The Future

SCaRF is now over 37 years old.

Tony Hancock, one of the founders of the charity, said that in 1979 when the charity started he could not envisage it still going strong 35 years later, because surely by then a cure would have been found, and skin cancer would no longer be the dreadful disease it once was.

Sadly this is not the case, and in many respects the charity has yet to meet its objectives because, over that period, the incidence of skin cancer has steadily increased.

In the present difficult financial climate SCaRF will continue to use its funds wisely.

We have a proven track record of “pump-priming” promising projects at the leading edge of research, which, once initial results have been verified, these projects have been able to attract funding from the larger funding bodies to take that research further.

The emphasis must be on the study of the most aggressive tumours, malignant melanoma, but there may well be important secrets behind the behaviour of the much less aggressive squamous and basal cell carcinomas that also need to be uncovered.

To achieve this end SCaRF has formed close links with other interested organisations, to ensure that our pooled resources are targeted and efficiently utilised.
Much also remains to be done in raising the awareness of known risk factors, such as exposure to ultra violet light, and changing behaviour to lessen the risks.