Xcel Completes First Six Months of Skin Cancer Awareness Partnership

Donates Over $9,000 to Cancer Research Center of Hawaii

HALEIWA, OAHU, HAWAII – AUGUST 31, 2009 – Xcel International, Inc. (Xcel) has donated over $9,000 to the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii (CRCH) as part of an ongoing partnership to promote skin cancer awareness and prevention through UV protection.

“UV protection is essential year-round in Hawaii and during summer seasons throughout the country – anytime you’re exposed to the sun,” said Ed D’Ascoli, Xcel president and founder, after presenting the donation check to James Wriston Jr., Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Friends of the CRCH.

Continued D’Ascoli, “Together with the CRCH, we’re excited to continue spreading our message of the importance and ease of preventing skin cancer tomorrow by choosing sun protection today.”

“There are a number of simple actions individuals can take to reduce their risk of getting cancer,” said Dr. Michele Carbone, director of the CRCH. “Our partnership with Xcel is a perfect example of how being aware and wearing sun-protective clothing can help reduce the risk of the most common type of human tumors – skin cancers. We’re grateful to Xcel for their continued support of our research as the proceeds of their sales will be used to help us find new ways to fight cancer.”

The donation was raised by sales of Xcel UV Performance Gear to customers in the United States.

The Xcel and CRCH partnership first formed as a natural fit between two Hawaii-based organizations dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of UV protection in a state where the sun shines almost 365 days a year. After a successful “Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month” campaign that began locally in Hawaii, Xcel expanded the program to include all U.S. sales of its UV Performance Gear.

UV Performance Gear, a full product line developed by Xcel to provide effective sun protection for nearly all outdoor activities, offers the highest-possible Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) ratings for its fabrics, blocking harmful UVA/UVB rays that have been linked to skin cancer.

Each UPF-rated product is tested both in and out of the water.

“All of our Xcel UV Performance Gear products are ‘tagged’ with the Xcel and CRCH skin cancer awareness message,” added D’Ascoli. “With the success of the first six months of our partnership, we’re looking forward to continuing our efforts promoting UV protection and cancer research with the CRCH.”

Top Photo: L to R: Friends of the CRCH Board of Directors George Sumner III, Virginia Weimnan, James Wriston Jr., Xcel president and founder Ed D’Ascoli, CRCH Director Dr. Michele Carbone, Friends of the CRCH Board of Directors Leila Johnson, John Landgraf.

About the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii (CRCH)
The Cancer Research Center of Hawaii (CRCH) is a research unit of the University of Hawaii and a National Cancer Institute (NCI) -designated center. The mission of the CRCH is to reduce the burden of cancer through research, education, and service, with an emphasis on the unique ethnic, cultural, and environmental characteristics of Hawaii and the Pacific.

To learn more about the CRCH, please visit www.crch.org.

About Xcel
Founded in 1982, Xcel International, Inc. (Xcel) is a global wetsuit brand distributed throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific Rim. Headquartered on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, Xcel’s core wetsuit business focuses on the cutting edge of material and design development. Xcel’s primary markets include surf, dive, wakeboard, paddle, and sun (UV protection). In addition to its North Shore office, Xcel has retail locations on Oahu, Kauai, and Maui; and a warehouse/repair facility in California.

To learn more about Xcel, please visit www.xcelwetsuits.com.