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melanoma survivor

Life After Treatment: Resources for Skin Cancer Survivors

Becoming a skin cancer survivor is not just about defeating a disease; it’s about transitioning from one phase of your life to another. Many melanoma survivors we’ve talked to have said that transitioning into survivorship, despite being the best possible outcome, has its own unique challenges. Suddenly, the care team that had been seeing them regularly is no longer part of their life. And then there’s scanxiety, or the anxiety that many people struggle with when it’s time for their annual maintenance scans.

Kathy Barnard, founder of Save Your Skin Foundation, understands this all too well as she is herself a melanoma stage 4 survivor. That’s why, when she decided to start Save Your Skin Foundation in 2006, she knew she wanted to make sure the foundation supported skin cancer patients throughout the whole continuum of their journey, including survivorship. She also wanted to help survivors and patients connect with each other so they would feel less alone in their journey.

This blog post will give you an overview of the resources we’ve developed to support melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer survivors. We hope you will find something that can help you on your journey.

Resources for Skin Cancer Survivors

Survivorship Resources

Our Survivorship page lists several resources created specifically for cancer survivors.

skin cancer survivor
skin cancer survivor

Self-Care After Cancer

Our Self-Care After Cancer page offers tons of information for those in remission, including a Q&A that answers common questions asked by new skin cancer survivors.

I’m Living Proof

I’m Living Proof is an interactive map that allows you to find other skin cancer survivors. Simply click on a star to read their story. You can even request to connect with them if you would like to know more or ask a question. We hope these stories of strength and resilience will offer you support and inspiration as you navigate your own path.

skin cancer survivors

Monthly Fireside Chats

Join our Monthly Patient Fireside Chats which have a small standing group of core hosts & new topics every first Thursday of the month. These informal chats are open to patients, survivors, caregivers and family members touched by melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, and ocular melanoma. They are discussions about life after a cancer diagnosis, including sharing experiences with treatment options, survivorship, navigating the healthcare system, and any other concern that you might have. It is also a great opportunity to meet other patients and survivors from across Canada.

Webinars

Save your Skin Foundation webinars are a great way to stay up-to-date by listening to patients, survivors, doctors, and pharmaceutical company executives discuss the melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, and ocular melanoma landscape. Each webinar features a variety of experts and discusses a different topic.

skin cancer survivor
skin cancer survivor

One-on-one Support

Transitioning into survivorship has its own challenges. Save Your Skin Foundation wishes to bring support to all those in remission. We invite all ocular melanoma, melanoma, and non-melanoma skin cancer patients, at any stage, to get in touch.

As you navigate the complex landscape of life after skin cancer treatment, remember that you are not alone. We invite you to connect with us and fellow survivors, and to help us in creating a community where hope and resilience abound as you embrace this new chapter in your journey.

Get Support

Save Your Skin Foundation wishes to bring hope and support to all those touched by melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers, or ocular melanoma – whether they are newly diagnosed, currently undergoing treatment, in remission or referred to as “NED” (no evidence of disease).

WE INVITE ALL SKIN CANCER PATIENTS, AT ANY STAGE, TO GET IN TOUCH.

We are here to help. Call us at 1-800-460-5832 or email info@saveyourskin.ca

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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!

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8th Annual Patients Redefining the Future of Health Care in Canada Summit

 

The 8th Annual Patients Redefining the Future of Health Care in Canada Summit will be held on Zoom during the week of Nov. 13! This annual patient education and awareness Summit is a joint project between Save Your Skin Foundation and Canadian Psoriasis Network, in collaboration with an Indigenous volunteer from Kiyasiw Consulting.

Join patients, caregivers, and other healthcare stakeholders from across the country to hear from community leaders, advocates, and experts about long-standing systemic issues related to equity and oppression in our health systems and discover how we can work together to truly modernize healthcare to meet the needs of all.

Our schedule for this year:

13 Nov. 11 AM-4 PM EST: Challenges to Meeting People Where They’re At
15 Nov. 12 PM-4 PM EST: Highlighting Indigenous Health Needs
16 Nov. 12 PM-4 PM EST: Opportunities to Modernize Health Care to Meet the Needs of All
17 Nov. 12 PM- 1:30 PM EST: Patient Planning Session- restricted to patients/caregivers and related groups

Ready to register? Click the the link here.

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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! 

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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.

 

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Patient Fireside Sunshine Chit-Chat: A Virtual Summer Catch-Up

5-6 PM PT | 8-9 PM ET

AUGUST TOPIC

Fireside Sunshine Chit-Chat: A Virtual Summer Catch-Up

This call will last 1 hour!
Fireside Sunshine Chit-Chat: A Virtual Summer Catch-Up
We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming Fireside Chat, where we will embrace the carefree spirit of summer and bask in the sunny side of support! 🌞
This month’s chat will be a summer-themed get-together filled with meaningful conversations and connections. Instead of adhering to a specific agenda, we have designed a relaxed environment for engaging discussions and positive interactions. 🏖️
Whether you have experienced cancer firsthand, are a survivor, a dedicated caregiver, or simply seek understanding companionship, this gathering is tailored to suit your needs. Join us as we share personal journeys, catch up, lend empathetic ears, and forge lasting bonds that will illuminate this summer season. 🌈
Our aim is to cultivate a support community that radiates warmth and comfort. So mark your calendars, share the news, and let’s create unforgettable memories this summer! We look forward to seeing you there!

REGISTER TODAY!

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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!

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Monthly Patient Fireside Chat – Nurturing Wellness and Self-Care in Cancer Patients, Caregivers & Survivors

 

JULY TOPIC

Nurturing Wellness and Self-Care in Cancer Patients, Caregivers & Survivors

Join us for our upcoming July Fireside Chat, where we will be focusing on an important topic that often goes unnoticed – the wellness and self-care of patients, caregivers, and survivors who have faced melanoma, non-melanoma, skin cancers, and Ocular/uveal melanoma in the past.

Amidst the recent discussions in oncology and Survivor Day, we believe it’s essential to take a moment to pause, breathe, and check in on everyone’s overall well-being. Our Fireside Chat will provide a safe and supportive environment for open conversations about wellness, self-care, sharing experiences, and exploring strategies for support.

Whether you have personally battled cancer or have been a caregiver or survivor, we invite you to join us for this meaningful discussion. It’s crucial to acknowledge the emotional impact that cancer can have and provide resources and support for maintaining overall well-being throughout the journey.

Together, let’s create a space where we can listen, empathize, and learn from one another. Mark your calendars and join us for this July Fireside Chat dedicated to nurturing wellness and self-care in those affected by various forms of cancer.

REGISTER TODAY!

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Monthly Patient Fireside Chats – Survivorship

5pm – 6:30pm PT | 8pm – 9:30pm ET

This year, we’re taking our monthly patient support chats in a new direction!

What’s new?

Our monthly chats are attended by a small standing group of core hosts, including SYSF Founder Kathy Barnard and fellow survivors, who take turns leading the group in a themed topic each month, allowing plenty of time for questions and discussion.

This month’s theme:

This month we’ll be celebrating survivorship and sharing stories of triumph. During this Fireside Chat we’re talking about celebrating cancer survivorship in honour of National Cancer Survivors Day in June with host Rob Stauffer who’s a melanoma survivor from Alberta, Canada.
Come learn and share with other patients and caregivers.
This month’s host:

Rob Stauffer, melanoma survivor, AB

Register Now

 

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Hockey Fights Cancer Focuses on Save Your Skin Foundation This Year

Save Your Skin Foundation has been chosen to receive special focus during the Vancouver Canucks’s Hockey Fights Cancer Night!

 

This year’s Hockey Fights Cancer game will have a special focus and holds important meaning to a member of the Canucks family. In 2020, Natalie Miller’s mother, Janet, passed away from metastatic melanoma. Since her diagnosis, J.T. and Natalie have supported Save Your Skin Foundation. The Vancouver Canucks announced this morning that a $20,000 donation will be made to Save Your Skin Foundation on behalf of the Canucks for Kids Fund.

 

If you’d like to join us on Sat, Dec. 3rd at Rogers Arena, you can purchase your tickets using the following link and SYSF will get $10 from every ticket sold: https://offer.fevo.com/arizona-coyotes-ebylfkn-46c643. We will have a booth in section 111 so if you come to the game, make sure to come say hi! A video featuring SYSF founder Kathy Barnard will play during the game and our booth will be features as well.

 

On top of all this, the purple jerseys worn by the players during their warm-up session will be auctioned off with proceeds coming to SYSF. We are truly honoured by the generosity shown by the Vancouver Canucks and the J.T. Miller family, and by this wonderful opportunity to bring greater awareness to melanoma.

 

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