Program Description
The SunAWARE For Life Program is designed to promote our mission to teach children and the people who care for them about skin cancer prevention and sun protection. This program is based upon the SunAWARE acronym that includes five easy action steps for primary and secondary prevention. Foundation educators present an interactive, standard-based, cross-curricular program for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Annually, we educate tens of thousands of school children, teachers, and nurses both locally and nationally.
SunAWARE Acronym
Avoid unprotected exposure to sunlight, seek shade, and never indoor tan.
Wear sun protective clothing, including a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses year-round.
Apply recommended amounts of broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sunburn protection factor (SPF) ≥ 30 to all exposed skin and reapply every two hours, or as needed.
Routinely examine your whole body for changes in your skin and report suspicious changes to a parent or healthcare provider.
Educate your family and community about the need to be SunAWARE.
Alliances
The Children's Melanoma Prevention Foundation is a proud member of the National Council for Skin Cancer Prevention. We have partnered with the Dermatology Nurses' Association, the Montana Division of Cancer Control, the Association of Dermatology Managers/Administrators, Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome (BCNS) Life Support Network, US SAILING, and others to provide SunAWARE education nationally.
Participating Schools
Foundation educators provide SunAWARE classes in over 150 schools in Massachusetts. We also provide professional development for teachers, nurses, and administrators in a system-wide and whole-school approach to raise awareness and reinforce our SunAWARE message. We promote the annual, nationwide Don't Fry Day campaign by providing educational resources for participating schools.
Multi-level SunAWARE Curriculum
An equal distribution of students participate from kindergarten through grade twelve. Our age and grade-level appropriate curriculum encompasses five main topics: UV intensity, sun sensitivity, proven methods of sun protection, skin cancer recognition and the SunAWARE action steps. Foundation educators work with schools to plan programs tailored to the scheduling needs of teachers. Programs have included classroom presentations, assemblies, health fairs, field days, parent programs, and professional development.
Program Levels:
