New partnership to promote skin cancer awareness to school pupils
The School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (PBS) has launched a new initiative to engage, educate and enhance local communities, and is set to run its first community volunteering project in collaboration with Skcin, a leading UK skin cancer awareness charity. This project, part of the 3Es public engagement initiative, will also assist Skcin in the delivering and roll out of their Sun Safe Schools Accreditation Pupils from primary and secondary schools across Merseyside will take part in this 3Es engagement project. Skcin trained LJMU student volunteers will be working with key stage 1 and 2 pupils to broaden their understanding of UV and reinforce sun safety through fun interactive workshops and assemblies which will involve telling stories and teaching the children the ‘slip, slop, slap’ song.
From left to right: Dr Ian Bradshaw, Mrs Marie Tudor (Skcin), Mr Bob Morris, Dr Laura Randle, Dr Kehinde Ross, Prof. Satya Sarker and Dr Fyaz Ismail (PBS)
Pharmacy practice students will also be engaging with secondary schools to assess their current knowledge and understanding of UV, skin cancer and sun bed use, before delivering workshops to explore the science behind harmful UV rays and sun screen. The overall aim is to promote the fact that prevention is better than cure and education can lead to early detection and reduce soaring incidence rates of skin cancer in the UK.
Professor Satya Sarker, PBS School Director said “Liverpool John Moores University acts as a catalyst for positive social change, and enhances life, aspirations and prospects within our communities. We also encourage active citizenship in students and staff. The project with Skcin involving our academics, students and local schools is a great example of this impact.”
Marie Tudor, Business Development Manager at Skcin said, “This is an important collaboration with Liverpool John Moores University to improve the health and wellbeing of our local communities. Skin cancer rates are rocketing, with Liverpool displaying some of the UKs highest incident rates but 85% of skin cancers are preventable. Education is the key to saving lives and helping us to address this major public health concern. Through education we can evoke a cultural change and shift in attitude towards sun safety, which will help to reverse the soaring rates of skin cancer for current and future generations.”
A public seminar presenting the project findings will take place in 2018.
Follow the project on twitter @LJMU3Es
