DOUGLAS WRIGHT FOUNDATION

What DOUGLAS WRIGHT FOUNDATION does

The Douglas Wright Foundation is a Toronto-headquartered registered Canadian charity (BN 809018112RR0001) founded in 2011 in memory of Douglas Wright, who died of melanoma at age 29. Its mission is to reduce melanoma incidence and mortality in Canada through public awareness, early-detection education, and partnerships with likeminded organizations.

The foundation's core programs include the #BeSunSafe Sunscreen Dispenser Program (50 physical dispensers across Toronto waterfront parks and High Park, with 2.1 million+ cumulative uses since 2017), the SUN AWARE Camp Certification Program (a free online course for Canadian summer camps developed with Melanoma Canada), the Douglas Wright Melanoma Award (a $100,000 CAD commitment to the University of Toronto Department of Medicine funding annual research grants), the New Family Rule Program (a family-focused video and website with 2.8 million+ YouTube views), and the annual Eclipse Melanoma Party fundraiser. Distribution channels include the CanadaHelps online donation platform, YouTube-hosted educational videos developed with Dr. Mike Evans and the David Cornfield Melanoma Fund, and municipal partnerships for physical dispenser deployment.

The business model is donation-based: revenue is generated through tax-deductible charitable contributions via CanadaHelps, annual fundraising events, and one-time individual champion initiatives such as the 2015 Lake Ontario swim that raised over $155,000. The foundation has no employees on disclosed payroll, is governed by a board composed primarily of Douglas Wright's family members and childhood friends, and operates as a non-technology awareness organization with no proprietary software or AI components.

Name

DOUGLAS WRIGHT FOUNDATION

Legal name

Douglas Wright Foundation

Website

https://douglaswrightfoundation.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Douglas Wright Foundation is a Toronto-based registered Canadian charity founded in 2011 to fight melanoma through public awareness, early-detection education, sunscreen dispenser deployment in Toronto parks, camp certification programs, and melanoma research funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Charity / Melanoma Awareness

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Communicable Disease Prevention & Chronic Disease Programs (BPAIAJAI)

Keywords

• Melanoma awareness
• Public health charity
• Skin cancer prevention
• Sun safety education
• Cancer research funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The foundation generates revenue through charitable donations and event-based fundraising activities. Donations are accepted through the CanadaHelps platform, with the foundation holding registered Canadian charity status (809018112RR0001).
2. Event Revenue: Annual Eclipse Melanoma Party event generates revenue through ticket sales. Early bird purchases before May 15th are eligible for door prize raffle entries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Douglas Wright Foundation is a registered Canadian charity that fights melanoma cancer by funding public awareness campaigns, distributing free sunscreen through dispensers in Toronto waterfront parks, providing free online sun safety certification for Canadian summer camps, funding melanoma research awards at the University of Toronto, and producing educational video content about early detection and prevention.

Product overview

The Douglas Wright Foundation operates as a charitable organization focused on melanoma awareness and prevention in Canada. Its portfolio consists of public health education programs rather than a technology product: the #BeSunSafe Sunscreen Dispenser Program places dispensers in Toronto parks; the SUN AWARE Camp Certification Program trains summer camps in sun safety; the Douglas Wright Melanoma Award funds research at the University of Toronto; the New Family Rule Program provides family-focused sun safety education; and the Melanoma Education Video delivers health messaging. The Foundation also organizes the annual Eclipse Melanoma Party fundraiser and distributes educational resources like the ABCDEs of Melanoma guide. These initiatives are educational and awareness-focused rather than technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• #BeSunSafe Sunscreen Dispenser Program: Sunscreen dispenser initiative placed in Toronto waterfront parks and High Park, dispensing sunscreen to the public since 2017
• SUN AWARE Camp Certification Program
• Eclipse Melanoma Party
• New Family Rule Program

Products and services

• #BeSunSafe Sunscreen Dispenser Program A public sunscreen dispenser initiative that places free sunscreen dispensers at Toronto waterfront parks and High Park so that residents and visitors can access sun protection while outdoors. Operated in partnership with the David Cornfield Melanoma Fund and City of Toronto.
• SUN AWARE Camp Certification Program A free online certification program for Canadian summer camp owners and directors that teaches them to implement sun safety best practices and create sun-safe policies and guidelines for staff and campers. Awarded by the Canadian Dermatology Association.
• Douglas Wright Melanoma Award An annual melanoma research award funded by the foundation at the University of Toronto Department of Medicine to encourage the university's 500 residents and 250 fellows to undertake innovative melanoma-related research projects.
• New Family Rule Program A family-focused sun safety education initiative developed with the David Cornfield Melanoma Fund, offering a website, video, FAQs for parents, melanoma information, and activity sheets for children.
• Melanoma Education Video An online educational video on melanoma prevention and early detection developed with Dr. Mike Evans (St. Michael's Hospital) and Reframe Health Lab, designed to inform the general public about skin cancer risks and protective behaviors.
• Eclipse Melanoma Party An annual flagship fundraising gala held at the RCYC Island Club in Toronto that brings supporters together to raise money for melanoma research and awareness and to honour Douglas Wright. Includes buffet dinner, open bar, silent auction, and raffle prizes.
• ABCDEs of Melanoma Resource A downloadable public reference guide that explains the ABCDE characteristics (Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter, Evolution) used by dermatologists to identify melanomas, intended for the general public to support self-monitoring and early detection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.1 million+ sunscreen dispenser uses since 2017
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• David Cornfield Melanoma FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Co-partner for the #BeSunSafe Sunscreen Dispenser Program, providing sunscreen dispensers at Toronto waterfront parks. Also partnered on the New Family Rule Program, funding website and video development for family sun safety education. The David Cornfield Melanoma Fund representative (Danielle Paterson) serves as Executive Director and represents the Douglas Wright Foundation.
• City of TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Expanded partnership with City of Toronto for the #BeSunSafe Sunscreen Dispenser Program. The City provides locations for 50 dispensers in waterfront parks and High Park, and receives 200 litres of sunscreen for City of Toronto Day Camps. 150 canopy tents donated for City camp programming shade.
• Crossing for a CauseminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 August 2015Michael McIsaac swam across Lake Ontario (53km) in August 2015 as part of the Crossing for a Cause initiative, raising over $155,000 for the Douglas Wright Foundation. This represents a significant fundraising event supported by an individual champion.
• Ontario Camps AssociationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2015Supporting organization for the SUN AWARE Camp Certification Program, providing endorsement and promotion to Canadian summer camps seeking sun safety certification.
• Melanoma Network of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Partnered in 2014 to launch the SUN AWARE camp program, the first free sun safety certification program for Canadian summer camps. Also collaborated on melanoma education video development and resource sharing. The award-winning program is supported by the Ontario Camps Association.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Ontario Camps Association: Provincial camp-industry body that endorses DWF's SUN AWARE Camp Certification Program. Not a peer in disease-awareness terms, but a key distribution/enabling partner for one of DWF's core programs, with reach into the camp operator segment DWF serves.

Direct peers

• AIM at Melanoma: U.S. melanoma-focused non-profit dedicated to research, education, and patient advocacy. Comparable mission and program mix (awareness campaigns, research funding, educational resources) but operates in a different geography.
• David Cornfield Melanoma Fund: Canadian melanoma awareness charity and Douglas Wright Foundation's core operational partner. Co-develops #BeSunSafe and New Family Rule programs and provides executive leadership to the foundation, making it the most direct functional and mission peer.
• Save Your Skin Foundation: Canadian non-profit focused on skin cancer (including melanoma) awareness, patient support, and advocacy. Operates in the same Canadian melanoma/skin-cancer awareness category with similar educational and community-driven programming.
• Melanoma Research Foundation: U.S.-based non-profit focused on melanoma research funding, education, and advocacy. Highly comparable programmatic structure (research grants, awareness campaigns, patient resources) and operates at similar scale in the same disease category.
• Melanoma Network of Canada (Melanoma Canada): National Canadian melanoma advocacy organization co-launching partner with DWF on the SUN AWARE Camp Certification Program. Comparable in mission (melanoma education, prevention, patient support) and Canadian charitable structure.

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Dermatology Association: National dermatology professional body that has formally recognized DWF's SUN AWARE program and broader sun-safety work. Operates as a broader incumbent in skin-health education, policy, and physician-led public awareness.
• Canadian Cancer Society: Canada's largest national cancer charity, including skin cancer and melanoma within its portfolio. A broader incumbent that competes for the same donor dollars and awareness mindshare across all cancers, including DWF's specific melanoma niche.
• Skin Cancer Foundation: Major U.S. non-profit focused on skin cancer (including melanoma) education, prevention, and early detection. A larger incumbent in the same broader cause category with comparable mission but greater scope beyond melanoma alone.

Emerging players

• Mollie's Fund: Family-founded U.S. non-profit created in memory of a young melanoma victim; extremely comparable origin story, governance model (family-led board), and program mix (awareness, school/youth education, sun-safety grants). Demonstrates the same memorial-charity model at smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DOUGLAS WRIGHT FOUNDATION