The National Melanoma Awareness Project began at UC Irvine
School of Medicine as an extension of the Joel Myres Melanoma
Awareness Project, which was founded in 2003 by a group
of UCI medical students interested in teaching local teens about
skin cancer. We educated ourselves first, then developed a curriculum
aimed at a diverse teen population. The project has since expanded
rapidly. During the 2004-2005 school year, with a group of 15
medical students, we shared the melanoma message with over 4,000
students in Orange County alone, at local schools including La
Paz Middle School, Trabuco Hills High School, Orange High School,
Laguna Hills High School, and El Toro High School.
Since
the inception of the program in 2005, we have educated over 25,000
students in with over 200 trained volunteers and we are always looking
to expand our volunteer base. We are launched a poster contest wherein
all students taught are invited to submit posters spreading the
melanoma awareness message.
Perhaps more exciting, the project is rapidly gaining national
interest. Its adoption is currently underway in Southern California and
across the country, and we are actively sharing project materials with
all who are interested in joining us. We hope you will! |