melanoma canada

Understanding Cutaneous Reactions in Advanced Cancer Treatments

Join Dr. Joël Claveau as he delves into the complexities of targeted therapy and immunotherapy, innovative cancer treatments known for their efficacy but also for potential side effects. Gain insights into the unique dermatological reactions associated with these medications, including their impact on skin, hair, nails, and eyes. Understand the nuances and differences in side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy drugs, empowering patients and healthcare professionals with essential knowledge for informed decision-making and proactive care.

Speaker:

Dr. Joël Claveau
Dermatologist, Ville de Québec, QC

Dr. Joël Claveau is a dermatologist, specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of Melanoma and Skin Cancers, and an Associate Professor with the Department of Medicine at Laval University where he completed his Medical Study and Internal Medicine training. He did his residency in Dermatology at McGill University and subsequently worked at the Melanoma Clinic at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Quebec. He is a diplomat of the American Board of Dermatology and is a member of a number of Medical Societies including the American Academy of Dermatology and the International Dermoscopy Society.

He has received awards including Honorary Member of La Société Française de Dermatologie, the Dermatologist’s Volunteer Award of the Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) for his work on the prevention of skin cancers and the CDA Symposium of the year on two occasions (Dermoscopy). Since 1996, he has been the Director of the Melanoma and Skin Cancer Clinic at Le Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Hôtel-Dieu de Québec, and worked in Public Health for the province of Québec, especially on the new Tanning Bed Legislation. He participated to the publication of papers in peer-reviewed journals including work on melanoma, skin cancers and sunscreens. He is actively involved in various Continuing Medical Education events and investigator in many clinical trials on advanced and metastatic melanoma.

When:

February 28th at 8 PM ET | 5PM ET

Register:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xRUxwey-Rq2AlFt8tSrkgQ

Paxlovid® Submission Survey Results Data

Save Your Skin Foundation is proud to present the findings of our survey, designed to capture the experiences of individuals with COVID-19 in using Paxlovid® as a treatment. This survey welcomed participants from diverse backgrounds, including those who have battled COVID-19, regardless of whether they used Paxlovid®, as well as individuals keen to share their views on accessible treatments for the virus.

The invaluable insights gathered through this survey played a pivotal role in shaping our submissions to the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) and Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS) for access to Paxlovid®.

Save Your Skin Foundation developed this survey to gather patient experiences regarding the use of Paxlovid® as a treatment for COVID-19. The survey was open to everyone who has either experienced COVID-19, regardless of whether they received Paxlovid®, and others who wanted to contribute their opinion on the importance of accessible treatments for COVID-19. This information was used for Save Your Skin Foundation to prepare submissions for access to Paxlovid® to CADTH and INESSS. This survey was endorsed and distributed by a variety of partner patient groups, to whom we are grateful for their support; a complete list of these organizations is available on the final page of this presentation.

Two versions of the survey were open from September 3-September 20, 2023, one in English and one in French. Data from both of the surveys was combined for the aforementioned CADTH and INESSS submissions. For this presentation, visual representations of the English results will be accompanied by a description of the French data for each question.

Lastly, we would like to express our gratitude to the partner patient groups who endorsed and distributed this survey, and we are thankful for their unwavering support. In these results, we will showcase the visual representations of the English survey results, complemented by detailed descriptions of the corresponding data from the French survey. Your participation and contribution have been instrumental in advancing our mission toward accessible and effective COVID-19 treatments.

View the full results here!

Opdualag™ Submission Survey Results Data

In the realm of medical breakthroughs, understanding patient experiences is paramount. In this spirit, the Save Your Skin Foundation embarked on a pioneering initiative, delving into the world of melanoma treatment. The survey, titled “The Patient Experience of Nivolumab + Relatlimab (Opdualag™),” crafted meticulously by the foundation, was designed to fathom the depths of Opdualag™ as a treatment for adult cutaneous melanoma in stage III unresectable or stage IV melanoma.

Save Your Skin Foundation developed this survey to gather patient experiences regarding the use of Opdualag™ as a treatment for adult cutaneous melanoma in stage III unresectable or stage IV melanoma. The survey was open to everyone who has received a treatment for melanoma, regardless of stage and experience with Opdualag™; however, data logic has been applied to ensure that only applicable participants answer the questions about Opdualag™. This information was used for Save Your Skin Foundation to prepare submissions for access to Opdualag™ to the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) and Institut national d’excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS).

Two versions of the survey were open from July 3-July 15, 2023, one in English and one in French. Data from both of the surveys was combined for the aforementioned CADTH and INESSS submissions. For this presentation, visual representations of the English results will be accompanied by description of the French data for each question.

View the full results here!

Move for Melanoma 2023 – It’s a Wrap

A tremendous THANK YOU to all of our incredibly dedicated participants and generous donors!

50 participants and 14 teams across Canada took part in Move for Melanoma this year! We have been so moved and inspired by this incredible community of patients, families, and friends.

After the success of last year, we once again set ourselves an ambitious goal of raising $75,000. With your help, we ended up reaching our goal once again this year!

Video wrap up

To wrap up this monumental weekend, we’ve created the Recap Video below. We hope you will take a few moments to watch it as we pay tribute to our incredible participants, donors and sponsors across Canada. You can also view our 2023 PSA with J.T. Miller from the Vancouver Canucks!

We’d also like to highlight the three fundraising teams that raised the most this year.

Team Ocumel Canada

Based in Victoria, BC, Team Captain Nigel Deacon ran a marathon distance to inspire others to donate to this worthy cause. Together with his fellow team members, they raised an incredible $12,777 for ocular melanoma patients.

Check out his team page here.

Scots across the Rockies

Based in Powel River, BC, Team Captain Taylor Tomko created a family donation page in hopes of inspiring others to donate to this worthy cause. Together with her fellow team members, they raised an incredible $9,704 for melanoma patients.

Check out her team page here.

Helen’s Freewheelers’s

Based in Nanaimo, BC, Team Helen’s Freewheelers raised funds in honour of Helen’s courageous battle against metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma. She’s now undergoing immunotherapy on Vancouver Island and exploring more advanced treatment options and clinical drug trials. The team raised $6,000

Check out their team page here.

Finally, we’d like to acknowledge the many businesses that stepped up to support our event this year. Please show them your support!

Coping with the Emotional Impact of Cancer – Mental Health Week

Empowerment Through Connection: Join us during Mental Health Week for a special webinar tailored to individuals actively managing their cancer diagnosis, caregivers providing unwavering support, survivors navigating the aftermath, and anyone touched by cancer.

We’ll delve into the unique emotional and psychological dimensions of the cancer journey, fostering resilience and building connections within this community.

Our featured speakers include

Dr. Sue Johnson, Founding Director of the Ottawa Couple and Family Institute and the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy;
Lyanne Westie, SYSF Wellness Support Consultant;
Guest speaker

Join us for an enriching and supportive discussion that aims to empower you on your cancer journey. Together, we can foster resilience and build lasting connections.

REGISTER TODAY!

Only 23 days left! Move for Melanoma 2023

As we eagerly approach the month of September, our excitement grows as we prepare to shine a spotlight on the amazing accomplishments of our community.

The momentum leading up to our highly anticipated 5th annual Move for Melanoma fundraiser has been nothing short of inspiring. This event is not only a testament to our collective dedication to those touched by melanoma, non-melanoma, skin cancers & ocular/uveal melanoma but also a powerful reminder of the impact we can achieve together. Mark your calendars for the dates of September 22-24, 2023, as we unite once again for this remarkable cause.

Fundraising Tips

The team at Save Your Skin Foundation would like to thank the 21 participants who have registered, as well as the 11 teams that have already joined the Move for Melanoma. Your involvement has catapulted us beyond expectations, propelling us to reach 25% of our fundraising goal.

Our journey is far from over! With each step we take and each contribution made, we inch closer to our ultimate objective. The funds raised through Move for Melanoma have consistently offered invaluable support to those affected by melanoma, non-melanoma, skin cancers & ocular/uveal melanoma.

Fundraiser tips

With only 23 days to go before Move for Melanoma, it’s the perfect time to do another round of requests for donations. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you:

Post on social media frequently. People rarely donate the first time they are asked. By posting frequently, you’ll remind people who might have forgotten, and get better results.
Send personal emails. Most people, when asked directly, will be happy to make a donation to a cause important to a friend or family member.
Tell your story. This cause is important to you for a reason. People who are touched by your story will be more likely to give.
Use an image. We all know the power images have. Consider including a photo of yourself or your family in your posts or emails.

And don’t forget to always include the URL to your fundraising page so that donations made as a result of your posts will be correctly assigned to your team.

For more on how to fundraise, including sample posts you can use, click here.

Participant Resources

We’ve created some resources to help you get ready for Move for Melanoma. The resources include:

A Participant Timeline – that offers tips and tricks for getting ready for the event
A Donation Form – which you can print out and use to keep track of donations made to you with cash, cheque or credit card
A Scavenger Hunt Printout – Print this out to lead your kids through a fun scavenger hunt.
A Scavenger Hunt Instructions document – To help you prepare for the hunt.
Three Posters – Which you can print and post around town to help promote the event and get people to join your team

Social Media Posts & Copy

Save and share these posts on your social media accounts to encourage your network to donate to your team! Click on the images to download.

“On September 23-24th, I’ll be challenging myself to (insert activity) to raise funds for melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer and ocular melanoma patients during #Move4Melanoma. As you may know, I was (or my mother/husband/sister/father/brother etc.) diagnosed with (insert type of cancer) in (insert year). What you may not know is that melanoma and other types of skin cancer are being diagnosed at an alarming rate, and that cancer patients need our help.

I ask that you please consider supporting me in fundraising for patients in need, so that everyone diagnosed with (insert disease) may have the same chances of survival. Every dollar donated will go directly to a patient in need in the form of treatment costs, flights, accommodation and other necessary but costly expenses incurred while receiving treatment. Thanks in advance for your generosity. Donate here.”

Hair Heroes Challenge

We are happy to announce that Save Your Skin Foundation has partnered with the Ontario Professional Hairstylist Association to launch the Hair Heroes Challenge!

The Challenge calls on all hairstylists and hair schools across Canada to show off their skills and make a difference in the fight against skin cancer with Sty-Lives. This social media campaign in English and French aims to showcase just how simple and effortless skin cancer scalp checks can be.

Participating is easy, and participants have two options:

Options 1: Shoot a captivating video (60 seconds or less) where they demonstrate their hairstyling prowess while performing a skin cancer check on their client.

Option 2: Capture the transformation with a before and after photo of their client’s hair, following a thorough check or styling session.

We had the pleasure of being interviewed by OPHA about the Challenge. Watch the video to learn more.

Want to participate? Don’t forget to include our official hashtags, #HairHeroes & #Sty-lives2023, mention Sty-Lives, and let your imagination run wild! The SYSF team will be on the lookout for the most imaginative video that not only promotes Sty-Lives, but also showcases the importance of skin cancer checks. You’ll stand a chance to win an amazing prize that will leave you jumping for joy! So, grab those scissors, unleash your imagination, and get ready to win big with Sty-Lives!

This challenge is running through all social media platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. Don’t forget to tag us!

A new framework for co-creating telehealth for cancer care with the patient community

Louise Binder from SYSF co-authored an excellent and insightful publication titled “A New Framework for Co-Creating Telehealth for Cancer Care with the Patient Community” published in The Patient – Patient-Centered Outcomes Research. Check it out here.

Move for Melanoma

Move for Melanoma is an activity challenge that takes place across Canada. The goal of the event is to bring awareness to melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer and ocular melanoma, while raising funds to support patients affected with these diseases when they need it most.

This year, the event will take place on September 22-24, 2023. As always, participants will be able to choose a physical challenge of their choice to complete on the weekend of the event. Participants will form teams and, together with their friends and family, try to reach their personal fundraising goals.

We’ve made it super easy for you to participate! To get started, sign up here. You can register as a Team Captain, as an individual or join an existing team. Once you’ve registered, we’ll email you some resources to help you recruit team members and encourage people to start donating to your team.

Then, on the weekend of Sept. 22-24, we’ll invite you to complete your chosen activity and take lots of pictures to capture the fun.

Learn More & Register

Move for Melanoma 2023

Move for Melanoma is an activity challenge that takes place across Canada. The goal of the event is to bring awareness to melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer and ocular melanoma, while raising funds to support patients affected with these diseases when they need it most.

This year, the event will take place on September 22-24th, 2023. As always, participants will be able to choose a physical challenge of their choice to complete on the weekend of the event. Participants will form teams and, together with their friends and family, try to reach their personal fundraising goals.

To facilitate the whole thing, again this year, we will be using a custom website that allows people to register, donate, solicit donations, track progress and promote the event all in one place. The website also includes many resources for participants to help them get ready, and a Q&A page for more information.

If you’re interested in joining us, please visit Move for Melanoma 2023 and register now.

Save Your Skin Foundation is the only organization in Canada that supports skin cancer patients financially when they need it most. All the money raised through your donations goes directly to patients in the form of cab fares, treatment costs, flights, accommodation and other necessary but costly expenses incurred while receiving treatment.

Whether you’re a survivor who wants to bring hope to newly diagnosed patients, the family member or friend of a patient who wants to send a powerful message of solidarity, or a patient who wants to help change the face of cancer for ever, we invite you to take a stand against melanoma and to move with us this September!

Hand in hand, we fight melanoma together!

Understanding Cutaneous Reactions in Advanced Cancer Treatments

Paxlovid® Submission Survey Results Data

Opdualag™ Submission Survey Results Data

Move for Melanoma 2023 – It’s a Wrap

Video wrap up

We’d also like to highlight the three fundraising teams that raised the most this year.

Finally, we’d like to acknowledge the many businesses that stepped up to support our event this year. Please show them your support!

Coping with the Emotional Impact of Cancer – Mental Health Week

Empowerment Through Connection: Join us during Mental Health Week for a special webinar tailored to individuals actively managing their cancer diagnosis, caregivers providing unwavering support, survivors navigating the aftermath, and anyone touched by cancer.