Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project Spreads Warmth in the Wumeng Mountains
"Look for me at the Dermatology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University. This is my phone number. You have to come!"
Tu Ying, Deputy Chief Physician at the Dermatology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, watched eagerly but helplessly as the father and son slowly faded into the crowd. She hoped that they would soon dial the mobile phone number she had given them.
This is what happened at the free clinic of "2022 Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project".
"There are some purpura and chilblain-like changes. Purpura results from the inflammation of small veins or arterioles, whereas punctate vascular lesions, ulcers, and tissue necrosis occur due to decreased perfusion." A team of dermatologists at the free clinic site held an urgent consultation. "This might indicate systemic lupus erythematosus. We advise that they seek immediate further examination at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University."
"My son has to go to school. We have no time for examination. Is there any medicine for him to apply?" asked the father.
"No, no. Ask for leave or temporary absence from school as soon as possible. Your child's health is paramount. His situation has been prolonged for too long and cannot be delayed any further. If left untreated, his life will be in danger!"
When "systemic lupus erythematosus" occurs in a 16-year-old boy, anyone would be surprised and sorry. As sun exposure is one of the main causes of lupus erythematosus, people in remote plateau areas lack the correct awareness of sun protection, contributing to this tragedy.
01 Winona Practices Social Value for Public Welfare
At the free clinic of the Zhaotong Second People's Hospital in Yunnan Province, the faces "damaged by the sun" vividly depict the reality of people in remote plateau regions battling the intense sun exposure.
Suo, a 54-year-old member of the Hui ethnic group, failed to take appropriate sun protection measures after recovering from facial burns due to a lack of awareness. This led to extensive melanin accumulation across her entire face, nearly resulting in disfigurement.
Ma, a 25-year-old community worker, initially avoided using sunscreen due to pimples. In addition, her frequent outdoor work exposed her to long-term UV rays, leading to sensitive skin prone to acne.
Zhong, a 74-year-old retired township teacher, residing in Dashanbao Town, Zhaotong City at an altitude exceeding 3,000 meters, has never practiced sun protection. This, combined with the local geographical and climatic conditions, resulted in actinic keratosis that may deteriorate over time.
Dai, a 28-year-old professional who primarily works on weddings and funerals in Dashanbao Town, Zhaotong City, developed stasis dermatitis as a result of incorrect sun protection practices and prolonged outdoor exposure.
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Zhaotong City, located in the Wumeng Mountains at the junction of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces, boasts an average altitude of 1,685 meters and a permanent resident population of 5.014 million. By the end of 2020, the city had successfully shed its poverty status.
As Zhaotong is situated in a remote high-altitude region, the local people generally lack awareness of skin protection and have limited knowledge of basic skincare practices. Moreover, influenced by economic constraints, some residents choose not to seek medical assistance when facing skin-related issues.
Winona, in conjunction with the Red Cross Society of China Yunnan Branch, the Red Cross Society of China Zhaotong Branch, and Zhaotong Second People's Hospital, held the "Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project" from October 17 to 21, 2022. This event featured a distinguished expert team led by Professor He Li from the Ministry of Education's innovation team, Chief Physician Zhang Jianbo from the Dermatology Department of Dali Second People's Hospital, and Deputy Chief Physician Tu Ying from the Dermatology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University. Together, they provided free medical consultations for the residents of Zhaotong, fostering valuable exchange and learning opportunities to enhance community-level medical resources in the city.
As the head of the Ministry of Education's innovation team, Professor He Li and her team have been conducting epidemiological investigations on skin barrier detection among people residing in various plateau regions at different altitudes. They are dedicated to enhancing the diagnosis and treatment ability for dermatosis caused by photodamage in primary medical institutions situated in alpine areas.
Professor He Li stated, "This marks the seventh year of the Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project. As the head of the Ministry of Education's innovation team and an academic leader in plateau photodamage, I'm honored to join hands with Winona to advance public welfare. Together, through industry-university-research cooperation, we aim to popularize scientific knowledge regarding the prevention of plateau photodamaged skin, enhance the training of local doctors, and solve clinical challenges faced by patients with photodamaged skin at high altitudes, thus create more economic and social value."
In an interview, Tu Ying, Deputy Chief Physician at the Dermatology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, emphasized the key role of dermatologists in remote regions. However, a single doctor's ability is limited. This necessitates the involvement of enterprises such as Winona and social groups to offer health education and free clinic. By engaging in such initiatives, we can disseminate greater skin protection knowledge to a broader patient base.
China regards industry-university-research cooperation as the core of scientific and technological system reform. In this regard, the Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project serves as a bridge for this trilateral partnership to engage in social welfare initiatives, disseminating skin protection knowledge to residents in high-altitude regions and providing an important platform for dermatology research in China.
Winona is dedicated to conducting genuinely impactful public welfare initiatives, gaining profound insights into the real issues faced in high-altitude regions, and collaborating with authoritative social organizations, scientific research institutions, and primary medical facilities to solve practical problems for recipients and better fulfill the social responsibility of the brand.
02 Winona's Seven-Year Commitment to Bright Smiles
From Hohhot to Xining, from Dali to Haikou, and from Lhasa to Shangri-La, 2022 marks the 7th year of the "Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project" for public welfare.
"Embracing the Light and Safeguarding Bright Smiles". As a Yunnan-based brand, Winona chose Zhaotong as the event location to extend assistance to people who suffer from sunburn and photosensitivity dermatitis due to the region's limited access to fine medical resources and insufficient awareness of sun protection and skincare. These public welfare initiatives will bring more health and beauty to this sacred place.
Winona takes "solving common skin problems of Chinese people" as the brand mission. For the first time, Winona joined hands with Red Cross Society of China Yunnan Branch to launch the "2022 Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project". This official event enabled Winona to connect profoundly with patients grappling with photodamage in Yunnan. In response to the instructions of the 20th CPC National Congress, the company placed emphasis on corporate public welfare to enhance people's sense of gain, happiness and security.
In addition, as part of the "Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project", Winona collaborated with the Ministry of Education's innovation team, the Yunnan Clinical Medical Center for Skin and Immune Diseases focusing on "Pathogenesis and Prevention of Plateau Photodamage Skin Diseases", and Winona Fund for the Red Cross Society of China Yunnan Branch to release the Plateau Photodamage Skin Disease Protection Handbook.
From October 18 to 20, Winona hosted two free clinic sessions at Zhaotong Second People's Hospital and the bazaar in Dashanbao Town, Zhaoyang District. Moreover, Winona extended these efforts to the surrounding communities, the Dashanbao Town Central School, and the black-necked crane nature reserve at Dashanbao Dahaizi Wetland, with the aim of disseminating professional knowledge on sun protection and skin care among local residents, teachers and students in township schools, and crane rangers and forest rangers within the reserve. As part of the "2022 Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project", Winona gave each local resident a custom-made sun protection gift package comprising a skincare set for sensitive skin, a Panama hat, and a sunscreen coat to protect their skin from UV rays and raise awareness of sun protection.
Given the unchangeable environmental and climatic conditions, we must focus on internal self-improvement, develop a scientific understanding of skin protection, and effectively disseminate relevant knowledge to the public. We believe that with the reasonable intervention of products, the number of cases caused by sun exposure will gradually decrease. We love and yearn for warm sunshine, yet we must protect ourselves against excessive sun exposure to maintain a natural and harmonious lifestyle.
Zhang Meihua, an attending physician at Zhaotong Second People's Hospital, said, "Winona's public welfare initiative holds great significance for both the people of Zhaotong and our medical staff. As a top brand, Winona bring together renowned dermatologists to Zhaotong to offer free clinic and sun protection products. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn from experts and improve our professional skills to provide better skin solutions for the people in Zhaotong."
In the past seven years, Winona's series of public welfare events have significantly contributed to the advancement of health and beauty awareness. From the "Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project" to extensive activities for "5.25 National Skin Care Day", Winona has been moving forward towards the goal of making people healthy and beautiful through impactful and meaningful public welfare events.
After journeying through the "Winona Bright Smiles Commonweal Project", you will find that "the end of public welfare marks the start of hope for many". Winona exemplifies Chinese brands' dedication to public welfare through this project, while showing respect for human life and protecting people's skin health.