Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S.
More than 1 million Americans are living with melanoma. It is estimated that 192,310 new cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2019.
Research estimates that nonmelanoma skin cancer affects more than 3 million Americans a year.
It is estimated that approximately 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.
Nearly 20 Americans die from melanoma every day.
Current estimates are that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.
In 2019, it is estimated that 7,230 deaths will be attributed to melanoma.
SOLAWARE® is designed to raise awareness and educate the public about the dangers of unprotected sun exposure as well as provide tips on how and when to properly protect oneself from the sun’s harmful rays.
We believe sun safety should be accessible to everyone. SOLAWARE®. We work with communities (typically via public health, parks and recreation, and local government officials) to implement sun safety awareness and education initiatives, right-sized to fit their needs. Our comprehensive sun safety portfolio includes the SOLAWARE® Index Display, educational signage, and skin protection solutions.
THE UV INDEX KNOWLEDGE GAP
The UV index (UVI) is an indicator of the intensity of the sun’s ultraviolet rays – the higher the UVI, the greater the potential for damage to the skin and eyes, and the less time it takes for damage to occur.
The UVI was adopted by the World Health Organization in 1994 as an international standard – and intended to raise public awareness of the risks associated with over-exposure to UV rays. However, a 2019 systematic review of over 20 years of international research on UV Index awareness, supported by the National Insitutes of Health, concluded that the UVI is neither widely understood nor influential on sun protection.
OUR APPROACH: THE SOLAWARE INDEX
The SOLAWARE® Index translates the World Health Organization’s standard UV Index into terms that are easy for anyone to quickly understand – bridging the existing gap in public understanding of how to interpret and utilize the UVI.
The SOLAWARE® Index converts real-time UV information into the number of minutes until skin damage can be expected under local conditions, without protection, serving as an effective warning that quickly and clearly communicates the potential damage from unprotected exposure to the sun’s rays.
1 The World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/uv/faq/skincancer
2 C. Heckman, K. Liang, M. Riley. Awareness, understanding, use, and impact of the UV index: A systematic review of over two decades of international research. Preventive Medicine, Volume 123, 2019, Pages 71-83, ISSN 0091-7435, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.03.004.