Medicash is partnering with national skin cancer charity Melanoma UK to promote use of its SkinVision smartphone app which uses AI technology to track the appearance of moles on the body over time.
Launched to Medicash’s corporate policyholders in June 2020, SkinVision enables users to take a photo of a skin spot or mole on their smartphone and receive a risk indication within 30 seconds.
To increase the number of users regularly checking their skin, Medicash is donating £1 to Melanoma UK for every ‘first’ scan submitted by one of their policyholders through the SkinVision app between now and 31 August 2021.
Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the UK and rates continue to rise. At least 168,000 new cases are diagnosed in the UK each year and 3,700 people are killed. The incidence of malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has risen by almost half in the last decade.
There was a 68 per cent drop in the number of skin cancer from March – June 2020 as individuals were put off from consulting with a GP over symptoms they would have checked prior to lockdown.
The app can set reminders for skin-self exams and provide recommendations on the next steps to take, including whether to visit a healthcare professional. Regular skin self-exams are especially important for people who are at higher risk of skin cancer, such as people with reduced immunity, people who have had skin cancer before, and people with a strong family history of skin cancer.
Medicash sales & marketing director Paul Gambon says: “It can be a frightening experience to see the signs of skin cancer on yourself, but the ability to analyse these symptoms early with a simple scan on the SkinVision app means you can quickly get peace of mind.
“Over the Summer, we want to draw everyone’s attention to the growth of this disease and the number of missed diagnoses caused by the pandemic.
Melanoma UK corporate partnerships director Dianne Cannon says: “The lockdowns that have been necessary during the Covid crisis, coupled with the additional strain on healthcare systems, have led to a worrying proportion of professional skin checks being missed.
“In our fight against skin cancer, early detection is critical. By embracing the use of technology through our partnership with SkinVision, we can encourage everybody to make a skin self-examination part of their regular routine.
“With the additional help of Medicash in promoting this life saving app we can ensure more symptoms are spotted before it is too late. The donations will also help us to continue supporting our patients throughout their diagnosis and treatment.”