LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — TV weather reports often include information about the UV index, and show how quickly a sunburn can happen - in just 10 minutes at midday in the summer - to remind people about the importance of sun protection.
Jillian Farres is this month's Vegas Stronger Champion, and she has many reasons for volunteering her time with the Nevada Cancer Coalition, a nonprofit whose goal is to fight cancer, raise awareness about the importance of screenings, and help people navigate cancer care if they are diagnosed.
WATCH to find out more about Farres and the work she does to help others.
"It is near and dear to my heart," Farres told Channel 13. "I lost my best friend [Peggy] to breast cancer; she was 36 years old. Nobody thinks that at 36 you're going to die, and that you're going to lose your life to breast cancer."
"So I'm volunteering to show my children that it's important to give back to your community. I'm also doing it because I feel like our community is under-served. There aren't enough volunteers, and we have so much information to share and so many services that are complementary to help us grow," Farres added.
The Nevada Cancer Coalition, working with volunteer doctors from Thomas Dermatology as well as volunteer UNLV medical students, will host a free skin check clinic at the Durango Hills YMCA on Monday, Aug. 11, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
"It's completely free, it is non-insurance required, first-come, first-served," explained Kayla Ramsey of the Nevada Cancer Coalition. "They'll just check all your sun-exposed areas for any signs of cancer, and if they find anything, we'll jump in to help navigate people through that process and get the care they need."
Ramsey says events to help the community wouldn't happen without volunteers.
"Volunteers are everything. It's not just a coalition thing. It's a community thing, it's a population health concern. Volunteers are really the gas in the car, they help us get to where we need to be, and they reach people that we wouldn't otherwise be able to reach," Ramsey told Channel 13.
For her volunteer efforts to help raise awareness about cancer in our community, Jeff Giles of Findlay Automotive Group recognizes Jillian Farres.
"You are our Vegas Stronger Champion for this month," Giles told Farres as he surprised her with a check for $599. "We love the work you've been doing with the Nevada Cancer Coalition. Of all the volunteers, you were the one they picked for the great work you've been doing. As a small token of our appreciation for everything you're doing, we just want to give you this. Thank you for making Vegas a better place and making us all aware of the dangers of skin cancer, especially in this town."
