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
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.