Drum Corps and Skin Cancer

[raphael18]

heck, I burned enough with sunscreen - luckily we spent the early part of all my years in the northern midwest where it is not quite as bad - I would wager it is much tougher for people from corps from the west coast and the deep south.

[DanjrusMcRynky]

I wasn't justifying it. I'm just explaining the policy. Wow.

Our tech took our shades for a visual sectional once, and I found out that I had been using my eyes improperly for 2 years. I'm not saying you should sacrifice your health for the sake of a visual score, but if someone had taken my shades during rookie move-up, instead of one month before I aged-out, I would have understood the eye's function a lot more. Like I said.... maybe during a week of death camp, lose the shades during visual sectionals, visual ensemble, or during ensemble. The sun sets during ensemble, anyway, and if the staff is smart, you won't be facing the setting sun every day. I don't think that is unreasonable, or horrificly damaging, considering the damage done to your joints and skin, which don't get any time off.

Maybe the Cadets do go too far. I don't know..... I'm not a Cadet. We wore hats and shades all summer.

edit: I'll also say that it's pretty obvious when a corps isn't concentrating properly.

Ha. In high school our practice field was faced directly into the sun. We had neighbor-issues, so we couldn't turn it around or anything. It was terrible, and caused most of the band to stare at the ground and not the DM (not like you could see the DM anyways, because of the sun).

[united92]

Nike makes contact lenses in an amber tint and in a green tint. They were designed for use in outdoor sports. The amber lenses are similar to blublocker sunglass lenses. My son says both are good outdoors, but the amber contacts do a better job cutting the glare from the sun. Nike's advertisement says that the green lenses were designed for sports like golf and baseball. A box of 6 lenses costs about $50 and must be purchased through an optomestrist.

[cowtown]

Did we go over west nile virus too? Transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, it’s now in Indy and has been in Illinois for the last few years

Use DEET and cover up

[CavAlum]

I don't have any problems yet, but worry that one day I will. They have done wonders with fabric technology. SPF shirts that breath. Check a sporting store for fishing shirts.

[thePerfectbuzz]

How come DCI or any corps doesn't have a sponsorship from Coppertone Sport or anything like that? How many ounces of sunscreen does one corps use during a summer?

same could be said for gold bond and underarmour....why cant DCI or individual drum corps land some sponsors?? we utilize enough of their stuff! Maybe Wal-Mart could sponsor drum corps also?

[boxingfred]

bump

[taters]

Here is an Email I just sent to Mr. Boo. I hope someone from DCI sees it.

Michael,

I am not a very eloquent writer, nor am I doctor, so I am not qualified to write your Fanfare article, but maybe you could pass this idea on to the powers that be at DCI. Not only do I think this topic should be an article for Fanfare, but the responsible thing for DCI to do would be to put forth some money for a Dermatologist to go to all the major regional shows. Then and make it a requirement for each and every corps to have that dermatologist give at least a one hour lecture with an opportunity for questions at the end. They might even be able to get a company like Coppertone to partially sponsor the Dermatologist and hand out free sun block samples. The other option is to make it a requirement of the corps to hire or have a dermatologist come and in and speak to each corps then have the corps provide some proof from the dermatologist like a letter this has been done.

Sincerely,

Ken Flask

[Piper]

Malignant melenoma is one of the deadliest forms of cancer that exists. The kids should be educated on that subject. Period.