Newport, RI – Sail Beyond Cancer USA, dedicated to harnessing the healing powers of wind, water, and sail, takes cancer patients and up to five of their loved ones on free, private, 3-hour sails. With five chapters in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast and hundreds of volunteers, the non-profit estimates it will take over 325 cancer patients and 1,600 of their family and friends sailing this season.
Lynn Fitzpatrick, a Sail Beyond Cancer Newport founding board member and a long-time user of Harken DERM said, “We understand that chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies further complicated by dehydration, poor nutrition, reduced immunity, and stress while being challenged with cancer add up to increased photosensitivity. Harken DERM is a clinical grade sun protection system designed for high-risk groups such as sailors who are exposed to intense, prolonged UV radiation and cancer patients.”
“We’ve all known sailors who have died of skin cancer,” continued Fitzpatrick. “I had my first face peel in 2008, ran a pre-Transpac Race cancer screening event in 2009, and routinely have precancerous lesions burned off. I started using Harken DERM’s 4-in-1 SUPERSCREEN and RECOVERY LOTION before COVID and have continued since. The sunscreen has an SPF of 50 and it stays on all day even when I’m in the water or sweating. It doesn’t bleed into my eyes, and it’s not greasy. Fair-haired and with a genotype prone to cancers, I’m hooked on DERM’s entire system, including its SUNPRO supplement that strengthens the skin and eyes from within.”
Sail Beyond Cancer’s volunteers are used to wearing protection from the sun, but many of their guests are not sailors. Although they are advised to wear hats, sunglasses, clothing, and sunscreen to shield them from the sun’s rays, they don’t always come prepared. The partnership with Harken DERM represents an opportunity for the two organizations, both at the powerful intersection of healing, human connection, and time spent outdoors to raise awareness among many people in multiple locations.
“By providing private sailing experiences for individuals facing cancer, Sail Beyond Cancer creates moments of peace, strength, and emotional renewal during an incredibly challenging time. We believe that access to these experiences should be paired with the highest standard of skin protection, especially for those whose skin has become more vulnerable due to treatment. This partnership allows us to support their expanding impact across communities nationwide while reinforcing a shared commitment to health, resilience, and meaningful time on the water,” commented Alex Kellerman, Harken DERM’s head of operations.
Excited about this national partnership, Suzanne Snyder, Sail Beyond Cancer USA’s Founder and Executive Director commented, “We are grateful to Harken DERM for their support of our mission and their dedication producing gentle, safe, and non-irritating products for all skin types. This is especially important for individuals undergoing cancer treatment, whose skin is often more vulnerable and reactive. Harken Derm’s high-performance sunscreen helps reduce the risk of burning and further skin damage during and after treatment.”
Harken DERM’s 4-in-1 SUPERSCREEN will be available to all who take part in Sail Beyond Cancer’s mission sails. The partners will also be on hand at the Newport to Bermuda Race Starting Line Festival on June 19th at Fort Adams and at the Safe Harbor Race Weekend in Newport on August 7-9.
About Sail Beyond Cancer
Sail Beyond Cancer USA currently provides a unique therapeutic recreational experience for cancer patients and their friends and family. The non-profit organization offers private, three-hour mission sails through its chapters in Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Virginia giving cancer patients and caregivers a unique opportunity to share important time together while enjoying the beauty of sailing.
Volunteer, Donate, Nominate – www.SailBeyondCancer.org
About Harken DERM
Harken DERM was created by high-risk skin cancer specialist Dr. Edit Olasz out of a responsibility to create a system that could protect and truly save sailors’ skin. The product doesn’t just prevent burning; it stops the damage that leads to aging and skin cancer. It is a comprehensive system that protects, repairs, simplifies, and transforms because when skin is under stress, compromise is not an option.
