Introduction

Maine Cancer Foundation is a Partner in Prevention with IMPACT Melanoma. This partnership includes prevention education to increase awareness of the importance of adopting sun safe habits, increasing the accessibility of sunscreen and seeking shade to protect vacationers and native Mainers from developing skin cancer including its deadliest form, melanoma.

Background

IMPACT Melanoma and the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health were awarded a two-year grant from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to study sunscreen use by teenagers. The study captured data from 16 parks throughout the Greater Boston area and four beaches in Maine, thanks to IMPACT Melanoma’s relationship with Maine Cancer Foundation.

Maine Cancer Foundation was extremely interested in the research being done and accepted IMPACT Melanoma’s request to survey beachgoers at Wells Beach in the summer of 2024. Staff from IMPACT Melanoma set up tables at the beach and surveyed teenagers for the study. As contacts at Wells Beach learned more about IMPACT Melanoma, they wanted to incorporate IMPACT Melanoma’s programs to benefit Wells Beach and the Wells community.

Partnering with IMPACT Melanoma

Prior to summer 2025, contacts at Wells Beach were ready to discuss their sun safety priorities and goals for the upcoming season with Laurie Seavey, IMPACT Melanoma’s Director of Programs.

In parallel, Deb Girard, Executive Director at IMPACT Melanoma and Laurey Seavey were in active discussions with CoolCabana’s founder, to be their partner for effective, portable shade solutions.

Laurie met with Mark Dupuis, Wells Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director, along with members of his staff on a Zoom call to discuss 2025 plans for Wells Beach and how IMPACT Melanoma could expand its partnership with Maine cancer Foundation with programs for Wells.

The Wells Beach team were interested in making sunscreen available at their beach and providing prevention education to their lifeguards as part of their training. Laurie suggested they consider incorporating shade as well; effective shade can be instrumental in sunsafe behaviors, preventing reflection of harmful UV rays off the ocean and the sand.

During the meeting, Laurie asked why CoolCabanas were not allowed at Wells Beach. The chief immediately left the room, returned with a large three ring binder and reviewed the ordinance while Seavey shared CoolCabanas specs online. It was quickly determined that the ordinance had been misinterpreted and concluded that CoolCabanas fell within their requirements.

Laurie Seavey and team began to prepare all elements for the 2025 season at Wells Beach, including the power of shade with CoolCabanas.

For summer 2025, Wells Beach now has the following in place to promote adopting sun safe habits:

• 11 Practice Safe Skin sunscreen dispensers at lifeguard stands to promote the use and reapplication of free SPF 30 sunscreen.
• 10 CoolCabanas co-branded, quality portable shade solutions available for beachgoers to use.
• 10 Tee Signs to educate beachgoers about the sun safety and the power of shade.
• Safe Skin at Work education packets provided as part of lifeguard training.
• 50 camp kits (coloring book, UV bracelet, UV beads and educational materials) for distribution at the beach and at Wells HarborFest.
• 55 pieces of UPF sun protective clothing for beach lifeguards.
• 30 sun protective bucket hats for lifeguards and Wells Beach workers.
• 100 beach balls for the beach and distribution at Wells HarborFest.

All of the above was funded by Maine Cancer Foundation.

“Our lifeguards enthusiastically received IMPACT Melanoma’s prevention education materials, protective clothing, and sunscreen dispensers for their own use and for Wells Beach visitors. It was especially rewarding to see teenagers
use the sunscreen dispensers, sharing they had forgotten to bring any to the beach. Overall, we are happy with the impact made this summer.” Erica Dube, Executive Administrative Assistant to the Fire Chief and liaison between Wells Beach lifeguards and the fire department.

The Impact

As of July 2025, Wells Beach offers quality portable shade that effectively blocks harmful UV rays for any beach visitor to use at no charge. Eleven sunscreen dispensers with SPF 30 encourage beachgoers to apply and reapply sunscreen. This accessibility is essential, especially for teenage use as the initial findings of the study showed that cost and accessibility are deterrents for use. With IMPACT Melanoma’s programs, Wells Beach eliminates both deterrents with free sunscreen available at the beach and hopes to expand to other beach entry points in the coming years to reach more beachgoers.