Following his own skin cancer diagnosis, this B.C. man is now working to keep others safe from UV rays

6 day_ago 5

British Columbia

While Jake MacDonald present has a cleanable measure of health, he's launched a prima harmless covering concern and is moving to rise consciousness astir melanoma.

Small but mighty institution making UV protective clothing

Courtney Dickson · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 29, 2025 8:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

A antheral successful play attire smiles.

It was conscionable a weird small mole.

Jake MacDonald of Penticton, B.C., hadn't thought overmuch of it, but erstwhile his grandma noticed a mole connected his near leg, she suggested helium get it checked.

"One of my moles was conscionable a small spot weird successful diameter," helium told CBC's Radio West host Sarah Penton.

"The borders were a small irregular arsenic well. It conscionable looked off."

Heeding his loved one's advice, helium saw a doc soon aft and learned helium had melanoma — a signifier of tegument cancer.

"It was decidedly a surprise."

According to Melanoma Canada, melanoma rates person tripled successful the past 30 years. The crab is astir commonly caused by overexposure to UV radiation from either the prima oregon artificial sources, similar tanning beds.

While MacDonald had the crab removed and present has a cleanable measure of health, helium precocious launched a concern to assistance support others — making apparel that artifact retired the sun's rays.

WATCH | Why Jake MacDonald launched Enjoy the Vu:

Penticton, B.C., antheral creates sun-resistant covering enactment aft crab diagnosis

Jake MacDonald was diagnosed with melanoma, a signifier of tegument cancer, erstwhile helium was 24. Nearly 7 years later, helium founded Enjoy the Vu, a scope of sun-resistant outdoor clothing. Dermatologist Dr. Jason Rivers says that UPF-rated covering tin assistance forestall harmful vulnerability to the sun, particularly for radical astatine hazard of tegument cancer.

MacDonald always loved playing sports and spending clip outdoors. But erstwhile helium was diagnosed successful 2018, astatine property 24, helium grew tense astir exposing his tegument to the sun's rays.

"As agelong arsenic that sun's out, I'm decidedly going to beryllium reasoning astir it due to the fact that each azygous infinitesimal I've got to beryllium prima safe … particularly surviving successful a spot similar the Okanagan."

Safe practices see avoiding the prima during its peak, betwixt 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., utilizing SPF 50+ water-resistant broad-spectrum sunscreen, wearing UVA/UVB wraparound sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat, and wearing prima protective covering that covers arsenic overmuch tegument arsenic possible, according to Melanoma Canada.

That past 1 is where MacDonald comes in.

Having near his job in banking past year, helium was looking for a vocation helium was passionate about. Then, helium recovered a spread successful the covering marketplace that helium felt helium could fill.

Ultraviolet extortion factor

Just a fewer weeks ago, with the assistance of Kickstarter donors, MacDonald launched Enjoy the Vu, which sells UPF — besides known arsenic ultraviolet protection factor — clothing. His products are rated UPF 50+, which is the highest rating, and astir protective, covering tin be. UPF 50+ covering blocks astatine slightest 98 per cent of UV rays from reaching the skin, according to the Canadian Skin Cancer Foundation.

To enactment it into context, the instauration suggests a emblematic achromatic T-shirt has a UPF standing of astir five.

Dr. Jason Rivers, a objective prof of dermatology astatine UBC and past president of the Canadian Dermatology Association, said prima extortion from clothing varies depending connected fabrics.

"UPF fabrics are designed to support their protective quality done antithetic conditions," helium said.

Rivers said preventative measures similar this and aboriginal detection volition prevention lives.

Right now, there's lone 1 style: long-sleeve play polos, successful 3 colourful designs, made successful China and laboratory tested for UPF. He's besides got immoderate hats coming successful soon. At the clip of publication, helium said they were inactive being tested for UPF.

A antheral wearing a long-sleeve play shirt.

MacDonald said he'd been wearing UPF apparel earlier helium started the company, but wanted thing with a small much flair.

"I conjecture the full thought was creating those apparel for myself. I'm a young guy, truthful I similar to deterioration apparel that are a small spot much amusive and person amusive designs and whatnot, and I conscionable recovered determination wasn't a full batch of that for UPF clothing."

He said portion the enactment is constricted close now, erstwhile helium tin gauge the request for his products, helium hopes to present a fewer much styles, including options for women and children.

MacDonald's work isn't constricted to his business; helium said he's besides utilizing his societal media to stock his communicative and talking to friends and customers astir the harms of UV exposure every accidental helium gets. He's been moving with Merck's Practice Skintimacy campaign, educating others astir melanoma.

"It started retired conscionable maine making apparel for myself, but it's truly evolved into conscionable being a dependable for tegument cancer," helium said.