This campaign aims to empower Canadians
with resources to help recognize and prevent melanoma
KIRKLAND, QC,
June 19,
2024 /CNW/ - This summer, Merck Canada is empowering
Canadians with tools and resources to promote melanoma awareness
and early detection through the Practice Skintimacy™
campaign. The campaign, now in its second year, encourages
Canadians to have a close, intimate relationship with their skin
through regular skin checks to identify possible signs and symptoms
of melanoma, a serious and often visible form of skin cancer.
In Canada, where the rates of
many cancer types are projected to continue to decrease, melanoma
remains a notable outlier. In fact, the number of Canadians
receiving a diagnosis of melanoma each year continues to rise, more
than tripling in the past 30 years. The Practice Skintimacy™
campaign aims to help Canadians understand how to better protect
themselves and their loved ones from melanoma and empower
meaningful action in support of healthy skin habits.
"The more Canadians know about melanoma, the better equipped
they are to help protect themselves and their loved ones," said
André Galarneau, PhD, Executive Director & Vice President,
Oncology Business Unit at Merck Canada. "As we embark on the second
year of the Practice Skintimacy™ campaign, we are committed
to empowering all individuals and their families with knowledge and
resources with the hope of helping improve health outcomes and
reducing the impact of skin cancer in Canada."
Learn the ABCDE-Method with Practice
Skintimacy™
PracticeSkintimacy.ca offers Canadians information on how to
perform regular skin checks and a suggested list of household items
to help examine those hard-to-see-areas. To know what to look for,
the website also offers an ABCDE guide, which looks at the shape,
appearance and growth of moles that may be signs of skin
cancer.
"Checking your skin regularly is one of the easiest things you
can do for your health," said Kathleen
Barnard, Founder of the Save Your Skin Foundation. "Skin
cancer can appear in places that are hard to see such as your scalp
and back. Involve a family member, spouse or close friend in your
skin health routine."
New this year, Canadians can also access Check-A-Mole through
the site, a gamification developed by Spot the Dot—a patient
organization located in Austria
that works with athletes, artists, patients and dermatologists from
around the world—to educate on some of the signs of melanoma.
Check-A-Mole is available in seven languages and can be adapted for
various skin tones.
"I am thrilled that Merck Canada is making the award-winning
Check-A-Mole game available through the Practice Skintimacy™
campaign," said Marije Kruis,
Founder of Spot the Dot and melanoma survivor. "I know that
lifestyle habits are developed early on in life, so by making this
game accessible to all ages, I hope to reach younger adults and
encourage healthy skin habits that they will carry throughout their
lives."
Why Early Detection Matters
A skin cancer diagnosis can be a life changing event for
Canadians and their loved ones. This year, it is estimated that
11,300 Canadians will be diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer,
resulting in 1,300 deaths. However, early detection can contribute
to improved patient outcomes. Canadian patient support groups,
including the Canadian Cancer Society, Melanoma Canada and the Save
Your Skin Foundation, recommend conducting regular skin checks to
help detect early changes to your skin.
"Skin cancer remains common in Canada, but if found and treated early the
chances for survival are more favourable," said Falyn Katz, CEO at Melanoma Canada. "We're proud
to support Practice Skintimacy™ in encouraging Canadians to
perform regular skin checks to help identify suspicious moles early
on when skin cancer is easier to treat."
Canadians are encouraged to visit practiceskintimacy.ca for more
information about melanoma and to access resources to
Practice Skintimacy™ at home.
About Merck
At Merck, known as MSD outside of the
United States and Canada,
we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading-edge
science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than
130 years, we have brought hope to humanity through the development
of important medicines and vaccines. We aspire to be the premier
research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world – and
today, we are at the forefront of research to deliver innovative
health solutions that advance the prevention and treatment of
diseases in people and animals. We foster a diverse and inclusive
global workforce and operate responsibly every day to enable a
safe, sustainable and healthy future for all people and
communities.
In Canada, Merck markets a
broad range of vaccines, pharmaceutical and animal health products
and is one of the top R&D investors in Canada, with investments totaling more than
$90 million in 2022 and more than
$1.6 billion since 2000. Based in
Kirkland, Québec, Merck employs
approximately 635 people across the country. For more information
about our operations in Canada,
visit www.merck.ca and connect with us on LinkedIn
@MerckCanada.
Merck Canada Inc.
16750 Trans-Canada Highway
Kirkland, Quebec, H9H 4M7
™Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC. Used under license. © 2024 Merck
& Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA
and its affiliates. All rights reserved.
SOURCE Merck Canada