Hats On For Skin Health is a global campaign to spotlight the
deadly effects that sun rays can have on the sensitive skin of
albinos. Through a worldwide effort, the program aims to raise funds to purchase hats and other sun-protective items for albinos living in Tanzania, a country in East Africa with one of the highest rates of albinism in the world.
Albinism is a genetic condition passed from parent to child, in which the body does not produce the pigment melanin. Albinos are born with pale skin, light hair, pinkish
eyes and impaired vision. Melanin is the skin’s own natural protection against the
sun’s rays – and lack of melanin puts albinos at risk for many types of solar skin
damage, including deadly skin cancers. Worldwide, albinism affects about one in 20,000 people. However, the
incidence of albinism in sub-Saharan Africa is significantly higher than
in the rest of the world, and Tanzania has one of the highest rates of
all with an incidence of one in 1,429, or approximately 30,000 people.
The risk is of skin cancer is especially great for albinos living in sub-Sarahan Africa,
where ultraviolet rays are high because of the close proximity to the Equator.
Stiefel, a GSK company have announced today that Hats On For Skin Health, their global campaign with the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS),
have raised enough funds to produce 15,000 sun-protective hats for
albinos living in East Africa and has already distributed more than
2,000 hats.
In addition to support from ILDS, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has assisted the Hats On For Skin Health
campaign by making information about the campaign available on its
website, and by accepting donations in the United States for the
campaign.
Source: PRNewswire
