Loving the skin you’re in: Skin cancer and care
May 21, 2019
Knight School is a series of public science talks designed to educate, entertain, and inspire audiences with stories told by Knight Cancer researchers, clinicians and patients.
Despite our rainy climate, Oregon has one of the highest rates of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, in the nation. While sun exposure can be a risk factor, it’s been proven that 50% of your risk is actually determined by your genes. When detected early, melanoma is very treatable and research has dramatically advanced treatment approaches for patients. Join us for a discussion about skin cancer, how to monitor your skin and look for first signs of change, and how together we can help reduce melanoma-related deaths in Oregon.
Presenters:
Elizabeth Berry M.D., assistant professor of dermatology in the OHSU School of Medicine
Dr. Berry has dedicated her career to treating patients with melanoma and those who are at high risk for the disease. She chose the field of dermatology because she believes that early detection of skin cancer is the best chance for a cure. Along with seeing patients, Dr. Berry has research interests in better understanding genetic risk factors for melanoma and future technologies that will better allow clinicians to identify skin cancers.
Katie Slavin, melanoma survivor, advocate and a manager at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute
Katie became involved in patient advocacy after being diagnosed with melanoma at age 23. She has testified at the Oregon State legislature in support of a stronger regulations for tanning beds, has served as volunteer chair of the Portland Melanoma Walk, and received an award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to involve melanoma patients and their loved ones in the design of melanoma research. During the workday, Katie is part of the administrative team for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and leads the institute’s Scientific Research Advocates program.
Elizabeth Stoos, M.Ed., outreach manager in the OHSU Department of Dermatology
Elizabeth is an instructional designer and curriculum developer specializing in adult learning strategies and online instruction. She has an interest in research related to improving patient outcomes through training and development, and manages the outreach initiatives in the OHSU Department of Dermatology, including the War on Melanoma education and public health campaign.