Latest news with #ShalayaValenzuela
Associated Press
30-04-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
Save Your Skin Foundation Tackles Rising Skin Cancer Rates with Youth-Focused Prevention Campaigns
Initiatives include Youth Sun Safety Ambassadors, Free Public Sunscreen Dispensers, and Provincial Proclamations during Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month VANCOUVER, BC, April 30, 2025 /CNW/ - May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month. It is imperative that Canadians be reminded of the importance of sun safety as summer approaches. As skin cancer rates in Canada continue to rise, Save Your Skin Foundation (SYSF) is targeting youth with several prevention-focused awareness initiatives this spring including youth sun safety ambassadors, free public sunscreen dispensers, and municipal and provincial proclamations. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada, and cases are increasing. Melanoma, the deadliest form, is one of the top cancers in youth and young adults, with 11,300 cases diagnosed in 2024 and over 1,300 lives lost.1 That's a 16% increase in just one year.2 Preventing it early is key. Canada is facing a shortage of family doctors and dermatologists, which means longer wait times for diagnosis and treatment and delayed care, which can lead to worse outcomes. Prevention becomes crucial when early diagnosis is harder to access. Youth are at a formative stage where habits can last a lifetime. If sun safety is practiced early, it significantly reduces the cumulative UV exposure that leads to skin cancer later in life. Youth are often active outdoors during peak UV times - at summer camps, playing sports, or just hanging out. This increases the risk of sunburns, which are a major risk factor for skin cancer. It's much easier and more cost-effective to prevent skin damage than to treat it. Youth Sun Safety Ambassador With the help of Canadian rugby player Shalaya Valenzuela, SYSF is reaching out to thousands of young people across Canada, asking them to take action by wearing sunscreen, seeking shade, and checking their skin. 'As a professional rugby player, I spend a lot of time outdoors so I always take steps to protect my skin,' says Shalaya Valenzuela, Olympic medalist for Team Canada. 'Even in Canada, the sun's no joke. Just a small amount of exposure can damage your skin and lead to skin cancer, which can be deadly. Sun safety isn't just about avoiding burns — it's about protecting our health for the long run, on and off the field.' Sunscreen Dispensers Since 2022, SYSF's dispensers have been providing free, high-quality sunscreen at parks, beaches and underserved communities across Canada. This year, SYSF is installing 15 new dispensers, making a total of 75 dispensers across 8 provinces. As dispensers are made available to the public, locations will be listed here and can be found on the SunnyBuddy app. Proclamations SYSF's proclamation initiative invites Canadian provinces and municipalities to take a stance against skin cancer and educate their communities on sun safety through mayoral proclamations. Last year, 50 cities and 6 provinces answered the call to proclaim May Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month, with 2025 set to bring even more. Look for your city here. Sun Safety Tips Applying sunscreen is part of an overall sun-safe way to enjoy the outdoors. First, limit your time in the direct sunlight, especially between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., seek shade, cover up by wearing long sleeves and pants and a wide-brimmed hat. Use sunscreen, specifically one labeled broad-spectrum, SPF 30, protect the lips with lip sunscreen or zinc oxide. Apply 20 minutes before sun exposure, and reapply every two hours or after swimming. Check out Save Your Skin's Skin Cancer Prevention Tips. About Save Your Skin Foundation Save Your Skin Foundation (SYSF) is a patient-led not-for-profit organization dedicated to the fight against non-melanoma skin cancers, melanoma, and ocular melanoma through education, advocacy, and awareness initiatives across Canada. SYSF provides a community of oncology patient and caregiver support throughout the entire continuum of care, from prevention and diagnosis to survivorship. Please visit for more information. SOURCE Save Your Skin Foundation
Cision Canada
30-04-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
Save Your Skin Foundation Tackles Rising Skin Cancer Rates with Youth-Focused Prevention Campaigns Français
VANCOUVER, BC, April 30, 2025 /CNW/ - May is Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month. It is imperative that Canadians be reminded of the importance of sun safety as summer approaches. As skin cancer rates in Canada continue to rise, Save Your Skin Foundation (SYSF) is targeting youth with several prevention-focused awareness initiatives this spring including youth sun safety ambassadors, free public sunscreen dispensers, and municipal and provincial proclamations. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada, and cases are increasing. Melanoma, the deadliest form, is one of the top cancers in youth and young adults, with 11,300 cases diagnosed in 2024 and over 1,300 lives lost. 1 That's a 16% increase in just one year. 2 Preventing it early is key. Canada is facing a shortage of family doctors and dermatologists, which means longer wait times for diagnosis and treatment and delayed care, which can lead to worse outcomes. Prevention becomes crucial when early diagnosis is harder to access. Youth are at a formative stage where habits can last a lifetime. If sun safety is practiced early, it significantly reduces the cumulative UV exposure that leads to skin cancer later in life. Youth are often active outdoors during peak UV times - at summer camps, playing sports, or just hanging out. This increases the risk of sunburns, which are a major risk factor for skin cancer. It's much easier and more cost-effective to prevent skin damage than to treat it. Youth Sun Safety Ambassador With the help of Canadian rugby player Shalaya Valenzuela, SYSF is reaching out to thousands of young people across Canada, asking them to take action by wearing sunscreen, seeking shade, and checking their skin. "As a professional rugby player, I spend a lot of time outdoors so I always take steps to protect my skin," says Shalaya Valenzuela, Olympic medalist for Team Canada. "Even in Canada, the sun's no joke. Just a small amount of exposure can damage your skin and lead to skin cancer, which can be deadly. Sun safety isn't just about avoiding burns — it's about protecting our health for the long run, on and off the field." Sunscreen Dispensers Since 2022, SYSF's dispensers have been providing free, high-quality sunscreen at parks, beaches and underserved communities across Canada. This year, SYSF is installing 15 new dispensers, making a total of 75 dispensers across 8 provinces. As dispensers are made available to the public, locations will be listed here and can be found on the SunnyBuddy app. Proclamations SYSF's proclamation initiative invites Canadian provinces and municipalities to take a stance against skin cancer and educate their communities on sun safety through mayoral proclamations. Last year, 50 cities and 6 provinces answered the call to proclaim May Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month, with 2025 set to bring even more. Look for your city here. Sun Safety Tips Applying sunscreen is part of an overall sun-safe way to enjoy the outdoors. First, limit your time in the direct sunlight, especially between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., seek shade, cover up by wearing long sleeves and pants and a wide-brimmed hat. Use sunscreen, specifically one labeled broad-spectrum, SPF 30, protect the lips with lip sunscreen or zinc oxide. Apply 20 minutes before sun exposure, and reapply every two hours or after swimming. Check out Save Your Skin's Skin Cancer Prevention Tips. About Save Your Skin Foundation Save Your Skin Foundation (SYSF) is a patient-led not-for-profit organization dedicated to the fight against non-melanoma skin cancers, melanoma, and ocular melanoma through education, advocacy, and awareness initiatives across Canada. SYSF provides a community of oncology patient and caregiver support throughout the entire continuum of care, from prevention and diagnosis to survivorship. Please visit for more information.
CBC
06-04-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Canadian rugby women down France at Singapore 7s, finish 3rd in consecutive weeks
Tries by Carissa Norsten, Shalaya Valenzuela and Fancy Bermudez lifted Canada to a 21-5 win over France at the HSBC SVNS Singapore on Sunday as the Canadian women finished third for the second week in a row on the top-tier rugby sevens circuit. Breanne Nicholas converted all three tries for Canada, which conceded a late score by Lea Trollier. Canada, which beat France 21-17 in the third-place game in Hong Kong last week, stands fourth in the women's season standings after six events. The French are third behind Australia and Series leader New Zealand. The Canadian women finished eighth in Dubai, fifth in Cape Town, fourth in Perth and seventh in Vancouver before the two third-place finishes. France finished third in Dubai, Cape Town and Perth. After topping its pool with wins over No. 6 Britain (14-5) and the eight-ranked U.S. (31-12), the Canadians were beaten 45-7 by Australia in the Cup semifinal earlier Sunday. Eden Kilgour scored the lone try for Canada, which trailed 24-0 at the half. New Zealand then defeated Australia 31-7 to win the Singapore event, adding to tournament victories in Cape Town, Vancouver and Hong Kong and runner-up finishes to Australia in Dubai and Perth. Australia's Maddison Levi became the fastest woman to surpass 200 tries, ending the weekend with 203 scores to her name including one in the final, which took her past Charlotte Caslick as Australia's top try-scorer in finals with 15. Double Olympic champions Fiji won the men's event in Singapore, downing Kenya 21-12. After three successive tournament victories, Argentina's men had to settle for bronze via a 33-14 comeback win over Spain after trailing 14-0. Singapore, the penultimate event of the season, decided the 2025 regular season winners with the New Zealand women and Argentina men confirmed as 2025 League victors on Day 1 at Singapore National Stadium. The top eight men's and women's teams now head to Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif., to compete in the winner-take-all May 3-4 season-ending world championship. The men's teams moving on are Argentina, Fiji, Spain, South Africa, France, New Zealand, Australia and Britain. The confirmed women's teams are Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Britain, France, Fiji, the U.S. and Japan. Canada will play in Pool A with New Zealand, Japan and Britain. The California finale will also feature a promotion/relegation playoff involving the top four men's and women's teams from the second-tier HSBC Sevens Challenger and the bottom four teams on the HSBC SVNS circuit. The Canadian men, relegated last June, are set to take part in the final Challenger Series event April 11-12 in Krakow, Poland. They currently top the Challenger Series.
