La Roche-Posay introduces 'Dermatologist from the Heart' program

NEW YORK — La Roche-Posay has announced the launch of its “Dermatologist from the Heart” program in the United States, which aims to support initiatives designed to enhance the quality of life for patients.


Through the launch of this vital program, the La Fondation La Roche-Posay will further its goal of making the skills, knowledge and expertise of dermatologists available to the broader public. The “Dermatologist from the Heart” initiative will award a grant to the most compassionate project spearheaded by dermatologists that seek to enhance patients’ quality of life. In order to be considered, the brand stated that entrants must submit a grant proposal to the La Fondation La Roche-Posay outlining their project, which should fall under one of the following five categories:
 

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Information and prevention (e.g., information workshops, disease-prevention advice, school initiatives, screening campaigns)

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• Health professional training (e.g., nurses, dermatologists, other doctors/professionals);


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Advice and support (e.g., psychological support for patients and those around them, helping patients to accept their illness, lifestyle advice, improving self-esteem);


• Improving social integration (e.g., makeup workshops, behavioral therapies, activities for children with skin diseases, group support sessions); and


• Improving access to healthcare (e.g., free screenings/consultations, physician’s visits, consultations in remote areas).



A five-member panel will then assess each submission and award a winner based on the proposal’s originality, creativity, impact on patients’ quality of life, method and feasibility. The winner will receive $10,000 to support carrying out the proposed project.

Committed to working alongside dermatologists, La Roche-Posay created its namesake foundation in 1995 to encourage dermatological research in the fields of clinical medicine, biology and pharmacology. The “Dermatologist from the Heart” program is the latest initiative to join the La Fondation La Roche-Posay’s several other global community-oriented programs, which include the Atopy Schools initiative that helps atopic dermatitis patients and their families face the challenges of the disease, as well as the Corrective Makeup Workshops, which are devoted to instilling self-confidence in patients suffering from skin lesions. 


Applications for the 2014 “Dermatologist from the Heart” program are due by Sept. 1, 2013. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony held at the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery annual meeting in October.