Criticism prompts tanning spa to scrap fund-raiser for cancer

Terry Polevoy

KITCHENER -- A plan to give money from a sun-tanning fund-raiser to the local cancer centre was scrapped yesterday amid questions about its appropriateness.

The Sun Magic Tanning Spa will still offer the $1 tans at the grand opening of its latest location in the new 70 Victoria Street plaza in Kitchener on Sunday. But the money will now go to the Meningitis Research Foundation, rather than the Grand River Regional Cancer Centre. The sessions usually cost $35.

After hearing radio ads Monday for the promotion, local health watchdog Dr. Terry Polevoy contacted The Record, Kool FM which developed the ads and Grand River Hospital. In an e-mail he cited research, including a recently-released study by the American Academy of Dermatology which indicates artificial tanning may be as likely to cause skin cancer as sun exposure.

Polevoy also had a personal experience with the deadly skin cancer melanoma. His common-law wife died of it in 1993.

But so has the plaza's developer Bernie Nimer. His father recently died of melanoma and it Nimer's idea to donate money from the tanning promotion to the cancer centre.

Nimer admitted yesterday he didn't think of the purported link between artificial tanning and cancer when he proposed the idea, and insisted Sun Magic owner John Varga didn't know where the money was going.

"It was all done in good faith and it got somebody's nose out of joint," he said. "There was no malice intended."

But Bob Smith, senior account manager at Kool FM radio, said he too didn't pick up on anything ironic about the campaign when he agreed to promote it. Kool FM is sponsoring a barbecue at the plaza opening with proceeds to the cancer centre.

"I might have caught that right away," he admitted. "I understand Dr. Polevoy's concern."

Nimer said he ordered the ads changed yesterday to reflect the new benefactor.

Officials with the hospital's fund-raising foundation said they weren't aware of the promotion until informed by Polevoy.

Nancy Hewat, the foundation's executive director, said many third party fund-raisers are conducted without the foundation's knowledge even though it would prefer to be consulted.

"We can help with promotion and pick up on the appropriateness." She added that fund-raisers for the cancer centre are considered by its chief executive officer and "I think he would have pointed that out."

Polevoy welcomed news that the plans had been changed.

"I think it's fantastic," he said.

He's had three patients in the past 10 days come into his clinic with skin injuries after tanning at a salon.

"My clinical experience tells me the stuff is bad," he said.