La Roche-Posay is partnering with the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and the United Service Organizations (USO) to donate more than 23,000 full-size tubes of its Anthelios 15 Water Resistant Sunscreen Cream to U.S. troops and other workers providing relief assistance in Haiti following last month’s devastating earthquake.

“The hearts and minds of AAD members and the world have been with the people of Haiti as they work to recover from the devastating earthquake damage,” says dermatologist David M. Pariser, president of the American
Academy of Dermatology. “While the earthquake caused immediate and severe destruction to Haiti in just minutes, the harmful effects of the ultraviolet (UV) radiation to which workers are being exposed in the recovery effort can have damaging long-term effects. Exposure to UV radiation from the sun is known to be a leading cause of skin cancer, and La Roche-Posay is making a significant contribution to the relief effort by donating sunscreen to help those in Haiti protect their skin from sun damage and help them prevent skin cancer.”

This in-kind donation by La Roche-Posay was made in response to a targeted appeal to the industry after an AAD member inquired about providing sunscreen for soldiers and other personnel who have been sent to Haiti to help with the relief efforts. La Roche-Posay quickly responded to this call to action by pledging to ship more than 23,000 full-size tubes of Anthelios 15 Water Resistant Sunscreen Cream–valued at nearly $700,000–to Haiti via the USO/Fort Eustis. La Roche-Posay has agreed that the use of the sunscreen may be expanded beyond the soldiers to other relief workers and those directly impacted by the earthquake.

“Amongst the devastation in Haiti, it can be difficult to meet the most
basic human needs, so our job is to provide the military personnel in Haiti
with the food, toiletries and support that they need,” says USO of the
Hampton Roads President and CEO Bruce LaLonde. “The generous donations of companies like La Roche-Posay are invaluable, as they allow our men and women in uniform to spend more time providing aid to the earthquake victims and less time worrying about meeting their own basic needs.”

“La Roche-Posay is happy to have found a way to help the relief workers
while they provide the help that is so desperately needed,” says Yannick Raynau, La Roche-Posay’s general manager. “There’s still much to do, but we’re proud to be able provide some assistance that gives them one less thing to worry about.”