What We Fund
Love Your Skin Stark County
"The YMCA is excited to partner with the North Canton Medical Foundation and Love Your Skin Stark County, which has led to significant strides in protecting our community from skin cancer. By providing access to sunscreen for thousands of children and families at our summer camps and pool, we are making a real difference in raising awareness about the importance of sun safety. Through informative signage and special events, we are spreading the message far and wide, ensuring that everyone understands the risks and knows how to protect themselves. Together, we are making a positive impact on the health and well-being of our community, and we couldn't be more excited about the progress we are making."
~ Benjamin T Wheeler
Vice President of Operations, Local YMCA
Program Partners:
Love Your Skin Stark County is a collaborative effort between North Canton Medical Foundation and Ellen’s Effort to bring awareness to the importance of healthy skin. According to the American Cancer Society, each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon. Early detection is key!
Over the past 10 years, NCMF has hosted an LYSSC silent art auction to raise money for the foundation’s Cancer Relief Fund and to ultimately raise awareness about the risk of melanoma. NCMF’s Cancer Relief Fund provides temporary financial support to cancer patients needing immediate assistance with cancer treatment-related costs. In total, the LYSSC events have raised over $35,000 to help make a difference in the lives of all those in the community.
LYSSC’s efforts are in memory of Ellen Gray. Less than a year after her devastating diagnosis, Ellen lost her fight to melanoma at the young age of 29. While battling cancer, Ellen found great solace in painting as a release both mentally and physically from this horrible disease. With that in mind, NCMF and Ellen’s Effort continue to use art as a way of educating the community she loved.
WATCH VIDEO ON ELLEN'S STORY:
LYSSC Unveils Mural in Downtown Canton
The mural aims to bring awareness and educate the community about the importance of healthy skin. The 680 square-foot mural in downtown Canton’s Arts District (534 Cleveland Ave NW) was created by professional artist, Tim Carmany, and mural apprenticeship winner and senior art student at Malone University, Alexa Thompson.
“The Love Your Skin Stark County mural brings both our education and art efforts together in one public art piece to raise awareness about melanoma,” said John Humphrey, M.D., NCMF executive director. “Tim’s interactive design allows the onlooker to be part of the mural as the “v” in Love. We hope this effort creates more public awareness of protecting your skin all year round, especially during the summer months. Melanoma is easily preventable, just by limiting exposure to the sun and, most importantly, ultraviolet lights.”
