About Us - Overview of The FoundationThe Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation was started in 1995 after Richard Kann died at age 44 of a late detected melanoma. Family and friends formed an organization to help local communities nationwide, to detect and prevent skin cancer at its earliest stage.
The mission of the Melanoma Foundation is to educate the community about the prevention and early detection of skin cancer, especially melanoma. Since its inception, our programs have placed us on the cutting edge of skin cancer prevention/education; the Foundation is the first organization of its kind in the community. In 2000, after extensive review of health education literature, the Foundation selected the successful SunSmart America™ curriculum from Australia, on which to base its many programs, adapting to local educational standards and environment. Through the original SunSmart America™ curriculum, the Foundation's staff and volunteers provide numerous presentations in public and private schools reaching hundreds of thousands of students and school administrators. The Foundation has trained students, teachers, school nurses, parents and school administrators nationwide, thus facilitating the development of new sun safety programs and resources.
As the Foundation continues to promote its new SunSmart America™ programs and resources, it also continues to reach community members through local health fairs and free skin cancer screenings. To date, the Foundation has provided sun safety education and materials to thousands of community members through these onsite venues, and has helped physicians to identify questionable skin cancer spots that have resulted in the early detection of numerous skin cancers.
Partners and Collaborators: The Foundation consistently partners with other community members, organizations and corporations to disseminate information to the community, these include, but are not limited to, the AmeriPath Corporation, Global Pathology Laboratories, Neutrogena Corporation, Schering-Plough Corporation, The University of Miami, The American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Tire Kingdom Corporation, Sun-Safe Clothing Company, The Health Foundation of South Florida, The Children's Services Council, Searcy, Denney, Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley, PA, Wachovia Bank, The Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, the School Districts of Palm Beach, Broward, and Monroe Counties, Palm Beach County Department of Parks and Recreation, The World Skin Cancer Foundation, Office Depot, Florida Power & Light, Boston University Medical Center. Nationally, the Foundation works with the National Coalition for Sun Safety, National Council on Sun Safety, National Institute of Health (NIH), and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Annual Fundraisers: The Melanoma Foundation has annual fundraisers: Golf Tournament and the "SunSational" Luncheon and Fashion Show.
Grant funding: Over the years, the Melanoma Foundation has been provided grant monies by the Community Foundations of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Broward Community Foundation, Lost Tree Village Foundation, Toppel Foundation, Quantum Foundation, Florida Department of Health, Graham Eckes Foundation, JFK Medical Center Auxiliary, Pam Beach Country Club Foundation, Palm Beach Cancer Institute, Health Foundation of South Florida, and the National Institute of Health (NIH) to name a few.
Awards: The Melanoma Foundation is a twelve time winner of the American Academy of Dermatology Gold Triangle Award. The Foundation's Founder received an award at the "Mass General 100" for the great success the Foundation has had in raising awareness about prevention and early detection of skin cancer through the SunSmart America™ program.
Articles: Several articles have been written about the Foundation's work and published in national medical and educational journals. |
