November 30, 2023 (New York, NY) – The Skin Cancer Foundation, the leading nonprofit organization for public skin cancer education, announced today its 2024 Champions for Change Gala honorees. Shiseido Americas, a subsidiary of Shiseido Company, Limited, a leading global cosmetics company, will receive the Foundation’s Champions for Change award, given in recognition of their long-standing partnership and commitment to the Foundation’s mission. The digital media brand Refinery29 will receive the Foundation’s Media Impact Award for exemplary efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of ultraviolet radiation exposure from the sun and tanning beds.
“The Foundation has made great strides over the years in educating the public about the importance of skin cancer prevention, early detection and treatment, and our accomplishments would not be possible without the support of partners like Shiseido Americas and Refinery29,” says Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD, president of The Skin Cancer Foundation. “The Gala is our opportunity to recognize and celebrate that support while we raise crucial funds that directly support our lifesaving programs. There is so much more we can do together.”
Shiseido Americas has been a member of the Foundation’s Corporate Council since 2000 and many of their SHISEIDO sun protection products have earned the Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation. Shiseido Americas’ portfolio of prestige beauty brands includes SHISEIDO, NARS, Clé de Peau Beauté, Drunk Elephant and Tory Burch Beauty, as well as several fragrance brands, including ISSEY MIYAKE and narciso rodriguez.
“Shiseido Americas’ longtime partnership with The Skin Cancer Foundation is not only a reflection of our shared commitment to the important issue of sun safety but to the groundbreaking scientific research undertaken by corporations like ours and supported by nonprofit organizations like the Foundation to achieve critical goals such as skin cancer prevention,” says Ron Gee, president and CEO of Shiseido Americas, who will accept the award on the company’s behalf. “While sun protection is a key category for our business, it’s also foundational to our principles as an organization. We’ve always known that a beauty product can impact a life in many ways, but it is never so important as when it can save it. We are deeply proud of our unique partnership with The Skin Cancer Foundation, and we are just as deeply honored to be selected for this award.”
Refinery29 (part of VICE Media Group) is the leading media platform for women and underrepresented voices. The Foundation is proud to partner with Refinery29 on their Sun Blocked awareness campaign, a global call-to-action to wake up to the detrimental impact of sun exposure. In summer 2023, the Foundation and Refinery29 collected more than 7,500 signatures for a petition calling on the FDA to finalize a proposed rule that would ban minors from tanning.
“Refinery29 is honored to receive The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Media Impact Award,” says Carli Whitwell, senior director of editorial, Refinery29. “Protecting our skin is as important as protecting any other body part. With the increase in skin cancer, we have a duty to make sure everyone at every age understands the harms of UV rays and tanning beds.”
About the Event
The Champions for Change Gala is The Skin Cancer Foundation’s signature fundraising event. Funds raised from this annual event support the organization’s educational campaigns, community programs and research initiatives.
The event will take place Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. The event begins at 6:30 PM with a cocktail reception, followed by a seated dinner at 8:00 PM. The red carpet (step & repeat) is active from approximately 6:30 to 7:30. The dinner program includes remarks by Foundation and event leadership, entertainment and an awards presentation. More than 400 guests are expected to attend, including Skin Cancer Foundation donors, industry and physician allies, celebrity supporters, members of the media and families impacted by the disease.
To purchase tickets and learn more about the event, visit SkinCancer.org/gala.
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About The Skin Cancer Foundation
The Skin Cancer Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, saves and improves lives by empowering people to take a proactive approach to daily sun protection and the early detection and treatment of skin cancer. The Foundation strives to decrease skin cancer incidence and mortality by delivering public education programs, providing patients with guidance and reassurance, engaging medical professionals, awarding research grants and leading advocacy campaigns that call for policy changes. Since its inception in 1979, the Foundation has recommended regular skin exams and following a complete sun protection strategy that includes seeking shade, daily sunscreen use and covering up with clothing, wide-brimmed hats and UV-blocking sunglasses. For more information, visit SkinCancer.org.
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