Checking your skin – The earlier the better.

Skin cancer, and the potential for it, is the only cancer that is visible – you can see it from the moment it appears.
The Charles SLBG Foundation has teamed up with First Derm to provide their service for the early detection of skin cancer. Utilising the funds raised, including those donated by so many of Charles’ friends, the charity will fund the first 5,000 requests submitted using this page.

First Derm can check any skin concern within hours and give you peace of mind on the move, or from the comfort of your own home. Securely upload your symptoms and pictures with complete anonymity and data protection. A dermatologist, based in the UK, will respond within 24 hours with the most likely condition and what next steps to take.

 

Aims of the Foundation:

• To provide a free assessment service through First Derm for the early detection of skin cancer to young people.

 

Charles’s Story

We first found out Charles had cancer at the end of November 2011 when the results of a biopsy, from a mole under his arm, came back as cancerous. Shortly afterwards we found out that it had spread far beyond that mole and was considered Stage 4 Metastatic Melanoma; one of the fastest growing and hardest cancers to beat at this point. However if caught early, success rates are high. Charles had been to see a doctor several times in the months prior and, without a trained eye, the doctor repeatedly told Charles that it was fine and there was nothing to worry about. It is hard to say what might have been if we had caught the disease earlier but with something like this, time is of the essence.

We started off with a vision for the Foundation to offer mobile walk-in dermatology clinics to visit universities. The aim being to give quick and effective diagnosis of moles and skin complaints in the hope of detecting skin cancers (especially Melanoma) in the earliest stage.

This proved to be hugely costly and challenging to create and manage so we looked for an alternative approach. After a few false starts, we received an introduction to Alexander Börve’s company First Derm, who we are now working with to provide a simple, easily accessed, service.

First Derm breaks down the barriers between you and quick, trustworthy dermatology. With their app or website they connect you to a dermatologist in under 24 hours. First Derm were also already running a screening service in the UK and so it was a simple decision  for us.

 

First Derm’s Story

The demands on public healthcare increase as populations age. At the same time, higher quality care can be made possible through medical and technological innovation with smartphones.

Mobile solutions, called “mHealth”, bring about new possibilities for the individual to access healthcare services. In the US and EU, mHeath is beginning to change the healthcare landscape for the better. First Derm’s accessible, safe, and effective platform is at the forefront of the mHealth revolution.

First Derms’ board-certified dermatologists give accurate information regarding the possible identity of your problem, the possible treatment options to consider, and if or when you should see your doctor in person. The service should not be considered as a substitute to your in-person doctor visit, but rather as a high quality information service from experts, which serves as a complement to existing healthcare information and healthcare providers. Anyone with an internet connection and a camera can use their service! With a web portal and iPhone app, First Derm acts as your mobile online dermatologist. They have had over 50,000 cases submitted from all over the world from countries such as Sweden, Chile, China, Australia, and Ghana. Their youngest users have been 3 days old and the oldest at 93 years old. Their dermatologists are ready to give anyone the advice they need about their skin.