Why the ‘Big Bang Theory’ Cast Filmed a Skin Cancer PSA

Television stars generally send messages to their fans through their characters; however, the cast of the Big Bang Theory came together to directly address individuals about a cause they all care about. When actors on the CBS TV show heard that one of the biggest fans of the series had died from cancer at only 17 years old, they simply couldn’t ignore it.

Before passing away, the teenager, Claire Marie Wagonhurst, would watch the show during her treatments. Her mother, Marianne Banister, created the Claire Marie Foundation with her husband in an effort to raise awareness so other families don’t have to go through what Claire had to and to encourage others to start screening their children for unusual and precancerous moles early on.

Through word of mouth (a family friend in L.A. who works for the Big Bang Theory is the one who told the cast members), the stars of the show learned of Claire’s heartbreaking story.

The show, which is usually full of jokes and lighthearted banter, took a moment to take on a more serious tone to raise awareness about skin cancer among young people.

“Adolescent melanoma is the No. 2 cancer in young people,” says Kaley Cuoco in the PSA. “Adolescent melanoma is truly a silent killer, with 90 percent of new cases occurring between the ages of 10 and 19,” adds Cuoco, the actress who plays Penny on the hit show.

According to an interview by the Independent with Claire’s mother, the PSA has already done wonders for raising awareness. “I’ve been getting responses from New Zealand and Australia and the U.S. — it’s wonderful in terms of launching a global campaign,” she said.

Overall, the main message both the cast of the Big Bang Theory and the Banister family are hoping to get across is that while a cure is obviously ideal, it’s still vital for young people to always wear sun protection, avoid tanning beds, and get screened once a year for anything unusual to prevent adolescent melanoma.

So, go ahead and schedule that annual dermatologist visit — and watch the full PSA here.

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