RNLI Teams Up with Map My Mole to Check Skin, Save Lives
A new partnership brings faster access to expert skin checks for those who work on the front line of our coasts.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and Map My Mole (Community Dermatology Ltd.) have announced a strategic partnership to improve skin health awareness and early cancer detection among RNLI lifeguards and the coastal public.
This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to outdoor safety. Lifeguards’ active outdoor lifestyles - both on and off duty -make this service particularly relevant. While the RNLI already provides comprehensive sun protection, the rollout of Map My Mole’s mole testing kits adds an important layer of prevention support: sun safety and regular self-checks are essential.
Through this partnership, Map My Mole will deliver dermatologist-reviewed mole checks to RNLI Lifeguards, completely free of charge. Each RNLI beach team will be equipped with a branded RNLI Lifeguard Unit Test Kit, (excluding Northern Ireland) enabling quick and easy access to consultant dermatologists via smartphone.
Every Map My Mole test kit includes:
In addition, £10 from every public skin check kit purchased will be donated to the RNLI - offering support for the charity, whilst easing patient anxiety at the point of need. Friends, family, and members of the RNLI community will also receive discounted access to mole checks.
“At the heart of this partnership is a shared commitment to protecting lives - whether it’s at sea or through early skin cancer detection,” says Dr Toby Nelson, Co-Founder and Consultant Dermatologist, Map My Mole.
“Together, we’ll provide expert-reviewed skin checks to RNLI staff and the public, with free test kits and training rolled out across 238 locations. Our technology helps patients spot suspicious moles in minutes, not months - with results from UK dermatologists in as little as 24 hours. Every mole checked is a life potentially saved, so we are thrilled to work together.”
With aligned values around safety, innovation, and prevention, the RNLI and Map My Mole will co-develop health content, staff communications, and training resources for RNLI teams. A beachside awareness campaign will promote mole check accessibility to the public - educating thousands about the importance of early detection and sun safety.
“We’re proud to partner with Map My Mole” said Peter Dawes, RNLI General Manager Lifeguard Operations.
“Together, we’re not only helping to protect the health of our lifeguards but also giving the public the tools to act early when it comes to skin concerns. Safety sits at the heart of both our missions, and this partnership will raise vital funds for the RNLI while helping more people stay safe in the sun.”
Map My Mole is a UK-based digital dermatology platform offering fast, consultant-reviewed skin assessments through smartphone-enabled mole checks. Its mission is to make early skin cancer detection accessible, affordable, and impactful.
Media Contact:
Tottie Dalton, Head of Partnerships
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.