Healthy and Sustainable Communities: Skin Cancer Prevention Through Design

Studies of health and environment by George Thomas Kapelos have focused on environmental health, specifically the linkage between ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and skin cancer.  Considered works of architecture, landscape and urbanism can mitigate effects of harmful UVR; and funded projects engaging research-into-practice have provided direction on policy, practice and application for UVR mitigation to public health agencies, urban planners and cancer prevention advocacy groups.

Since 1998, George Thomas Kapelos has been engaged with cancer prevention specialists in explorations of linkages between design and skin cancer reduction.  He has been a member of the Ontario Sun Safety Working Group since its inception in 2002.  Activities include “Made for Shade” (Competitions 8:3, F1998), “Designing for Shade” forum and charrette (Ryerson, 2002), “City of Toronto Public Playgrounds and Waterplay Facilities Shade Audit Pilot Study: a Report on the Project Findings to the City of Toronto, Division of Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Toronto Public Health, and the GTA Cancer Prevention and Screening Network” (TPFR, 2010) and, with Cheryl Rosen MD, “Report and Findings, Survey of UV Awareness Activities and UV Protection Policies in Ontario Public Health Units, 2007 – 2008” (CCO and OSSWG, 2010). Outcomes of these studies were presented “Making playgrounds sun-safe: a report on the Toronto Public Playground & Waterplay Facilities Shade Audit, Pilot Project” Children’s Health and the Environment: International workshop on research, policy and practice (University of Western Ontario, 2010).