Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ is a participant-driven fundraising event dedicated to raising awareness and funds for the AAD’s SPOT Skin Cancer™ campaign. Support for this initiative helps build shade structures, provides free skin cancer screenings, and educates the public on the importance of skin cancer detection and prevention. Join our growing number of health advocates and community leaders dedicated to the fight against skin cancer.
Whether you join our multi-day adventure hike, or lead a local walk in your community, we have the fundraising tools and resources to help you reach your goals:
Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ - fundraising for SPOT Skin Cancer™
37 Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ events since 2014
3,023 registered hikers, including AAD members and their patients
Over $2.2M raised to support skin cancer prevention and education programs
You help make a difference
Thanks to Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ and other charitable donations, the AAD has achieved the following results since 2014:
221 permanent shade structures for children
2.8 million people shaded daily
44,313 free skin cancer screenings performed
5,823 suspected melanomas detected
Impact stories
Impact stories
Your support of Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ makes an impact on the lives of those served through skin cancer prevention and detection programs. Learn more about the impact you can have in your community by reading these stories.
“The Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ campaign is such a fun, engaging, and productive way to help protect our communities from skin cancer. By participating in this AAD initiative, my family and other participants helped to raise public awareness of sun protection, implement resources for skin cancer screening, build infrastructure to provide shade from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation, and distribute sunscreen dispensers in our local parks and recreation centers. We had a blast, and it's always refreshing to know that it's possible to enjoy the great outdoors in a safe, sun-protected way!”
─ Geoffrey F. Lim, MD, FAAD, Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ participant
“Skin cancer is such a common problem for Americans. We're doing a lot better about sun protection than we've done in the past, but we've still got plenty of room for improvement. I am so excited to raise money to help support all the wonderful things the AAD does to battle skin cancer, including skin cancer screenings and building shade structures at schools. It was also really neat to use social media to spread the word. It helped me reach people from all different parts of my life. I even reconnected with an old friend after she made a donation. I was glad to join Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™”
─ Steven D. Daveluy, MD, FAAD, Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ participant
“Skin cancer awareness is perhaps the greatest public health message of our age. Getting a sunburn is not a right of passage – just like smoking cigarettes should not be considered a normal part of growing up. I love promoting sun safety and am thankful for the opportunity to have participated in the AAD’s Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ with friends and family. This year was especially meaningful as a close family member was recently diagnosed with melanoma after I noticed a suspicious mole on his arm at the beach. Education starts early!”
─ John C. Browning, MD, FAAD, Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ participant
“Back in 2017 I did free skin cancer exams with the AAD’s SPOT Skin Cancer™ campaign and really enjoyed the experience. I've been meaning to volunteer again because community engagement is so important to me, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity to combine my passion for skin cancer advocacy and physical fitness (my husband and I hike 4-5 times a week!). I wish I had known about Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ earlier so I could have had my friends join me, but I'm really grateful for the experience!”
─ Joan Paul, MD, MPH, FAAD, Skin Cancer, Take a Hike!™ participant
