GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — If you visit Calvin University anytime soon, you may notice new sunscreen dispensers on campus for students and community members.
It’s part of a public health initiative brought together by two Calvin alums. The Sunscreen Project aims to prevent skin cancer and melanoma.
The initiative started in Washtenaw County and the University of Michigan before a Calvin alum, Olivia Lamberg, worked to bring the Sunscreen Project home.
“Evidence shows that burns, especially burns that bring a significant amount of redness to your skin, or even blisters can cause real permanent damage and can actually lead to some type of skin cancer,” said Teri Crumb Calvin University’s pre-med advisor.
With warm days into late fall in West Michigan, sunscreen should be used on the face and body even in the winter months.
“Calvin is jumping up into this and telling the public to protect your skin,” said Crumb.
Calvin graduate Olivia Lamberg is a fourth-year student at the University of Michigan and an aspiring dermatologist who implemented the sunscreen project in Washtenaw County and the University of Michigan.
“She brought dispensers just like this one to all of the parks throughout the Ann Arbor area and the whole county and she said, ‘I think Calvin really needs to do this as well.’”
Calvin’s public health department wanted to get students involved.
“But we needed a sponsor. So, we actually reached out to a Calvin alum who (is) a dermatologist right here in Grand Rapids,” Crumb said.
Calvin alum Dr. Rebecca Jansen of Dermatology Associates of West Michigan took the idea to her practice.
“They sponsored all of the lotion that’s in the dispensers and so they are located around campus,” Crumb said.
There are three sunscreen dispensers on campus where people can stop and protect their skin.
“We have one here on Knollcrest Circle Drive. Then another one before you cross over the bridge at East Beltline and the third one is placed over on Gainey Field,” explained Crumb.
Students will be maintaining and tracking how many times the dispensers are used.
“They’re accessible to anyone … They are on automatic dispenser and its 30 SPF.”
A QR code will show the sunscreen’s ingredients.
“Come and walk your dogs, we enjoy seeing you on campus. But protect your skin,” says Crumb.
The sunscreen dispensers will be set aside during the winter months and will be back on campus starting in the spring.
*Correction: A previous version of this article misnamed Knollcrest Circle Drive. It also indicated Dr. Jansen used to be a dermatologist; she is a practicing dermatologist. We regret the errors, which have been fixed.
