BOSTON, Dec. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Melanoma Foundation of New England (MFNE), a non-profit aimed at reducing the incidence of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, announced today that the organization will merge with the New Hampshire based nonprofit, Make Big Change (MBC).

“We’ve been partnering with Make Big Change over the last year for our Practice Safe Skin program,” said Deb Girard, Executive Director, MFNE. “It was a natural fit to formally join forces and continue expanding our programs nationwide.”

Laurie Seavey will join the MFNE’s staff to manage the sunscreen dispenser program that originally launched back in 2015 as a pilot program in Boston, MA. Practice Safe Skin is a program that offers sunscreen as an effective preventive measure to help avoid sun over-exposure year round by partnering with communities, municipalities and corporations. MFNE now has sunscreen dispensers in all 50 states and recently attended the National Recreation and Parks Association conference in St. Louis, MO.

Seavey brings over 25 years experience as a Practice Administrator in Dermatology & Otolaryngology, serving the last 10 years at Dermatology & Skin Health in Dover, NH. As Executive Director of Make Big Change, Seavey was instrumental in leading the charge bringing sunscreen dispensing programs to the City of Tampa, Atlanta and Texas and Boston.

“This is a natural “next-step” for Make Big Change,” said Seavey who will now work as the Practice Safe Skin Manager at the MFNE. “We’ve been working in cahoots with the MFNE since our inception on such projects as the initiation of sunscreen dispenser stations throughout the city of Boston. Our two missions work hand-in-hand, and we feel that now is the time to merge with the MFNE to help better position our goal of facilitating the education of preventative safe skin measures.”

Melanoma is rising faster than any other cancer with one person every 50 minutes dying from the disease. Studies show that with daily sunscreen protection, the risk of melanoma is preventable. A recent nationwide study conducted by the MFNE showed that sunscreen use drops dramatically in the colder months and is lower among southern states.

Business or non-profits wishing to purchase a sunscreen dispenser can do so by visiting http://mfne.org/practice-safe-skin/ or calling 800-557-6352.

About Practice Safe Skin
In response to the Surgeon General’s 2014 Call to Action to address skin cancer as a major public concern, MFNE and partner Make Big Change (MBC) launched a pilot program called Practice Safe Skin during the summer 2015 to donate free sunscreen throughout Boston parks and Massachusetts beaches at no cost to taxpayers. Following the success of the pilot program, Practice Safe Skin is expanded to cities and businesses across the country and is now in all 50 states.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/melanoma-foundation-of-new-england-announces-merger-with-make-big-change-300373648.html

SOURCE Melanoma Foundation of New England