Atlanta · Skin Health Equity Initiative

Educate.
Screen.
Connect.

Free clinical melanoma screenings and skin health education for underserved communities in greater Atlanta, because every patient deserves a dermatologist's eye, regardless of income or zip code.

98%
Stage I
Survival
<25%
Stage IV
Survival
4mo+
Atlanta Wait
Uninsured
3.75×
Darker Skin
Mortality Risk
Our Approach Get Involved
A dermatologist examining a patient's skin with a dermatoscope during a screening
Educate → Screen → Connect
Know the signs: the ABCDEs of melanoma
AAsymmetry
BBorder
CColor
DDiameter
EEvolving
Free clinical screenings · English · हिन्दी · Español
How We Work

Three Pillars. One System.

Most community health initiatives choose one approach. SunSafe ATL connects all three, so education creates the pipeline, screenings deliver clinical care, and navigation ensures patients receive follow-up.

Pillar 01
Educate
Community events, school curriculum, and monthly newsletter build the knowledge and trust that bring people to screenings.
Community Events  School Curriculum  Newsletter
Feeds into → Screen
→
Pillar 02
Screen
Free clinical melanoma screenings by a board-certified dermatologist. Every patient examined. Suspicious lesions referred that day.
Dermatologist Led  Licensed Partners  Clinical Outcomes
Feeds into → Connect
→
Pillar 03
Connect
30 and 60-day referral follow-through. Dermatology access directory. We track every referral until the appointment is kept.
Referral Follow-Up  Access Directory  Navigation
Proof: Referral Completion Rate
📚
Community Education Events
ABCDE melanoma warning signs, SPF education, skin-of-color specific content, and general skin health, co-located with local Atlanta nonprofit community gatherings.
  • Free SPF distribution at every event
  • Visual ABCDE melanoma cards
  • Content specific to darker skin tones
  • Acne, eczema, hyperpigmentation education
🏫
Title I School Curriculum
A 45-minute interactive skin health lesson for middle school students in Cherokee and Fulton County Title I schools. Teachers integrate it annually, creating recurring impact.
  • Students take home ABCDE cards and SPF
  • Families referred to screening clinics
  • Teacher-led repeat delivery model
  • Target: 500+ students by Year 3
📰
Skin Dispatch Newsletter
Monthly evidence-based newsletter covering skin health, melanoma facts, and dermatology access resources, in plain language, distributed to community partners and subscribers.
  • Published monthly
  • Evidence-based, plain language
  • Distributed to community health partners
  • Growing subscriber base
🔬
Free Melanoma Screening Clinics
A board-certified dermatologist examines each patient's skin systematically. 10–15 minutes per patient. Three outcomes: clear, monitor, or same-day referral for suspicious lesions.
  • Full skin exam: face, scalp, arms, back, legs
  • Screening materials provided to patients
  • All materials provided at no cost
  • Every finding documented
🏥
Who We Serve
Uninsured and underinsured Atlanta residents. South Asian community through local Atlanta nonprofit partnerships. Underserved patient communities. Title I school families.
  • Communities with 4-month+ wait times
  • Patients with darker skin tones at higher risk of late diagnosis
  • Families who have never seen a dermatologist
📋
Dermatology Access Directory
A verified, maintained directory of low-cost and telehealth dermatology resources for uninsured Atlanta residents, including telehealth options at $35–75 per consult.
  • Public clinic referral pathways, step-by-step
  • FQHC clinics with dermatology
  • Telehealth options vs. 4-month wait
  • Multilingual: English, Hindi, Spanish, Year 2
Why This Matters

The Problem Is Measurable.
So Are Our Outcomes.

98%
Melanoma survival rate when caught at Stage I: early detection saves lives
3.75×
Higher melanoma mortality in darker-skinned patients due to delayed diagnosis, not biology
4 mo+
Average dermatology wait time for uninsured patients in Atlanta before receiving care
500+
Patients we aim to screen free of charge by Year 3 of this initiative
📊

SunSafe ATL tracks a metric most community health programs skip: referral completion rate: the percentage of patients who received a referral at a screening and confirmed kept their dermatology appointment. We follow every referral at 30 and 60 days until we can report that the patient received care, not just a screening.

Learn the Basics

Know Your Skin: The ABCDEs of Melanoma

Caught early, melanoma is over 98% survivable. The catch? You have to spot it. Once a month, give your skin two minutes and watch for these five signs. Every skin tone is at risk, so this check is for everyone.

A
Asymmetry
One half of the spot does not match the other half.
B
Border
Edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.
C
Color
Uneven shades of brown, black, tan, red, white, or blue.
D
Diameter
Larger than 6mm, about the size of a pencil eraser.
E
Evolving
Changing in size, shape, or color, or starting to itch or bleed.

Protect Your Skin Daily

  • SPF 30+ broad-spectrum sunscreen, reapplied every two hours outdoors.
  • Find shade from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when UV peaks.
  • Add a wide-brim hat, UV sunglasses, and covered sleeves.
  • Darker skin burns too, and is too often diagnosed late.

The Two-Minute Self-Check

  • Scan head to toe in good light; use a mirror for blind spots.
  • Don't skip the scalp, between toes, soles, palms, and nails.
  • Snap photos so you can catch what changes month to month.
  • New, changing, or won't heal? See a clinician soon.
Every SunSafe ATL resource is offered in: English हिन्दी · Hindi Español · Spanish
Get Out There

Upcoming Events

Come screen, learn, walk, or volunteer. These community events power the mission and welcome everyone.

Sun, Aug 9, 2026 · 8:00 AM

Access Life America

A community wellness gathering supporting families facing serious illness. SunSafe ATL will staff a skin health booth, hand out SPF and ABCDE cards, run quick sun-safety demos, and help attendees find low-cost dermatology care.

Volunteers & educators welcome
Sun, Sep 20, 2026 · 8:00 AM

Vibha Dreammile

A charity walk and run supporting underprivileged children's education and health. SunSafe ATL will field a team, set up an education tent along the route, and share self-check resources in English, Hindi, and Spanish.

Walkers, runners & sponsors
Sun, Nov 8, 2026 · 7:30–11:00 AM EST

Atlanta Miles for Melanoma

A walk raising awareness and funds for melanoma research. SunSafe ATL will march as a team, distribute prevention materials, and spotlight early detection and skin health equity along the way.

Team SunSafe ATL forming now
3
Pillars: Educate, Screen, Connect
4×
Free screening clinics per year in Year 2
70%+
Referral completion rate target: care kept, not just screened
500+
Students in curriculum by Year 3
2
PubMed publications using SunSafe ATL data planned by 2027
3-Year Plan

Milestone Roadmap

SunSafe ATL is built to grow. Each year expands all three pillars: more schools, more clinics, more patients connected to care.

2026–27
Launch
Educate
First community events + school pilot
SunSafe ATL website live. Skin Dispatch launches. 1 Title I school curriculum piloted. 100+ community members reached.
Screen
First free melanoma screening clinic
September–October 2026. 30–50 patients screened. Dermatologist partner secured. Screening materials secured. All findings documented.
Connect
Referral tracking begins
30 and 60-day follow-up on every referral. Referral completion rate v1 calculated. Access directory live. Year 1 Impact Report published.
2027–28
Grow
Educate
3 schools + volunteer-led delivery
HOSA volunteers co-deliver curriculum. Skin Dispatch reaches 100+ subscribers. 300+ students in curriculum cumulatively.
Screen
Quarterly clinics + FPA research paper
4 clinics per year. 200+ patients screened. FPA Year 2 research paper uses clinic data, with a first-author PubMed publication planned.
Connect
Clinic partnership + multilingual directory
Public clinic patient navigation co-partnership formalized. Multilingual directory (English, Hindi, Spanish) launched. 501(c)(3) application in progress.
2028
Apply
Educate
5+ schools, 500+ students
Skin Dispatch at 200+ subscribers. 250+ community education attendees across all events. Volunteer-led delivery fully operational.
Screen
500+ patients screened
6+ clinics. 2 dermatologist volunteers. Suspicious lesions identified and referred. SunSafe ATL clinic data subject of 2 PubMed publications.
Connect
Documented referral outcomes
3-year referral completion rate published. 70%+ target. 501(c)(3) complete. Operating manual ready for replication in other cities.
Yash Sajja
Yash Sajja
Founder, SunSafe ATL · Class of 2029
The Founder

Built by a student who lived the gap

"After 8th grade I spent months teaching myself dermatology science: how niacinamide regulates sebum, how azelaic acid addresses inflammation, without ever seeing a dermatologist. My skin improved through entirely self-directed research. That experience left me with a question I have not stopped asking: what happens to people who cannot navigate that gap the way I did?"

Yash Sajja is a high school student at Innovation Academy, Alpharetta GA, enrolled in the Healthcare Pathway. He is a Full Premed Scholar at Future Physicians of America (35 students nationally) and a Grady TELP Connectors Cohort selectee (chosen from 2,200+ applicants). SunSafe ATL is his response to the health equity gap he identified.

Full Premed Scholar, Future Physicians of America · 35 students nationally
Grady TELP Connectors Cohort · selected from 2,200+ applicants · 2026
Innovation Academy Healthcare Pathway, Surgical Technology track
Raised $27,000+ for Vibha to support underprivileged kids aged 13 and under
Raised $25,000+ for SPECTRUM Autism Support Group through Kids Boost
Get Involved

Three ways to make a difference

SunSafe ATL is built on partnerships. Whether you are a dermatologist, a community organization, or an individual who wants to volunteer, there is a role for you.

👨‍⚕️
Dermatologist Volunteers
Board-certified dermatologists willing to volunteer 2–4 hours at a free screening clinic. All screening materials provided at no cost to you.
🤝
Community Partners
Community organizations, temples, cultural centers, and schools willing to host education events or screening clinics for their members.
✋
Student Volunteers
High school and college students to help with event logistics, patient check-in, education stations, and newsletter distribution. HOSA members especially welcome.
Contact Us Learn More