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Meet The New Canadian UPF 50+ Protective Beachwear Line – KRABĒO

About The Founder of KRABĒO

In November 2021, I was told for the second time that I had cancer. This is not something one gets used to hearing, and at that moment I felt like another bomb went off in my life and my husband’s.

This diagnoses was followed by a series of tests that started from the end of November up to the 2021 holiday season. The reason for this was to gain an understanding of this possible recurrence all these years later.

Over 17 years ago, I had a beauty mark on my back that itched like a mosquito bite, which I thought was odd. That was back when tanning salons were a trend and I would visit them several times a week to do something about my “milky white” complexion. At this time, I felt I needed those sessions to look more “healthy”. I even had a membership at a local tanning salon! One day, just before settling in for a session, I discussed my beauty mark with the owner who urged me to get it checked out, which I did a few weeks later.

In creating KRABĒO, I find myself with peace of mind. Peace of mind for myself, my family and for you.

Marie-Ève Richard

I was 24 when it first happened and honestly, I felt I was above it until a lymph node surfaced in September 2021. It was then that I noticed a small lump in my right groin that many doctors thought was harmless, but I had a feeling that it was not benign.

I had to persist with the healthcare system to go further and do more tests in order to find out what was wrong. When you have a feeling that something is wrong, you need to advocate for yourself & ask questions. In my case, I was indeed wrong. The doctors discovered after an ultrasound that it was melanoma. This was quite a shock & a return to square one.

I hesitated to tell my story when all of this happened, even to my kids, but I would come to understand the importance of sharing one’s life experiences. No matter if it’s good or bad because doing so can help others.

My story may be your story too! It made me realize the great lack of resources and knowledge about this disease and how to adequately protect myself from the sun. It’s because of what I went through that I decided to help the people around me and the population by developing a line of UV-protective beachwear. Our beachwear is certified and recognized by the highest world standards of sun protection and it covers 98% of UVA and UVB rays. KRABĒO was born from this desire and is made entirely made in Quebec with love. Now, whenever I see my clothing worn by people from all walks of life, including children, my heart swells at the idea that I was able to do my part in the fight against this preventable cancer that has cases increasing with each passing year.

In creating KRABĒO, I find myself with peace of mind. Peace of mind for myself, my family and for you.

About KRABĒO

At KRABĒO, we believe that the sun, the water and the beach are together a source of well-being. To take full advantage of it all, one thing is essential: sun protection. We love to enjoy the sun. The benefits it brings to our lives are of course impossible to ignore. We tend, however, to forget the risks related to UV rays.

We can’t say it enough: ultraviolet rays from the sun lead to premature ageing, the appearance of skin blemishes, as well as skin cancer, which represents a full third of the most widespread cancers in the world.
For us, skin protection in all of its aspects lies at the very centre of every one of our decisions; indeed, it is our guiding principle.

Our laboratory-tested fabrics are certified UPF 50+ and block 98% of UVA and UVB rays, without any toxic products involved, neither for the skin nor for the planet.

They have been carefully chosen to meet two criteria: protecting our skin and preserving the oceans.

KRABĒO has generously offered a special 10% discount to all Save Your Skin Foundation newsletter subscribers. The code will be available in our May newsletter so hurry up and subscribe if you haven’t already!

Subscribe to our newsletter for a 10% discount

All Collections

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Children’s Collection

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New Arrivals

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Their dedication to the cause

KRABĒO is committed to helping others. That’s why the KRABĒO community lends its hand to those suffering from skin cancer by supporting the Save Your Skin Foundation and donating a portion of its profits to the cause!

Donate Today!
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Welcoming MorrisonRowe – A New Canadian UV Protective Clothing Brand

MorrisonRowe is an EVERYday sun protection clothing company based in Calgary, Alberta. MorrisonRowe was founded by long-time friends Cara and Tegan after Cara was diagnosed with multiple basal cell carcinomas. Her dermatologist recommended that she cover up as much as possible and wear sun protective clothing when outside. She found lots of options for the beach or sport specific activities but struggled to find casual, everyday UPF 50+ clothing. She didn’t want to look or feel like she was headed to the beach while she was out for daily activities such as going to the park with her kids, walking the dog, or sitting on a patio with friends.

Cara and Tegan could not ignore this HUGE gap in the market and the need for casual everyday UPF 50+ sun protection clothing. What started as a need, turned into a business idea and Cara and Tegan embarked on the journey to launch their own UPF 50+ sun protection clothing brand.

Prior to starting MorrisonRowe Cara worked as a registered nurse in surgical oncology and Tegan  a professional engineer. Neither had any previous fashion industry experience so it was quite a journey to build the brand from scratch.

Our mission is to make sun protection clothing part of your everyday wardrobe so you can grab something from your closet and know that no matter where the day takes you, sun protection is there. We have combined timeless style and everyday comfort with UPF 50+ protection so you don’t have to choose between looking great, feeling good, and protecting your skin.

Cara and Tegan

Cara and Tegan had some guiding principles for the brand; they wanted all of their clothes to be rated UPF 50+, they wanted to be a Canadian brand, and they wanted their clothes to be sustainably sourced and ethically made.

In terms of the actual clothing, Cara and Tegan had specific design concepts and fabric preferences. To them “everyday” means clothes that are timeless, casual and relaxed. Something that you will reach for any and EVERY day. For the fabrics, Cara and Tegan wanted natural fiber fabrics like Tencel™, hemp, and organic cotton because they offer superior breathability, feel great on your skin, and their production is generally more sustainable. This fabric preference is a definite departure from most available UPF 50+ clothing.

Finding fabrics proved to be one of the biggest challenges on the journey to launching MorrisonRowe. (Other than the pandemic and raising young children of course). Cara and Tegan searched tirelessly to find sustainable and ethically made, natural and recycled fabrics that were UPF 50+. Most fabric manufacturers Cara and Tegan contacted had minimal or no experience with UPF testing and rating, especially when it came to using natural fiber fabrics.

They knew that natural fiber fabrics with UPF 50+ ratings existed but sourcing them proved to be a challenge. They quickly learned that if they wanted to use natural fiber fabrics they would have to send them for testing and rating themselves. Fabrics were chosen based on what Cara and Tegan wanted in terms of how they feel, the composition, the garment design, and sustainability and then sent for basic UPF testing. If the result came back below UPF 50, Cara and Tegan were back to square one. This happened a few times before they found the right fabrics.

All MorrisonRowe fabrics are independently third party tested and rated at a lab in Quebec according to industry standards (ASTM D6544 and AATCC 183) to ensure every colour is UPF 50+. MorrisonRowe fabrics are all free of any chemical treatments to make them UPF 50+.  Rather, the natural characteristics of the fibers, the structure of the fabric, and the colour is what makes the fabric UPF 50+.

All MorrisonRowe clothes are designed and manufactured in Canada. Cara and Tegan have worked with a local Calgary designer, Ereau Designs, from the beginning. And manufactured solely in Calgary until recently moving manufacturing to Vancouver. They have styles for women, men, and children and are continuing to expand their catalogue.

MorrisonRowe has generously offered a special 10% discount to all Save Your Skin Foundation newsletter subscribers. The code will be available in our May newsletter so hurry up and subscribe if you haven’t already!

Subscribe to our newsletter for a 10% discount

Women’s Collection

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Men’s Collection

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Junior Collection

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Dr. Smylie Receives the CMC Legacy Award

Dr. Michael Smylie was the recipient of the 2023 Canadian Melanoma Conference Legacy Award which was presented on February 26, 2023. Kathy Barnard, Save Your Skin Foundation’s founder and former patient of Dr. Smylie, had the honour of saying a few words about this incredible doctor, friend, athlete and father. She read several testimonials from former patients and caregivers, including the following one from her very own sister, Rosemary Westie:

“To Mike,

When you love someone who’s diagnosed with cancer, the world as you know it comes to an end. When my big sister and best friend was diagnosed I was petrified. I couldn’t imagine a life without her in it, none of our family could. But sadly, as a family, you can only do so much. You can provide love, support, and hope, but at the end of the day, you’re still petrified, because love, support and hope can’t cure this relentless disease.

In the early years through the various treatments and surgeries my sister had, we always feared we were on borrowed time. Although she stayed strong and dealt with everything this disease threw at her, there came the day we dreaded, where we were told there was nothing they could do. The panic and fear that set in at that stage was indescribable, I simply could not breathe. But then, when we were at our most desperate, we were granted a miracle.  And that miracle was you, Mike Smylie.

I know now, years later, that you are simply a lovely and humble man. You’re a wonderful dad and a friend to many. You are a tremendous athlete, and a connoisseur of excellent rum. In fact, as far as I’m concerned, your only flaw is that you are an Edmonton Oilers fan🤣.

But can I tell you, Mike, that when we first met under such dire circumstances, to me, my sister and our entire family, you were this divine, all-powerful, god like, super being, that had my sisters life in your hands. I wonder if you realized that you controlled the fate of our family. Our future, our happiness, whether she would live or die.
I think about that now, and what a huge burden that was to place on your shoulders, and to think that you didn’t just carry that burden for her, but for every single one of your patients.
I hope we weren’t asking too much of you Mike, but we needed you, desperately. You brought calm to our panic, you brought hope when we felt hopeless. You helped us understand what was happening, and what to expect throughout the treatment, which was invaluable when we were in the eye of the storm.  You always made us feel like she was your only patient and your biggest priority, and we know you did the same for everyone single one of your patients. 🙂

You, my dear, just have to accept that you will always be our super hero. Not the one wearing the cape, but the one wearing the wings, and of course the tight bike shorts. 🤣Thank you Mike, for saving my sisters life.

Kath’s sister Rose”

Dr. Michael Smylie has been a good friend of the Foundation since its creation. He sits on our Medical Advisory Committee and has been a frequent presenter on our webinars, including our most recent Post-CMC 2023 Update webinar. Dr. Michael Smylie is a medical oncologist at the Cross Cancer Institute, and professor at the Department of Oncology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton.

Congratulations Dr. Smylie!

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Get ready for A Viking’s Challenge 4th Edition!

In March of 2020, Chris Isfeld and his childhood friend Shawn Bjornsson completed a massive challenge. Three years after Chris was diagnosed with late stage melanoma and recovered from being partially paralyzed from the waist down, they ran 30km across frozen Lake Winnipeg and raised almost $20,000 for melanoma patients. 

One year later, they were facing a different kind of Viking’s challenge: a global pandemic that kept Chris from returning to Gimli to run on the lake with Shawn. But that didn’t stop them from getting people all over Canada to join them in running and to raise funds and awareness wherever they were. 

Last year, life threw Chris yet another curve-ball. A large mass was found on his right adrenal gland, forcing him to stop training to focus on his treatment.

Finally, this year, Chris is aiming to be back on the lake with his friend Shawn, despite the ongoing treatments and side-effects that come with fighting a dangerous cancer. Chris is again showing amazing fearlessness and grit by challenging himself both physically and mentally. By joining A Viking’s Challenge 2023 and pledging to run or walk, you will make a powerful statement of support for Chris and fellow melanoma patients across Canada.

All registrants will receive a charitable donation tax receipt and those who want one will receive a beautiful AVC medal. If you’d like a special ‘A Viking’s Challenge’ t-shirt or other merchandise, please visit our Etsy store to make a purchase. Make sure to place your order soon if you want your t-shirt in time for the event!

To learn more about Chris’s story and the inaugural event, click here.

A Message from Chris

“When a successful treatment suddenly stops working, you can’t help but panic, especially when the only other options are clinical trials or major surgeries.“

This year has been challenging, with plenty of bumps along the way. In July 2022, I got accepted into a promising trial run by a leading melanoma oncologist out of Princess Margaret’s Cancer Clinical Research Unit in Toronto. The trial required participants to have two or more active tumours so one could be surgically harvested and sent to a lab in the U.S. where they rapidly reproduce tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). The surgery was challenging due to previous radiation treatments. Unfortunately, the trial was unsuccessful and the lab was unable to produce the cancer-fighting lymphocytes.

I want everyone to know that my spirits are still high and I’m far from throwing in the towel. I’ll be participating in a 4th edition of A Viking’s Challenge this March 4th on Lake Winnipeg and challenge everyone else to lace up and get active to support the Save Your Skin Foundation. I plan on being in Gimli for the weekend, but you can participate anywhere and in any way. I haven’t run since before my surgery and have no idea what I am capable of with my surgery-related hernia, but I promise to give it my all!

Event Details

When: March 4-5, 2023
Where: Anywhere in Canada. Chris and Shawn will be running in Gimli, MB, the largest Icelandic community outside of Iceland.
How: To participate, you must first register here and pledge to run a certain number of kilometres. We will keep a running tally of the number of kilometres pledged and see how many times we can “cross” Lake Winnipeg.

Each participant will have the option to get a free medal to commemorate their participation. 

As always, every dollar raised through this event will go directly to assisting melanoma, non melanoma skin cancer and ocular melanoma patients meet their everyday needs during treatment in the form of transportation, accommodation, child care and more.

So what are you waiting for? Register now and start training to channel your inner Viking!

 

 

 

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Hockey Fights Cancer Focuses on Save Your Skin Foundation This Year

Save Your Skin Foundation has been chosen to receive special focus during the Vancouver Canucks’s Hockey Fights Cancer Night!

 

This year’s Hockey Fights Cancer game will have a special focus and holds important meaning to a member of the Canucks family. In 2020, Natalie Miller’s mother, Janet, passed away from metastatic melanoma. Since her diagnosis, J.T. and Natalie have supported Save Your Skin Foundation. The Vancouver Canucks announced this morning that a $20,000 donation will be made to Save Your Skin Foundation on behalf of the Canucks for Kids Fund.

 

If you’d like to join us on Sat, Dec. 3rd at Rogers Arena, you can purchase your tickets using the following link and SYSF will get $10 from every ticket sold: https://offer.fevo.com/arizona-coyotes-ebylfkn-46c643. We will have a booth in section 111 so if you come to the game, make sure to come say hi! A video featuring SYSF founder Kathy Barnard will play during the game and our booth will be features as well.

 

On top of all this, the purple jerseys worn by the players during their warm-up session will be auctioned off with proceeds coming to SYSF. We are truly honoured by the generosity shown by the Vancouver Canucks and the J.T. Miller family, and by this wonderful opportunity to bring greater awareness to melanoma.

 

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Webinar – Living with Cancer: Survivorship & Mental Wellness

Date/Time:  November 23, 2022 – 5pm-6:30 pm PT / 8pm-9:30 pm ET

This webinar will focus on the experience of cancer survivors and the importance of mental wellness from the perspective of four women with unique backgrounds and experiences in the cancer space. Shannon Gaudette, a melanoma stage 4 survivor, will talk about her physical and emotional wellbeing throughout her cancer experience. She will be followed by Antonella Scali, Executive Director of the Canadian Psoriasis Network and the daughter of a cancer survivor, who will talk about the results of a survey completed by All.Can Canada and implications for mental health and the need for psychosocial supports. Then, Kathy Barnard, president of the Save Your Skin Foundation and a melanoma stage 4 survivor, will talk about her experience as a long-time survivor. Finally, Lyanne Westie, SYSF wellness support consultant, will present on the importance of mental wellness in all aspects of life. These short presentations will be followed by a discussion between the four presenters, with time for questions from webinar attendees.

Watch the recording here

Presenters:

  • Kathy Barnard, President, SYSF, melanoma stage 4 survivor
  • Antonella Scali, MSW RSW, Executive Director, Canadian Psoriasis Network
  • Shannon Gaudette, melanoma stage 4 survivor
  • Lyanne Westie, SYSF wellness support consultant
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November is Ocular Melanoma Awareness Month

November is Ocular Melanoma Awareness month – and it is the time of year we at Save Your Skin Foundation and Ocumel Canada bring extra public awareness to the importance of dilated eye exams for the detection of ocular melanoma.

Through our work, we will continue the conversation and maintain the #EyeGetDilated campaign beyond November, so that all Canadians can learn about their options for head to toe body health and to include eye checks in their list of doctor exams.

Early detection is incredibly important for many eye diseases, including ocular melanoma. Ocular melanoma is rare, affecting approximately five in a million people. About 200 cases are diagnosed per year in Canada. While it represents only 5% of melanomas, ocular melanoma can be rapid and aggressive, accounting for 9% of melanoma deaths. Also referred to as uveal melanoma, ocular is a more inclusive term; 90% of primary ocular melanoma develops in the choroid.

To read more about the importance of annual dilated eye exams, click on Brianne’s story below:

We are proud to have partnered with the groups BC Doctors of Optometry and Alberta Association of Optometrists!

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information about Ocumel Canada and the work we do, visit any of the following pages:

OcumelCanada.ca

About Ocular Melanoma

Helpful Links

Resources and Support

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with primary or metastatic ocular melanoma, connect with our community of support, Canadian bilingual Facebook group:  Ocular Melanoma Connect/Connexion mélanome oculaire 

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Move for Melanoma 2022 – It’s a Wrap

A tremendous THANK YOU to all of our incredibly dedicated participants and generous donors!

74 participants and 20 teams across Canada took part in Move for Melanoma this year! We have been so moved and inspired by this incredible community of patients, families, and friends.

After the success of last year, we once again set ourselves an ambitious goal of raising $75,000. With your help, we ended up surpassing our goal once again this year!

To wrap up this monumental weekend, we’ve created the Recap Video below. We hope you will take a few moments to watch it as we pay tribute to our incredible participants, donors and sponsors across Canada.

We’d also like to highlight the three fundraising teams that raised the most this year.

Team Ocumel Canada

Based in Victoria, BC, Team Captain Nigel Deacon ran a marathon distance to inspire others to donate to this worthy cause. Together with his fellow team members Martin Dawes and Linda Sendall, they raised an incredible $11,760 for ocular melanoma patients.

Check out his team page here.

 

Team Ani’s Keepers

Based in Chilliwack, BC, Ani Davidson and her sisters challenged themselves to complete a combined 10,000 minutes of fitness between them in the month of September – and they crushed that goal, completing 11,820 minutes! Ani is currently undergoing treatment for melanoma.

Check out her team page here.

Team Mela-No-More – In Honour of Laura

Based in Vancouver, BC, Team Mela-No-More raised funds in honour of Laura, whom they lost after a long and courageous fight. Laura was a beautiful and strong woman, wife and mother. The team raised almost $5,370

Check out their team page here.

Finally, we’d like to acknowledge the many businesses that stepped up to support our event this year. Please show them your support!

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Move for Melanoma 2022

Move for Melanoma is an activity challenge that takes place across Canada. The goal of the event is to bring awareness to melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer and ocular melanoma, while raising funds to support patients affected with these diseases when they need it most.

This year, the event will take place on September 23-25th, 2022. As always, participants will be able to choose a physical challenge of their choice to complete on the weekend of the event. Participants will form teams and, together with their friends and family, try to reach their personal fundraising goals.

To facilitate the whole thing, again this year, we will be using a custom website that allows people to register, donate, solicit donations, track progress and promote the event all in one place. The website also includes many resources for participants to help them get ready, and a Q&A page for more information.

If you’re interested in joining us, please visit Move for Melanoma 2022 and register now.

 

Save Your Skin Foundation is the only organization in Canada that supports skin cancer patients financially when they need it most. All the money raised through your donations goes directly to patients in the form of cab fares, treatment costs, flights, accommodation and other necessary but costly expenses incurred while receiving treatment.

Whether you’re a survivor who wants to bring hope to newly diagnosed patients, the family member or friend of a patient who wants to send a powerful message of solidarity, or a patient who wants to help change the face of cancer for ever, we invite you to take a stand against melanoma and to move with us this September!

Hand in hand, we fight melanoma together!

          

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Cancer Survivor Day 2022

The term ‘survivor’ can mean different things to different people. For some, a survivor may have completed active treatment and is free from any signs of melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer. For others, the term may refer to anyone who has been diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer, or any type of cancer, at any point in their journey.

During treatment, just getting through each day can take all of the energy we have, making it hard to think about anything else, especially life after treatment. After treatments are over, many people experience mixed emotions of being glad it’s over, yet anxious about what the future may hold. This may be an unexpectedly challenging period of adjustment, so be sensitive to your own needs. Don’t expect to always feel good now that you’re out of treatment, and take the time you need to come to terms with what you have been through.

How can we define ‘survivorship’?

‘Survivorship’ can have many different meanings, depending on your outlook on the situation. The Canadian Cancer Society suggests a way of defining a cancer survivor as anyone who:

~ has finished and is recovering from their active cancer treatment
~ is on maintenance therapy
~ is having ongoing treatment for cancer that is stable and slow growing
~ is on active surveillance
~ is in remission or “NED” – having no evidence of disease

At wherever point you are in your cancer experience, ‘survivorship’ means simply what it means to you. If you believe that you are a survivor, take this label on and be proud of your strength!

Save Your Skin Foundation wishes to bring hope and support to all those newly diagnosed, currently undergoing treatment, or to those referred to as “NED.” We have several resources and sources of information and support listed through our website, some of which include:

Updated Canadian Statistics on Cancer Survivorship

The number of newly diagnosed cancer cases in Canada is increasing, but survival rates are also increasing, resulting in a greater need to address the unique challenges of cancer survivorship. Survival rates are increasing thanks to innovative medicines such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy treatments, many of which were first invented and tested for the treatment of melanoma skin cancer.

The 5-year survival rate for melanoma in 2015-2017 was 89%. Read our 2022 distillation of the CCS report with a focus on melanoma:  SYSF Recap Report – Canadian Cancer Society Statistics 2021

Hand in Hand, We Fight Skin Cancer Together – More Resources at these links:

Survivorship
Self-Care After Cancer 

Innovative Treatments – Taking Patients from Diagnosis to Survivorship

Decision-Support Tool For Stage III Melanoma
Customized for the Canadian audience, this pamphlet is a document to provide/discuss with patients that helps guide their decision making regarding next steps for stage III melanoma. Reviewed by Save Your Skin Foundation, updated February 2021:
Options for Stage III Melanoma ~ Making the Decision That’s Right for You

Want to learn how to use the Stage III Decision-Support Tool? Peruse frequently asked questions about Stage III melanoma and learn how to use the support tool to guide your decision making. Also developed in collaboration with Save Your Skin Foundation, updated February 2021:
Options for Stage III Melanoma: Making the Decision That’s Right for You, Companion Piece

Decision-Support Tool For Stage IV Melanoma
Newly customized for the Canadian audience, this pamphlet, created by AIM at Melanoma and reviewed by Save Your Skin Foundation in March 2022, is a document to support patients and help guide their decision making regarding next steps for stage IV melanoma:
Stage IV Melanoma Treatment Options: Making the Decision That’s Right for You
The document addresses:
– Stage IV melanoma clinical picture, biomarkers and pathology, and disease and patient factors involved in decision making
– Efficacy, safety, administration, and family-planning aspects of targeted therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and other therapies used for stage IV melanoma

I’m Living Proof

When Save Your Skin Founder Kathy Barnard was diagnosed with metastatic malignant melanoma in 2003, the first thing she did was look to the internet for anything that would inspire optimism for her prognosis; hopeful news, survivors, or treatment options. She didn’t find much. Now as you can see there is a plethora of information and resources to help us though our skin cancer journey.

At any time, you can contact us at info@saveyourskin.ca, or call Kathy directly at 1-800-460-5832

You can also find other patients or survivors on our I’m Living Proof map of stars – request to connect with someone on the map, choose to share your story, or simply read through others’ experiences – you are not alone.

 

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Email: info@saveyourskin.ca
Phone: 1.800.460.5832
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