For their grandfather: Jake and Alexis Schweitzer, above, between their parents Stephanie and Adam at The Skin Cancer Foundation Champions for Change Gala, want to honor their dad’s father, who died of melanoma when he was 43.
Plenty has been written about how teens and young adults have grown up facing negative influences, from remote learning to social media. But something positive is brewing in how Gen Z gives back their way. Here’s how the younger generation uses their unique skills in the fight against skin cancer.
By Melanie Hertgen
Adam Schweitzer has been intimately involved in the nation’s leading skin cancer nonprofit for many years. He and his wife, Stephanie, are co-chairs of The Skin Cancer Foundation’s annual gala. The event draws dermatologists, donors and supporters from all walks of life — including major celebrities. Many of those celebrities walk the Gala’s red carpet because of Adam, who is a senior partner at WME and represents some of Hollywood’s biggest names.
Jake and Alexis’ dad, Adam Schweitzer (as a boy, with his sister and father before the diagnosis) wants his kids to find her own way to give back.
Adam lost his father to melanoma when he was just 16 years old. “If my dad’s cancer had been caught earlier, he would have had a better chance of survival,” he says. “We could have shared so many monumental events with him, including the birth of his amazing grandchildren.” Adam’s grief motivated him to use his resources to help fight skin cancer. He and Stephanie made sure their two kids, Jake and Alexis, learned about their grandfather and why they chose this. Growing up in the Schweitzer household meant skin cancer prevention was part of the conversation. “We’ve also always tried to show them the importance of getting involved in causes that we care about and giving back,” Adam says.
So, if you’re a teen, and you care about the same things your dad does, how do you get involved in a way that works for your generation? And how do you know if you’re choosing your own path or simply following the one that has already been laid out for you?
Jake
Go, team! As a high-school athlete, Jake knows he can influence his peers by showing that sun-protective habits are not only healthy but cool.
Jake is a social and athletic student who spends lots of time outdoors playing sports. Growing up hearing his grandfather’s story instilled sun safety habits into his life from a young age. “I was definitely interested in learning more about skin cancer, the causes of it and how people get it. So I talked to Dad and listened to what he said about how to prevent it.”
Now, sun protection is like second nature to Jake. Whenever he’s out playing golf, he always makes sure to put on a hat. He further explains, “When I’m in the locker room, they always have bottles of sunscreen inside. It’s often available outside, too, where it’s easy to access it,” he explains. “When my friends see me apply it, they also put on sunscreen.”
Jake understands that male athletes face a disproportionate higher risk for skin cancer, yet they’re the least likely to protect themselves. And he knows that if awareness began at a young age, or if sun protection was more readily accessible, many athletes would be able to prevent skin cancer from happening to themselves.
“Maybe it’s not that people don’t want to put on sunscreen. I think a lot of times people just forget about it,” Jake observes. “So having tents with sun protection products at events would make it easy and accessible for people. They’ll think about it, go to the tent, see the sunscreen and apply it.”
Jake is not leaning on his father’s position to make things happen, though. He’s identifying a problem in his community and coming up with a solution on his own. He’s already contacted the SAM Club (Students Against Melanoma) to start a chapter at his high school. He’s also considering integrating sun safety awareness into existing school organizations and pushing for more accessible sun protection tools for athletes in his community.
Alexis
Sun and skin care: Alexis learned from a young age about the importance of sun protection, and she wants to teach others her age, too.
While Jake focuses on reaching his athletic peers, Alexis is channeling her expertise in influence and messaging to spread sun safety awareness to young women.
As a journalism and strategic communications major at The University of Wisconsin — Madison, Alexis has a natural understanding of how messaging spreads through her generation. When asked how to reach teenagers about sun safety, she has a sharp insight. “I feel like there’s so much awareness now. More young people seem to be using sunscreen consistently. It’s normal,” she observes. “At the same time, it’s obvious that others still want to achieve that tan look like people did generations ago. But I’m glad to say that using sunscreen and protecting your skin health have gotten a lot more popular.”
The shift, she believes, comes down to social influence. “Many teenagers follow what they see other people doing, whether it be a friend or a celebrity. And they want to do what seems cool or what they think they’re supposed to do. So getting it out there on social media, having celebrities post about it or following makeup brands that are coming out with trendy new sunscreen lines are very good ideas.”
Alexis also acknowledges the tanning culture that persists among young women. “Some teenagers are still focused on being tan,” she says. She understands the pressure for young women to fit into certain beauty standards, but she also knows to make better choices, sticking to bronzer or sunless tanners when she wants to achieve that look (with the understanding that you still need sun protection with a faux glow).
She knows because of her background, she has a unique perspective among her peers: “From a young age, I was told that tanning isn’t good for your skin, and there can be serious consequences. Since I knew my dad’s story so well, it scared me more than it would scare everyone else.” Alexis also understands her power to influence those around her. “I like to apply sunscreen in the morning and make it a habit. I also carry sunscreen with me for when I need to reapply. I’m proud to say I’ve encouraged my roommates to do that, too.”
As the first teen Healthy Skin Champion of the Foundation, Alexis has organized several fundraisers and surpassed her goals each time, raising awareness and funds for skin cancer advocacy. She utilizes her social media to share anti-tanning messages and educate her peers on the best ways to stay safe in the sun.
Preserving Their Legacy
The Schweitzer family’s story illustrates the unique power of a multigenerational movement. Jake and Alexis are honoring the legacy of the grandfather they never met and channeling it into their own advocacy in a way that feels authentic to them. Adam observes, “My father’s death from melanoma was the reason we got involved in fighting skin cancer from a charitable standpoint. But it has turned into a family bonding experience for us.”
Stephanie agrees: “It’s nice having Jake and Alexis at The Skin Cancer Foundation gala with us. It makes me feel good that our kids are there — and want to be there. I am hoping that one day, when they have families, they will pick a cause that’s important to them and get their kids involved.” It’s important to note the language — not necessarily skin cancer advocacy, but something they choose. It’s a recognition that although Jake and Alexis have inherited this cause, they deserve the agency to choose their own missions.
For now, though, Jake and Alexis are finding their own path in skin cancer advocacy — in locker rooms, dorm rooms, online and ways they haven’t even thought of yet. In doing so, they’re ensuring that people will have an easier time protecting themselves from the sun in the next generation than the generation that came before them.
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Melanie Hertgen is development coordinator for The Skin Cancer Foundation. She says this story inspired her to build even stronger connections with young advocates across the country, amplifying the voices of those fighting for a sun-safe future.
