Christie Brinkley at the Champions for Change Gala
In 2025, The Skin Cancer Foundation expanded programs, updated standards and worked tirelessly to educate the public about skin cancer and the importance of sun protection and early detection.
Now that 2025 has come to a close, The Skin Cancer Foundation looks back on all that we accomplished throughout the year to spread awareness and address misinformation about skin cancer. We collaborated with physicians, corporate partners, donors and skin cancer warriors to advance our mission. We are so thankful to those who have helped us achieve our goals. While there is still work to be done, we were able to achieve so much in the past 12 months with the support of our community.
Continue reading to learn about The Skin Cancer Foundation’s accomplishments in 2025!
Destination Healthy Skin’s New RV Hit the Road
Patients in the waiting room of the Destination Healthy Skin RV
The Foundation’s new state-of-the-art Destination Healthy Skin RV made its debut. We traveled to 39 cities, and with the help of 71 volunteer dermatologists, the program was able to provide 2,391 free skin cancer screenings.
We are thankful for our amazing physician volunteers and incredible partners and donors who help us deliver screenings, educate the public and distribute skin cancer education materials and sun protection samples across America.
Criteria Updates for Our Seal of Recommendation
In 2025, The Skin Cancer Foundation Photobiology Committee announced new Seal of Recommendation standards for safe and effective sun protection products, including updates to the standards for broad-spectrum sunscreen and UPF for fabrics. These updates reflect the highest criteria for minimum sun protection standards on the market today, ensuring that this resource serves consumers who are searching for effective sun protection in the strongest way possible. More than 800 products carry the Seal.
Successfully Advocated for the SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act
The Skin Cancer Foundation successfully advocated for the passage of the SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act by gathering more than 3,500 signatures on our letter of support. We then sent the letter, including all signatures, to the members of the Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus, as the package moved to a vote. And on November 13, the Act was signed into law. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this historic advocacy effort.
Issued a Public Warning Regarding UV Exposure for Outdoor Workers
The Skin Cancer Foundation issued a public warning to outdoor workers, emphasizing their increased risk of developing skin cancer. Nearly one in three deaths from nonmelanoma skin cancer is related to UV exposure associated with working outdoors. Outdoor workers can download a free pamphlet with tips for skin cancer prevention and early detection here.
Annual Champions for Change Gala: Hosted by Christie Brinkley
Gala physician co-chairs Jesse Lewin, MD; Julie Karen, MD; Elizabeth Hale, MD and Ariel Ostad, MD. at the Champions for Change Gala with Christie Brinkley
On May 14, 2025, The Skin Cancer Foundation held its annual Champions for Change Gala at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. The event was hosted by actress, entrepreneur, author and skin cancer warrior Christie Brinkley. The gala served as an industry spotlight event during Skin Cancer Awareness Month and provided our community the opportunity to celebrate all we’ve accomplished together and support our future goals through dynamic fundraising. This year, we raised more than $800,000 to support the organization’s educational campaigns, community programs and research initiatives.
Educated the Public During Skin Cancer Awareness Month
Every May, The Skin Cancer Foundation observes Skin Cancer Awareness Month. This year, nearly 1 million people came to our website; 96 percent were first-time visitors. Our campaigns, public outreach and digital content elevated the conversation around sun safety and early detection, empowering people to take charge of their skin health and sun protection.
Published our Annual Journal
In 2025, The Skin Cancer Foundation Journal’s theme was “Skin Health: It’s Personal.” The Journal featured stories about the skin cancer risks outdoor workers face and the influence of social media on the world of dermatology and skin cancer. You can find the Journal in dermatology offices around the country, and it’s available for download on our website.
The Skin Cancer Foundation in the News
The Skin Cancer Foundation continues to be a resource for thousands of journalists who reference our facts, statistics and tips in their skin cancer coverage and call on our medical spokespersons for science-backed skin cancer information. The Foundation was able to reach millions of people through articles and videos published this year. We are so grateful to the members of the media who have helped spread our lifesaving messages.
Research Grants 2025-2026
In 2025, The Skin Cancer Foundation Research Grants program awarded $125,000 to three early career investigators for projects focused on the prevention, detection and treatment of skin cancer. This program has funded more than $3.5 million in research since 1983 to support groundbreaking advancements. This year’s grant recipients included:
Dr. Marcia Robbins-Wilf Research Grant Award ($25,000)
Marissa Lobl, MD, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Pittsburgh, PA
The Skin Cancer Foundation Research Grants Award ($50,000)
Matthew Vesely, MD, Yale School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology, New Haven, CT
The Todd Nagel Memorial Research Grant Award ($50,000)
Tomoko Akaike, MD, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
These grants reflect the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to decreasing skin cancer incidence and mortality through research and supporting early stage investigators in skin cancer.
The Skin Cancer Foundation is looking ahead to a productive and rewarding 2026. We cannot wait to work with our inspiring community of supporters and warriors on furthering our mission.
