Several Queen’s Medicine students are not just studying medicine but are actively attempting to reshape how Kingston views sun safety education and skin cancer prevention.
Queen’s students Megan Lowe, MD ’ 28, and Cheryl Xing, MD ’ 28, are bringing skin cancer prevention into the Kingston community through their new children’s book, Stella & The Sun Safety Squad. The co-creation of the children’s book combines Lowe’s writing and Xing’s illustrations and follows Stella and her friends demonstrating healthy habits to protect their skin from the sun on a sunny beach adventure.
Lowe also serves as co-director of The SkinCARE Project , a medical student-led initiative that provides dermatologic care to people experiencing homelessness across seven Canadian cities. Fellow student Nabeelah Zaman, MD ’ 28, works alongside Lowe and the Kingston team lead, Harmeet Gurm, MD ‘29, for The SkinCARE Project’s advocacy initiatives in the city.
Stella & The Sun Safety Squad
Since its launch in March 2026, more than 100 copies have been sold through Amazon and Kingston’s Novel Idea Bookstore, according to a statement Lowe gave to The Journal.
Lowe said her love of children’s books, combined with her volunteer work with the Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation, inspired her to write one of her own. Through the foundation, she delivered sun safety presentations to students in grades three to five and was struck by their curiosity.
Wanting to create a more tangible way to teach children about sun safety habits, she teamed up with Xing.
In an interview with The Journal, Xing said the illustrations help younger readers understand sun safety by breaking down “big ideas and big concepts into easily digestible ways.” For example, simplifying medical diagrams into child-friendly graphics.
The SkinCARE Project
Speaking to The Journal, Lowe said she has always been interested in dermatology. Her work in Kingston dermatology clinics and alongside Dr. Yuka Asai, chair of the division of dermatology at Queen’s, gave her a firsthand look at the prevalence of skin cancer in both Kingston and across Canada.
According to a 2026 CTV News article, cases of melanoma — a highly aggressive form of skin cancer caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation — increased by 17 per cent nationally, with younger patients accounting for an increasing share of diagnoses.
The article also noted that despite growing awareness, risky behaviours persist with 79 per cent of Gen Z saying they worry about skin cancer, and four out of 10 admitting they are still actively trying to get a tan. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, sun exposure accounts for more than 90 per cent of skin cancer cases.
Lowe’s firsthand perspective has drawn her to participate in sun safety initiatives, including her work with The SkinCARE Project alongside fellow Queen’s medical students.
The project was founded by Miranda Branyiczky, ArtSci ’23, who credited her time at Queen’s with preparing her for the work.
Originally launched in Hamilton, Ontario, the project has expanded to Kingston, where over 100 SkinCARE kits have been distributed to the Kingston Youth Shelter and Elizabeth Fry Kingston during the 2025-26 academic year.
The kits contain wound-care supplies, menstrual products, and skincare necessities for community members experiencing homelessness. Looking ahead, the team hopes to distribute 300 kits to the Kingston Youth Shelter, Elizabeth Fry Kingston, and the Integrated Care Hub.
“It has been a privilege to come together as a team to play a small role in supporting the health and well-being of our local community,” Gurm said in a statement to The Journal.
Mayor’s Innovation Challenge
Lowe, Xing, and Gurm were also selected to compete in the Mayor’s Innovation Challenge at Kingston City Hall, where they pitched the idea of installing free sunscreen dispensers across the city.
Lowe said the idea came after noticing people tanning along the Gord Downie Memorial Pier without adequate shade.
“Walking by the [Pier], [I saw] a lot of Queen’s University students, or just Kingston locals, and I noticed there’s no shade,” Lowe said.
The project has since partnered with the Save Your Skin Foundation and is in discussions with Kingston’s Mayor Bryan Paterson, and city council, to potentially launch in 2027.
Tags
Medicine students, skin health, Sun safety, tanning
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