UPCOMING EVENTS
Donate to the Melanoma Network of Canada
MELANOMA STATISTICS & FACTS
- It takes only one blistering sunburn to double a person’s chances of developing melanoma
- Melanoma is one of the most common types of cancer for youth between the ages of 15-29
- Life-time risk for melanoma is now 1 in 63 versus 1 in 1500 in the 1930s
- In North America, one person dies from melanoma every hour
- Melanoma can affect anyone regardless of sex, age, or race
- The leading cause of melanoma is overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources (tanning beds, sunlamps)
- UV rays can get through clouds, fog and haze. Water, sand, concrete and especially snow can reflect, and even increase, the sun’s burning rays
- Early exposure to tanning beds can increase a person’s chance of developing melanoma by up to 75%
Free Melanoma Support Programs
Upcoming Events
Sep
4
Wed
2019
6:30 pm
Aurora Melanoma Support Group
@ Aurora Community Centre,
Aurora Melanoma Support Group
@ Aurora Community Centre,
Sep 4 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Led by experienced health care professionals along with cancer survivors, the sessions are structured but also flexible in format and...
6:30 pm
Oakville Melanoma Support Group
@ Wellspring Birmingham-Gilgan House
Oakville Melanoma Support Group
@ Wellspring Birmingham-Gilgan House
Sep 4 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
We understand how difficult a diagnosis of melanoma can be – no matter what stage. Join the MNC patient support...
6:30 pm
Oshawa Melanoma Support Group
@ Hearth Place Cancer Support Centre
Oshawa Melanoma Support Group
@ Hearth Place Cancer Support Centre
Sep 4 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Led by experienced health care professionals along with cancer survivors, the sessions are structured but also flexible in format and...
6:00 pm
Calgary Melanoma Support Group
@ Holy Cross Center
Calgary Melanoma Support Group
@ Holy Cross Center
Sep 4 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Calgary Support Groups will not be running July and August but will return in Setpember. For support call 905.901.5121 x108...
Sep
14
Sat
2019
all-day
Move for Melanoma
Move for Melanoma
Sep 14 – Sep 16 all-day
One in two Canadians will receive a cancer diagnosis, and melanoma is the most common cancer for Canadians aged...
Sep
22
Sun
2019
all-day
Strides for Melanoma 2019
Strides for Melanoma 2019
Sep 22 all-day
Registration is now open – Strides for Melanoma 2019 One in two Canadians will receive a cancer diagnosis, and melanoma...
Melanoma Information Schedule – 2019
The Melanoma Network of Canada’s Patient Information Sessions are a series of presentations by leading Canadian oncologists, dermatologists, surgeons, psychologists and more on the latest in melanoma treatment options and support services. The Patient Information Sessions are free of charge and offered across Canada
MELANOMA PATIENT STORIES
I am a uveal melanoma survivor. Few people know about this rare form of melanoma; in fact, most of us who acquire it, do not even know of its existence until the day we are diagnosed. This is my story.
This December I will turn 43 years old and for the past 8 years I’ve had many ups and downs with melanoma, however I can honestly say that I am a stronger and better person for the journey. I have learned so much about myself and what matters most to me.
Melanoma is not just SKIN cancer. The disease is not just skin deep, it can reach far and wide…it is cancer. My name is Caroline. I am 28 years old and I was diagnosed with stage 3C melanoma in August 2013. This is my story:
Your Support Has a Direct Impact Across Canada
Melanoma is on the increase worldwide. In Canada it is one of the few cancers on the rise and is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in our youth, ages 15 to 29 years. This year, over 7,300 people will be diagnosed with melanoma and thousands more will be treated for recurrences.
I’m so thankful to the Melanoma Network of Canada. I have found incredible strength in the support system that they provide but most of all in feeling like I’m not alone in this journey. My family and I have gotten involved in fundraising for the network through their annual Strides for Melanoma Walk for Awareness, and we have found strength in feeling like we are helping in some way. This amazing walk helps bring in funds for their patient information sessions, support programs, and patient education materials, which have helped provide my family and I with valuable information and support related to melanoma that we could not get elsewhere.
Thank you for your support
I don’t know what I would have done or where I’d be without MNC. I found people that understood what I was going through, how I was feeling and what steps I needed to take to get my questions answered so I could sleep at night again. Not only have I found a place with MNC but my husband and grown ‘kids’ have too, as well as friends, family and extended family.
My younger brother, Liam, was diagnosed with melanoma in October 2011 at the age of 36. I immediately started sourcing information on melanoma and supports available for him and our family. I was so grateful to find MNC. I was able to find a source of information, right here in Canada, which I will be forever grateful for finding. From the discussion forums on the website to emails from Annette, I found the support we needed.