Amanda Brown, gone too early at 31. SPECIAL TO THE PVT Sha Na Na has entertained fans of classic rock and roll for nearly four decades. Advertisement

There are far too many people dying because they lack the knowledge about the dangers of melanoma, an insidious cancer that at some point will affect as many as one in three children in southern Nevada.

It certainly affected Amanda Faye Brown, a local resident, causing her untimely death in April 2006. She was only 31.

In remembrance of his courageous and much-loved wife, Michael Brown of the sensational rock group Sha Na Na started the Amanda Faye Brown Chapter of the Melanoma Education Foundation to educate and inform teachers, school nurses, our children and their parents.

The Chapter, along with the Pahrump Valley Times and the Pahrump Nugget Casino have come together to bring the renowned group to perform right here in Pahrump. Tickets are on sale now at the cage of the Pahrump Nugget Casino.

The concert will be held Monday, Aug. 27, at 6 p.m. in the Nugget Event Center.

Sha Na Na formed in 1969 and created an immediate stir for its devotion to 1950s and '60s rock and roll, including the hairstyles, outfits and stage routines that made performers and groups from Little Richard to the Surfaris immortal.

Early on, it opened for the Grateful Dead at New York's Fillmore East and, to be blunt, stole the show -- an achievement not many other performers can claim.

The group later hosted its own television show and has become as famous as the acts it covers.

The money raised will help provide all Nevada middle and high school teachers with videos on melanoma and skin cancer awareness and provide bookmarkers and educational materials to the students.

It may also bring peace of mind for those who wish to bring about a better tomorrow.

Donations are tax deductible. Private and business sponsorships are needed, as well as community support through ticket sales.

Sponsorship provides VIP tickets, a meet-and-greet photo session with Sha Na Na members before their performance, and participation will be included in print advertising for the event. Getting involved is a reward for businesses and the community.

Education is the key to early diagnoses and successful treatment of this extremely dangerous form of skin cancer.

Brown has fought to get his program introduced into the school systems through legislation making melanoma education a prerequisite to graduation. He only gets one chance a year to present his case, and the request was recently turned down.

He won't stop. The anguish he witnessed his wife live through drives him to warn others of this dreadful disease.

The legislative process moves too slow for Michael. "I can't wait, I can't hear one more person with an ill family member say they wish they would have had the information sooner," he said.

Getting Amanda's message out to some of the health educators and nurses in the school system is not enough, in Brown's view. It should be available in every Nevada school for every Nevada student.

Ultraviolet light from the sun is the leading cause of skin cancer. Look at Nevada and consider the statistics.

Vital information is available on the Internet from skincheck.com. It's simple, and it's free. Materials, massive school participation, individual involvement, and word of mouth are needed to keep children safe and the message moving.

This community is trying to expedite that cause by bringing one of the best shows ever to Pahrump.

Plans are made to make presentations to every student body in every school across the state. Brown himself and Stacey Escalante of Channel 3 in Las Vegas are answering requests to make those presentations as fast as their schedules allow. The requests are not answered quickly enough for Brown -- he doesn't have the manpower to answer the need.

Getting the kids involved with the start of Mandy's Melanoma Fighters Club is next on the list of priorities.

Participants will be provided with UV-protecting T-shirts touting printed messages and physical reminders to pass on with Mandy's message so when people notice a mole or freckle changing color and shape, they will see a dermatologist immediately.

These people have been educated and know how silently dangerous melanoma can be. The foundation is moving as quickly as possible but it needs your help.

To be a vital part of this worthwhile cause, call 209-5088 or 751-9204. Information on melanoma prevention and treatment can be found at skincheck.com, and Amanda Brown's heartrending account of her courageous battle with melanoma skin cancer can be found at Amandasmessage.org.