Corps and Skin Cancer

[greggmanX-Kingsmen]

I'm in my mid-40s and marched with the Anaheim Kingsmen in the mid-70's. I constantly have to go to the Dermatologist to have pre-cancers spots burned off my face, shoulders, back and arms. I attribute it all to my years in drum corps and being in the sun from 10:00am to 10:00pm, in nothing but shorts and shoes.

Moral of the story for you kids currently marching; cover up, or use SPF 50 sunblock.

See you in Pasadena in 07.

[TommySopranoContra]

Thanks a lot.

I actually worry about skin cancer and corps at times.

[Bleu Raeder]

Ditto this, especially for fair skinned people. I had a large melanoma on my left forearm. My corps experience started in 1970 and ended in 1979. Sunscreen was a long sleeved shirt, and you know how many long sleeved shirts we carried usually?

[Michael Boo]

Especially put sunscreen on any scars, which are more susceptible to developing cancerous lesions.

[ripper]

At rehersals we actually have a break called sqirt/slap/slide then fill the water bottles :angel:

[jonnyboy]

I think corps (and people in general) today are more aware of the dangers the Sun presents than in years past. In the late eighties I wore zinc on my nose daily, but still tried to tan my white skin every where else.

Sunscreen is a must, and staff should monitor the kids. Any member getting burned while trying to tan is only hurting themselves in the long run, and their fellow corps members in the short run. Burning is right up there with spraining an ankle, getting a bad rash between the legs and not drinking enough liquids....it all can hurt your performance.

(we won't ask how you got that rash)

[GGarrett]

This thread is no joke, and is a GREAT public service advisory. I was always blond hair fair skinned, which looked cool when I was 17.

Now it's a burdon and a concern. Cover up that skin! A little is OK...a lot is not.

Good call greggman

[Michael Boo]

Seriously, I want to do a Fanfare column on this. Please send any contributions to boomike@dci.org.

[zachariaswmb]

Yeah, they made sure to make a big deal out of bringing SPF 50 and stuff for the lips that had sunscreen (as always, gotta love the DCT!). But yeah, they are definately more consious of it these days.

Edited April 15, 2006 by zachariaswmb

[Mellojaphoney]

I think this is my biggest pet peeve in the entire world. I am so happy someone brought this up. I hate the " i just burn then tan," concept that festers the minds of drum corps memebers. A tan is the skins natural defense against UV rays-- not built in sunscreen. If there was one message to get acorss in drum corps, this would be it for me. Haha I was "that girl," who wore sunscreen every single day, and applied it multiple times. I was still burnt to a crisp so I can't imagine the years I saved myself from aging through my first summer of drum corps...