Morton Plant Hospital to Host Free Skin Cancer Screening Event

May 7 is Melanoma Monday

CLEARWATER, Fla., (April 18, 2018) -- For the 22nd year, Morton Plant Mease is continuing its tradition of offering free skin cancer screenings on Melanoma Monday, May 7 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Cheek-Powell Heart and Vascular Pavilion on the Morton Plant Hospital campus, 455 Pinellas St., Clearwater.

Physicians and other health care professionals from BayCare will provide free skin cancer screenings that can save lives because of the importance of early detection.

If screeners detect an abnormality, the individual will be directed to follow up with his or her dermatologist.

Melanoma Monday is a nationwide annual campaign to encourage early detection and raise awareness of skin cancers. The National Cancer Institute estimates that more than 91,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma this year.

The public is invited to this free event, but registration is required. To register, call (727) 953-9013. Please wear loose fitting clothing to the screening. The examination is limited to exposed skin only.

Participating health care providers include:

• Surgical Oncologist Kathleen Allen, MD
• Dermatologist Christopher Ballard, MD 
• Nicolette Black, ARNP 
• Surgical Oncologist Peter Blumencranz, MD
• Audrey Ford, PA 
• Medical Oncologist Vijayakrishna Gadiyaram, MD 
• Dermatologist Marcia Garcia-Cardona, MD 
• Dermatologist Roger Golomb, MD
• Ashlee Kirkland, PA 
• Radiation Oncologist Ronica Nanda, MD 
• Kimlien Nguyen, DNP 
• Dermatologist Amy Ross, MD 
• Dermatologist Amanda Sergay, MD 
• Dermatologist Brandon Shutty, DO 
• Ellen Stone, ARNP 
• Larry Strauss, PA
• Surgical Oncologist Jason Wilson, MD.

The Morton Plant Mease Cancer Patient Support Services (CaPSS) supports this annual event at Morton Plant Hospital. CaPSS offers cancer support groups and classes for patients and families throughout the year.

About Morton Plant Mease
Nationally recognized for health care excellence, Morton Plant Mease Health Care is dedicated to providing community owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. Morton Plant Mease Health Care is comprised of the following hospitals – Morton Plant, Clearwater; Mease Dunedin, Dunedin; Mease Countryside, Safety Harbor and Morton Plant North Bay, New Port Richey. For more information about Morton Plant Mease, go to www.baycare.org/about-us/morton-plant-mease. 

About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 14 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.