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Walkers Across Canada
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.
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%
Patient Information Schedule – 2017
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:
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.