Kathryn Morris UK

We all know that Kathryn is a fair skinned beauty.  Of course being that way has its downsides.  One of the most dangerous ones is the added risk of skin cancer caused by over exposure to the sun.

“Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. More than one million cases of skin cancers  are diagnosed each year, and one person dies from it every hour,” said Morris. “As someone with fair skin, how could I not get involved in trying to prevent something so preventable?”

To highlight the risks Kathryn has become a spokesperson for a T-shirt line that offers UV protection being launched by the Sun Safety Alliance (SSA) and the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC), both based in the United States.  Fellow actress Andrea Bowen (Desperate Housewives) joins Kathryn in the role.

The SSA has worked with AYANA Apparel to design the range of T-shirts that provide high SPF protection and are available through AYANA’s website.  Donations will be made to the SSA from purchases.

Kathryn has done a photoshoot, the results of which will form part of the promotional campaign.  I understand that the shoot went well and that Kathryn was, as we’ve come to expect of her, lots of fun, full of smiles, warm, welcoming and relaxed.

Photos from that session will be released in the next couple of weeks.  I look forward to seeing them.

For further details see the full press release “after the jump” and check the SSA blog for the latest news.

Thanks to irishkale @ Look Again for the heads-up and to Janelle @ EIC for her assistance in putting this piece together.

TV STARS KATHRYN MORRIS AND ANDREA BOWEN HELP LAUNCH UV-PROTECTIVE T-SHIRT LINE

Kathryn Morris, star of CBS’s “Cold Case,” and Andrea Bowen of ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” will be the spokespersons for a new UV-Protective t-shirt line being launched by the Sun Safety Alliance (SSA), in collaboration with the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC). SSA has teamed up with AYANA Apparel to provide fashion-forward UV-Protective t-shirts that protect your skin while maintaining your sense of style. Proceeds from this t-shirt line will be donated to SSA for educational programs to promote skin cancer prevention.

Kathryn Morris has demonstrated her multi-talented capabilities in the world of film and television. She continues to move audiences through her character as detective Lilly Rush, in the CBS hit drama “Cold Case” produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, currently in its seventh season. Additionally, she runs a successful film and television production company with partner David Barrett, Hotplate, at Warner Bros.

An Industry veteran at 19, Andrea Bowen began her Broadway career at the age of 6 playing the youngest Cosette in Les Miserable’s 16 year run. Best known for her role as Julie Mayer, Teri Hatcher’s on-screen daughter on “Desperate Housewives,” she has earned two SAG Awards for Best Performance by an Ensemble. Last year she earned a PRISM Award from the Entertainment Industries Council and a WIN Award for the Lifetime movie “Girl Positive.”

In addition to acting, both actresses are strong supporters for sun safety and skin cancer prevention efforts.

“Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. More than one million cases of skin cancers are diagnosed each year, and one person dies from it every hour,” said Morris. “As someone with fair skin, how could I not get involved in trying to prevent something so preventable?”

Bowen says that the shirts not only carry a message about sun protection, they can protect from the damaging effects of the sun and still allow you to stay fashionable. “These are not just message or logo shirts. They’re flattering on you and they block the UV rays that usually get through normal tops,” she said.

The shirts carry an SPF protection of 30-50 and will help to raise money for prevention efforts. Morris and Bowen will be featuring the shirts in a photo shoot and also serve as spokespersons for sun safety and skin cancer prevention. The line will start with two women’s shirts, as well as one for men and one for small children. If successful, the line will expand to additional colors, designs and styles. Initially, they will be available on AYANA’s web site which carries a wide variety of sun protective fashions. AYANA and SSA are simultaneously planning to make the line available to other online retailers, with plans to also offer them to traditional brick-and-mortar boutique and chain clothing stores.

AYANA’s web site is located at www.ayanashop.com. Purchases of the SSA line and other clothing available on the site will result in a donation to SSA by using discount or coupon code SSA09. SSA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing the incidence of skin cancer in America. Its web site is www.sunsafetyalliance.org. The SSA is managed by EIC, a not-for-profit organization that brings the power and influence of the entertainment industry to bear on health and social issues. EIC’s web sited is located at www.eiconline.org.