La Jolla's SK-Sanctuary/Institute Founders Honored for Their Leading Efforts to Raise Awareness of Melanoma and Support Cancer SurvivorsSpa Finder, Inc., the global spa resource, has awarded its fourth Visionary Award to Stephen M. Krant, M.D., F.A.C.S, and his wife Lyn Tisdale Krant, the co-founders of the SK Sanctuary medical day spa and non-profit SK Institute in La Jolla, CA. Dr. and Mrs. Krant were honored for their leading efforts, through the SK Institute, to raise awareness of melanoma and provide education and support for survivors of breast, prostate, testicular and skin cancers, as well as people living with those diseases.
The Krants' Visionary Award was presented by Spa Finder, Inc. board member Missy Godfrey last night during the second annual "Dancing With the Sun?" melanoma awareness luau event hosted by the SK Institute. The well-attended event — which offered complimentary sunscreen and skin exams along with appearances by athletes, physicians and community leaders — was co-sponsored by Spa Finder, which is launching a national melanoma awareness initiative. The centerpiece of those efforts will be a campaign to educate spa aestheticians and therapists about melanoma, reminding them to be on the lookout for suspicious-looking moles and especially to encourage their clients to have moles checked by their medical doctors.
In 2001, using funds raised through the SK Institute, Dr. and Mrs. Krant began closing the SK Sanctuary for a dedicated night each month to offer breast cancer survivors complimentary spa treatments, food and wine along with education and inspiration courtesy of physicians, authors, celebrities and other guest speakers. Based on the enormous popularity and impact of these events, Dr. and Mrs. Krant also began hosting monthly Men's [i.e., testicular and prostate] Cancer Nights in 2002, and monthly Melanoma Nights in 2004. In 2004 the couple also launched an aggressive melanoma awareness campaign enlisting the support of outdoor sports figures including surfers, skateboarders, and the San Diego Chargers and Padres, along with youth sports leagues and local schools — all helping to promote the importance of sun protection starting at an early age.
Specializing in breast reconstructive surgery, Dr. Krant has performed more than 10,000 reconstructive and plastic procedures since founding the SK Clinic more than 29 years ago. With the goal of treating the whole person, the Krants opened the SK Sanctuary medical day spa (adjacent to the Clinic) in 2001. The facility offers an integrative medical approach — providing vitamin regimes before and after surgery, for example, as well as skin care consultation and rejuvenating spa treatments with every surgical procedure. The result is not just a physical change for clients and patients, but a balance of physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
The Spa Finder Visionary Award is presented to individuals who have made truly outstanding contributions to the development of the medical spa industry. Previous recipients include Juva Medi-Spa founder Bruce E. Katz, M.D., who was honored for his pioneering work in developing the concept of medical spas, and Deepak Chopra, M.D., honored for his role in bridging Eastern and Western medicine in the spa environment. Dr. Howard Murad, the anti-aging skincare pioneer, was the most recent recipient, in February of 2005.
"Through the SK Institute and SK Sanctuary, Dr. and Mrs. Krant have blazed a new trail by combining spa, medicine, community, education, support and philanthropy — improving and inspiring countless lives along the way," said Spa Finder, Inc. President Susie Ellis. "They're the embodiment of everything our Visionary Award represents — and living proof of just how positive a force spas can be."
About Spa Finder, Inc.
As the world's largest spa marketing and media company, Spa Finder reaches millions of health conscious consumers via its award-winning website, Spafinder.com. The company publishes Luxury SpaFinder Magazine, the trusted authority on luxury spas and associated lifestyles; The Spa Enthusiast®, a leading publication for active spa-goers; as well as its annual Spa Finder Worldwide Directory, the ultimate spa-goers' resource. Spa Finder also operates the world's largest spa gift certificate and incentive programs as well as the Spa Distribution Network, the Internet's first online spa booking program.