Abstract

Teachers and students attending schoolspotentially face a harsh environmental solar exposure riskon a daily basis. Solar ultraviolet radiation is a knowncarcinogen, yet the realities of exposure to the sun are notoften detected until years or even decades later, until thedevelopment of a skin cancer or cancers are noticed.Each new school year brings with it the potential forsummer sunburn. Many individuals, teachers and schoolchildren included, would be aware of the need to coverup, use hats, apply sunscreen and seek shade wherepossible while outdoors, but are these strategies reallyenough to protect school children from the harmful effectsof exposure to sunlight in the long run?The importance of these strategies are presented and therole schools can play in instilling lifelong habits that willminimise the future disease risks related to childhoodexposures to sunlight are discussed.