Education
About Us
About Us
The Richard David Kann (RDK) Melanoma Foundation has been working locally and nationally for over 27 years to educate students grades K-12 and our communities on the importance of sun safe behavior and to raise awareness about the life-saving techniques for early detection of skin cancer, especially melanoma, its deadliest form. One of their newest initiatives involves the distribution of sunscreen dispensers in parks, beaches, schools, and outdoor areas, where sun exposure is excessive. The unique Students Against Melanoma (SAM) Clubs in middle and high school, and the SunSmart America™ curricula, programs, and resources, have educated hundreds of thousands of students, families and communities on sun safety behaviors and techniques for prevention and early detection of skin cancer. Deborah Kann Schwarzberg is Founder and President of the RDK Melanoma Foundation.
Our Mission
The mission of the Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation is to save lives through education about the prevention and early detection of skin cancer, especially melanoma.
Our Vision
The Foundation’s vision is "to educate children throughout the country and give them the skills necessary to make healthy sun safety choices throughout their lives."
As the Foundation grows we will continue to advocate for school districts throughout the country to require sun safety education as part of their curriculum.
The Overview of the Foundation
The Richard David Kann Melanoma Foundation was started in 1995 after Richard Kann died at age 44 of a late detected melanoma. Family and friends formed an organization to help the local and national community prevent and detect skin cancer early.
The Melanoma Foundation is one of the first organizations in the country that has been on the cutting edge of skin cancer preventive education and the only organization in Florida. After extensive review of health education literature, the Foundation selected the successful SunSmart curricula from Australia on which to base its many programs and adapt to local educational standards and environment. The Foundation utilizes SunSmart America™ for grades K-12.
Since its inception, the Foundation’s staff and volunteers have provided thousands of presentations in public and private schools reaching over 75,000 students and more than 6,000 teachers and administrators. The Melanoma Foundation has educated approximately 100,000 children, families and community members about the dangers of the sun, and the techniques to prevent skin cancer and to detect this disease early.
Melanoma and other skin cancers are almost 100% preventable and curable if detected and treated early. The Foundation’s goal is to educate the public so that no other family suffers a loss of a loved one from skin cancer.