When Melanie Clarkson died at age 40 from malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer, it became her sister Cheryl’s mission to help find a cure for the disease. Today, Cheryl Clarkson is the president and chief executive officer of SkinHealth, a cosmetic skin treatment company, which recently joined forces with the MGH Cancer Center to raise money for melanoma research.

A portion of the revenue from SkinHealth’s sunscreens – available for purchase at the Images Oncology Boutique in the Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care – are donated to the MGH Millenium Melanoma Fund. In addition, each time a customer purchases certain skin care services, SkinHealth and partner organization getsugar, a free service that offers subscribers special discounts to local spas, salons, boutiques and other
businesses, will donate up to $50 to the fund.

From left, Sober; Hensin Taso, MD, PhD; Clarkson; and Benjamin Tregoe, president of getsugar

On July 12, Clarkson presented a check for $4,238, representing the first installment of the donation to the MGH. Says Arthur Sober, MD, of MGH Dermatology, “We are grateful to SkinHealth and getsugar for helping to advance melanoma research and treatment at the MGH Cancer Center.”