DermEngine Blog

Mole Mobile: Canada's First Mobile Skin Cancer Screening Unit by Melanoma Canada

Written by The DermEngine Team | May 17, 2024 10:00:00 PM

Melanoma Canada is in partnership with Neutrogena to present Canada's first mobile skin cancer screening unit, providing free and accessible skin check screenings to rural and major cities across Canada. We want to share this great resource to our fellow Canadians to take advantage of the free service being provided.

About Skin Cancer in Canada

Canada has wrestled with a shortage of dermatologists for several years, leading to prolonged wait times for cancer screenings and other dermatological services1. Often more pronounced in remote and rural areas of Canada, specialty care is lacking and is contributing to delays in diagnosis and treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these delays, further impacting patient outcomes. Today, we continue to battle with long wait times and a shortage against an increasing demand for skin services. As a result, many individuals rely on their own efforts to stay informed and practicing sun safety. 

Did you know skin cancer is a common form of cancer that can be treated and prevented if caught early? At MetaOptima, our mission is to create technology that supports early detection in the fight against cancer. High risk patients, such as those with a family history of melanoma or having 50+ personal moles, should be able to manage their moles at home, particularly those that see visible changes often. 

Mole Mobile To Travel Throughout Canada
One solution to make skin cancer assessments more accessible is to equip doctors onto wheels.2 Mole Mobile is an innovative initiative that aims to enhance accessibility across the country by focusing on regions with long wait times for dermatologists, as well as underserved, rural, and Indigenous communities. The unit is equipped to provide free skin cancer screenings conducted by certified Canadian dermatologists.


Check a Mole Mobile Pit Stop Near You!
We are happy to see this initiative take place next in our province, British Columbia. This summer, the Mobile plans to make stops across British Columbia and Quebec, including Vancouver. Check the dates and stops to see if the Mobile will make a stop near you. 

One Last Thing: Strides for Melanoma Virtual 5K Walk/Run
On Sunday May 26th, we welcome you to join Melanoma Canada for a virtual 5k walk/run during peak UV hours (3pm-5pm local time). Melanoma Canada is fundraising so projects such as their Mole Mobile can continue benefiting the public for free. You can visit our fundraising page with "Strides for Melanoma" to support us. If you've made it reading this far, thank you! 

-The MetaOptima Team

Are you interested in early-detection technologies for skin cancer? Explore our platform today with one of our experts by requesting a demo below!

Sources:

1. https://toronto.citynews.ca/

2. https://www.healthinsight.ca/