May is International Skin Care Awareness Month. In an initiative led by the Israeli Skin Cancer Association, a team of physicians, including one from Rambam Health Care Campus (Rambam), traveled to Jerusalem to test Knesset members and staff for skin cancer.
Dr. Emily Avitan Hersh. Photography: Rambam HCC
Established in 2015, the Israeli Skin Cancer Association supports and empowers skin cancer patients and their caregivers. Its mission is to raise public awareness of the importance of early detection, promote patient rights, and shape policy among the relevant national sectors.
Dr. Emily Avitan-Hersh, director of the Department of Dermatology and head of the Melanoma Early Detection Clinic at Rambam, was among the physicians participating in the initiative held on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
“Early detection of skin cancer saves lives,” says Avitan-Hersh. “We tested 77 individuals of all ages and ethnicities. Many were unaware of the symptoms or considered themselves at risk. We detected early signs of the disease in some of those tested.”
Skin cancer is the most common malignancy in Israel, and roughly 1,500 people are diagnosed with it annually. The disease is not usually fatal if detected early—consult with a dermatologist and ask to be tested.
