Email - A Holiday Season Filled with Hope, Progress and Support for the Melanoma Community

Melanoma Research Foundation

Finding Support and Giving Back: How the MRF Helps the Melanoma Community During the Holidays and Beyond

As the year winds to a close, it is a busy time for many, it is a season of joy and giving, but it is also one of reflection. For many, the holidays can be difficult, especially for those navigating treatments, survivorship challenges or coping with the loss of a loved one.

The MRF and our partner organizations are here to help the entire melanoma community, during this time and throughout the year. We offer a variety of resources to help individuals and families facing these difficulties. Our “Ask a Nurse” (AskANurse@melanoma.org) program connects patients and caregivers with an oncology nurse who can answer questions and help navigate care. Our online Patient Forum provides a space for peer-to-peer support, allowing individuals to share experiences and find encouragement. In addition, we host ocular melanoma specific support groups and partner with organizations like Imerman Angels that provide 1:1 peer personalized support. We also work with groups that provide guidance with managing financial or insurance-related challenges and questions.

For those who are looking for bereavement support, we have partnered with several organizations that specialize in helping children process the loss of a parent, resources for young people as well as support for anyone dealing with the loss of a loved one.

All of these supportive programs are provided at no cost, thanks to the generosity of those who support our work. As the leading independent melanoma advocacy organization, the MRF relies on the contributions of our community to fulfill our mission. We are grateful to the many generous one-time and recurring donors who support our critical mission. If you wish to contribute this holiday season with a tax-deductible gift, please know that your investment will directly enable our mission.

Donate Today

Kyleigh M. LiPira, MBA

CEO

Meet Gail Terrell – Melanoma Warrior

“My advice is to stay proactive all along the way, and to give yourself grace on tough days.”

At the age of 57, Gail Terrell was diagnosed with Stage 3C metastatic melanoma of “unknown” origin. She first noticed symptoms following a strenuous weightlifting workout when she experienced flank pain which she assumed was a hernia. Her treatment journey was both a physical and mental one, click below to read more about her experience and her advice to melanoma patients facing a similar diagnosis.

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10 Ways to Support the Melanoma Community in the New Year

Join the MRF and pledge to raise awareness, prioritize prevention and support those affected by melanoma. Small steps can make a big difference in creating a healthier, sun-safe future for all. We’ve put together a list of impactful resolutions to inspire you—choose one (or a few!) and help make melanoma prevention and support a priority in 2025! Together, we can spark change!

Spread Awareness and Encourage Regular Check-Ups - Resolve to encourage cutaneous melanoma prevention and raise awareness around the rare melanoma subtypes. Advocate for routine skin checks, annual dilated eye exams and early detection practices. Inspire your loved ones to prioritize their health and well-being.

Support Research - Continue your generous support of MRF's groundbreaking research initiatives. Your contributions fuel innovative projects that bring us closer to finding a cure.

Fund a $3,000 Medical Student Research Grant - Invest in the future of melanoma care by supporting a Medical Student Research Grant. Your generosity helps train the next generation of doctors dedicated to advancing melanoma research and treatment.

Contribute Data to Help Find a Cure for Ocular Melanoma – Participate in the patient powered ocular melanoma platform known as the VISION Registry to share knowledge and experiences, accelerate progress and advance towards a cure.

Ignite Hope with Planned Giving - Consider making planned giving a cornerstone of your 2025 philanthropic goals. By including the MRF in your estate planning, you create a lasting legacy that supports critical research and patient care. Start your journey with our FREE Wills Planner here.

Become a Match Donor for Melanoma Awareness Month - Double your impact in May by joining a matching gift campaign for Melanoma Awareness Month. Your contribution can inspire others to give and multiply the difference you make.

Captain a Team - Lead a team at your local Miles for Melanoma event and rally your community to raise funds and awareness.

Attend a Gala - Join us at a 2025 MRF Gala in New York or Denver to celebrate progress and honor the melanoma community.

Donate Stock - Make a tax-savvy impact by donating stock, helping the MRF fund innovative programs while maximizing your charitable giving.

Attend a Patient Symposium - Gain insights, connect with experts, network with other melanoma patients and survivors and learn about the latest in melanoma research and treatments at an upcoming MRF Patient Symposium.

Show Your 2025 Resolution! Share your New Year’s resolution on social media and tag us @CureMelanoma – let's inspire each other and make this the year of action!

Ways to Give Back this Holiday Season

This holiday season, there are countless ways to give back and support our mission to eradicate melanoma through research, education and advocacy. One powerful way to make a lasting impact is through Planned Giving, which offers meaningful options to align your generosity with your financial goals. Whether you choose to include a bequest in your will, make an IRA charitable rollover, gift appreciated stock, recommend a grant from your donor-advised fund (DAF), update your beneficiary designations or contribute to our Legacy of Progress Endowment Fund, your support helps ensure a brighter future for the melanoma community. These gifts provide critical resources for groundbreaking research and vital programs while leaving a legacy of hope and progress. Join us in making a difference this season and beyond!

Ways to Give

Advocacy Corner

(From left to right: Kristina Derrick, MD, Sara Campbell and Erika Tvedten)

MRF Advocacy in Action

This winter, the MRF’s advocacy team has testified both at the federal and state level to help advance critical initiatives and legislation that will support the melanoma community.

In November, the MRF’s Director of Advocacy, Kim Wezik testified at the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) public meeting on recommendations for the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Program (OMUFA) Reauthorization. Because sunscreen is regulated as a drug and not a cosmetic in the United States, the FDA makes recommendations to Congress regarding sunscreen’s regulation. Kim’s testimony highlighted our collective goal of partnering with the FDA and Congress to ensure Americans have the tools needed to protect their skin and stay sun safe along with restoring public trust in the use of sunscreen as a cancer prevention tool. In doing so, we hope to advance positive sunscreen policies, including approval of sunscreen filters that work for a variety of skin tones and textures and aligning with international safety standards.

In December, the MRF’s Advocacy Coordinator, Sara Campbell testified before the New Jersey Senate Committee on Education hearing in support of Senate Bill 1548 (NJ) which requires, “school districts to adopt policies concerning student use of sunscreen and sun-protective clothing at school and school-sponsored functions.” The MRF strongly supports school districts’ efforts to encourage sun safe practices and education as the best way to prevent skin cancer, the most common cancer in the US.

Upcoming Registration Deadline - Join the MRF's Advocacy Days

We recently announced that registration for our next Advocacy Days held March 2-4 in Washington, DC is now open! We encourage all to register by February 1 to help schedule meetings with your state and district lawmakers’ office.

The final registration deadline is February 26.

Advocacy Days is a powerful opportunity to make your voice heard and come together as the melanoma community to advocate for the change and support that this community needs. Patients, caregivers and advocates will share their personal stories with lawmakers to inspire action and support initiatives that will drive progress for the melanoma community, such as increasing federal funding for melanoma research, reducing barriers to melanoma treatment access, enabling the availability of a greater volume of sunscreen ingredients and more. Register here to join us in March and amplify your voice!

Patient and Caregiver Education Round-up

Register for the Pediatric Melanoma Family Retreat Weekend!

Don’t miss out on your opportunity to register for our upcoming Pediatric Melanoma Family Retreat Weekend! We’re excited to invite families impacted by pediatric melanoma to a FREE weekend getaway filled with support, education and fun! Join us February 21–23 at beautiful Camp Boggy Creek in sunny Florida—what better way to escape the winter chill? This special retreat is designed for pediatric melanoma patients ages 5–17, along with their siblings and caregivers. Families will enjoy expert-led educational sessions from top healthcare providers, engaging camp activities like archery, boating and fishing and the opportunity to connect with others who understand their journey. It’s a chance to build lasting friendships, gain valuable insights and simply enjoy time together as a family. Spaces are limited—don’t miss this opportunity! Click below to register today or reach out to us at education@melanoma.org for more details. We can’t wait to see you there!

Watch this short video for a sneak peek of what's in store for you at the Pediatric Melanoma Retreat Weekend!

We are also seeking volunteers to help make this retreat a memorable experience for the families. If you’re interested in supporting and want to contribute your time and skills, click here for more details and to sign up!

Ask the Expert Recap

On December 12, we held our Ask the Expert webinar, “MRD Testing for Melanoma: The Next Step in Recurrence Prevention,” which explored how Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) testing is revolutionizing melanoma care by paving the way for earlier detection of recurrence and better patient outcomes. Featuring expert Dr. Vincent Ma from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, alongside melanoma patient advocate Adam Kopp, the webinar brought clinical insights and a personal perspective to life. The event wrapped up with an engaging Q&A session, tackling audience questions and offering actionable takeaways. Click here to watch the full webinar and explore past installments of our Ask the Expert series.

On December 16, we held our Ask an Expert webinar, "Understanding Uveal Melanoma: Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment Options,” which explored the current challenges in diagnosing UM, available treatment options, clinical trials and exciting new therapies in development. The discussion highlighted the critical role of annual screenings, including dilated eye exams, in early detection and improved outcomes for UM patients. This webinar featured expert Dr. Andrew Stacey, Ocular Oncologist at the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital, along with UM patient and advocate Garth Corner. Garth shared his experience with treatment and its impact on his daily life and how he navigated sharing his needs with his healthcare provider. The session concluded with a Q&A, addressing audience questions and offering practical insights. Click here to view the full webinar.

Melanoma Community Surveys - Lend your Voice to Advance Progress for the Melanoma Community

In partnership with Replimune, we have developed a patient-centric survey intended for those with a current or previous diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma stages 3 or 4. We invite you to share your experiences and suggestions to advise the MRF on the options that metastatic patients have been offered and the kinds of support we can provide in the future.

Take the Metastatic Survey Today - MRF Metastatic Cutaneous Melanoma Survey

Upcoming Grant Application Deadlines: MRFBC Team Award and the Resident/Fellow Research Award

We are excited to announce two research funding opportunities with approaching application deadlines: the MRF Breakthrough Consortium (MRFBC) Team Award and the Resident/Fellow Research Award. The MRFBC Team Award is available specifically to principal investigators (PI) who are from an MRFBC institution. This two-year, $250,000 award ($125,000 each year) focuses on translational melanoma research and is intended to emphasize novel, innovative research that will accelerate treatment development for melanoma patients including cutaneous and the rare subtypes such as ocular, mucosal, pediatric and acral lentiginous melanomas. Applications are currently being accepted via Proposal Central. The deadline for the MRFBC Team Award is January 15, 2025 at 5:00pm ET.

The Resident/Fellow Research Award is a one-year $10,000 award intended to promote research opportunities to residents/fellows early in their careers by funding clinical or laboratory-based research projects focused on better understanding the prevention, early detection, behaviors that impact melanoma risk, biology and treatment of melanoma. Applications are currently being accepted via Proposal Central. The deadline for Resident/Fellow Research Awards is February 3, 2025 at 5:00pm ET.

Please reach our to Liz Reilly at lreilly@melanoma.org for any questions regarding research funding.

That's a Wrap on the 2024 Miles for Melanoma Season!

We closed out an incredible year with our final Miles for Melanoma 5K in Fort Myers, FL, where the melanoma community came together to raise an amazing $45,965 for life-saving research, education and advocacy efforts. With 17 events across the country and over $1.2 million raised, this season was nothing short of inspiring. A huge THANK YOU to every participant, donor, sponsor and volunteer who made this year a success—you are the heart of this movement! Mark your calendars: our 2025 season kicks off in Miami, FL, on Sunday, February 9th, at Zoo Miami! Stay tuned for more 2025 dates, which will be announced in the New Year.

Did you join us for a Miles for Melanoma event this year? We’d love your feedback! Take a moment to complete our quick survey and let us know what you loved and where we can improve. Your input will help us make next year’s run/walk events even more fun, impactful and inspiring. We can’t wait to see you at a Miles for Melanoma event in your community in 2025!

Thank You for Your Service

The MRF is incredibly grateful for the service of two Board Members whose invaluable tenure will end on December 31st including Laura Ferris, MD, PhD of UNC who co-chaired the Dermatology Advisory Council (DAC) and Stan Adler who helped steer the MRF’s communications and marketing strategy and was instrumental in the development of the online patient forum. Dr. Ferris served on the Board for three years and Stan Adler served on the Board for over a decade and has been involved with the organization since 2005. Their collective leadership, commitment to advancing hope for the melanoma community and dedication to our mission has been instrumental for the MRF. We thank Dr. Ferris and Stan for tirelessly steering the Foundation to better enable progress for the melanoma community and look forward to their continued support.