ASDS names Dr. Aurora Badia as 2019 top skin cancer screener

Dr. Badia

Founder and Medical Director of Florida Skin Center, Aurora Badia, M.D., D.O., was recently named the top national screener for the American Society of Dermatologic surgery’s Choose Skin Health program, for which she provided more than 1,800 free skin cancer screenings in the 2018-2019 program year.

An estimate of approximately 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day in the U.S., with one in five Americans developing skin cancer in their lifetime, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

ASDS partners with Neutrogena for its year-round Choose Skin Health program, which “provides free skin cancer screening to the general public,” according to the website. “Members receive patient education materials and a free online listing that allows patients nationwide to locate nearby free screenings.”

This partnership was made to encourage prevention techniques for skin cancer, including safe sun behaviors and offers by ASDS member dermatologists.

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Since starting the program in 2010, ASDS members have performed nearly 35,000 free skin cancer screenings.

“No one should ever lose a loved one to skin cancer and providing free screenings to any person at any age is just one way we demonstrate our passion for serving and caring for others,” said Dr. Badia in the ASDS official press release on the achievement. “Besides elevating awareness for protection and early detection of skin cancer, we welcome and treat our visitors with unequaled respect and compassion. It is my honor and privilege to work with an amazing care team to improve the quality of health care and impact so many lives."

According to statistics from the 2018-2019 program year, 59.8% of those screened had never been to a skin cancer screening before, while only 19.7% used sunscreen daily.

Additional findings included 30.5% who had used a tanning bed in the past, an increase from 25% in 2018.

Of those who took part in the program, 37% were recommended for biopsies and 12.8% had previously been diagnosed with skin cancer.

Included on the achievement roster for number of skin care screenings in the 2018-2019 program year were Michael P Goldman, M.D.; Andrew T. Jaffe, M.D.; Sonya Kenkare, M.D.; Daniel J. Ladd, Jr., D.O.; and Dawn Sammons, M.D.