Two northern Ont. med students leading national skin cancer detection program
Two medical students from Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) are leading an innovative new program to train hairstylists and barbers across Canada to spot suspected skin cancer on their clients.
The Styling Hair and Saving Lives program, also called Sty-Lives, is being led by Sudbury-native Dr. Miranda Waugh, who is a first-year dermatology resident at the University of Ottawa after graduating from NOSM earlier this year, and current student Shannon D'Angelo.
The program is being supported by Save Your Skin Foundation as well as three leading dermatologists from Sudbury, Vancouver and Quebec City.
"Sty-Lives is a project that was created after identifying the need for more education and awareness around potentially dangerous skin cancers in a field whose focus revolves around hard to visualize areas of the scalp and head," Waugh said in the news release.
"Many patients seek care due to skin concerns raised by their hairstylists and it was important to help support them in this role and empower them with resources."
"Through the Sty-Lives program and video, participating salons and barbershops are provided with training materials and resources and are taught how to detect suspicious spots," Save Your Skin Foundation said in a news release Monday.
"Medical students from across the country have been recruited to help lead this effort in their respective regions."
Skin cancer is Canada's most common type of cancer, according to the federal government, representing one-third of all new cases of cancer.
Kathy Barnard, the founder and president of Save Your Skin Foundation, is a cancer survivor who credits her hairstylist with detecting a lesion on her head that would have been hard to spot herself.
"This program has the potential to make such a huge impact. I had a squamous cell carcinoma on my scalp that was spotted by my hairstylist," Barnard said.
"I'm a Stage 4 melanoma survivor, so I am checking my skin all the time, but because of where the lesion was, I didn't see it."
The program is open to all hair professionals in Canada. Interested stylists and barbers can register online here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.