YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN DEALING WITH SKIN CANCER

Listed here are a few sources of information and support you might find useful. These groups are not connected to Save Your Skin Foundation. We are providing the links as useful sources of information but do not monitor content for accuracy and quality.

Additional Resources

Save Your Skin Foundation is an affiliate member of Canadian Skin Patient Alliance (CSPA). CSPA serves as an umbrella organization for Canadian not-for-profit patient groups and organizations that deal with skin conditions and diseases. By working together, we can strongly advocate for the needs of skin patients across the country and provide comprehensive education and support.  Skin patients and their families benefit by becoming part of a bigger community and gaining access to information about treatment, care and research in skin disease.

Broad spectrum UVA-UVB protection with a range of textures suitable for every sensitive skin in the family. The No.1 recommended brand by dermatologists.

La Roche-Posay also provides educational resources for educating the public about sun safety and skin cancer prevention, as well as skin care information in the oncology space.  View their recent video “The Importance of Skin Care in Oncology Patients”  During this one hour webinar, they explore to what extent Canadians are living with or surviving from cancer with an increasing number of anti-cancer treatment-induced cutaneous side effects that can severely impact quality of life and ultimately treatment outcomes. Experts Dr. Maxwell Sauder and Dr. Joël Claveau provide practical best practice strategies to mitigate skin toxicities that are associated with oncology treatments, in an effort to improve patient quality of life, patient compliance as well as reduce treatment reduction, interruption and/or discontinuation. Additional collaborative resource available here: The Role of Skin Care in Oncology Patients

For 40 years, the Quebec Cancer Foundation has raised the funds needed to provide everyday support to thousands of Quebecers dealing with cancer and to their loved ones. Through its regional centres in Montreal, Quebec City, Sherbrooke, Gatineau, Trois-Rivieres and Levis, it offers physical wellness programs and psychological support as well as the largest accommodation network in the province. Also, through its Programme it offers adapted help to young people aged 15 to 39 affected by cancer. Finally, the Foundation’s Info-Cancer Services offer listening, answers and solace in every part of the province.  One in two Quebecers will face cancer. But both of them will need accompaniment. We are here to support them. Visit Quebec Cancer Foundation

Q-CROC >>

Quebec – Clinical Research Organization in Cancer (Q-CROC) coordinates a network of 18 of the most active hospitals in oncology clinical research, accounting for more than 95% of recruiting studies in the Quebec province.  Q-CROC develops and accelerates the implementation of initiatives aimed at optimizing clinical research processes in its network, to stimulate the recruitment of participants in compliance with current standards.

StayWell is a charity that provides subsidized housing accommodations to patients who need to relocate to seek treatment in the city of Toronto. Our mission is to remove a major financial barrier to life-saving treatments by providing patients with comfortable, local, reduced-cost housing for patients and their families while they undergo hospital treatment. Visit StayWell.Charity

The major national organization in Canada for all types of cancer information and support. They also have provincial organizations.

We are a member of a network of organizations dedicated to improving accessibility to treatments for patients diagnosed with skin cancer.

The Melanoma Network of Canada is a national, patient-led charity whose mission is to provide melanoma patients and their caregivers with current and accurate information and services in the fight against melanoma.

United States

AIM at Melanoma is globally engaged and locally invested in advancing the battle against melanoma through innovative research, legislative reform, education, and patient and caregiver support.

Cancer.Net is one of the most up-to-date and trusted resources for cancer information. Cancer.Net provides timely, oncologist-approved information to people living with cancer and those who care for and care about them. All the information and content on Cancer.Net was developed and approved by the cancer doctors who are members of ASCO, to help patients and families make informed healthcare decisions.

Established in 2003, the Melanoma International Foundation (MIF) is a non-profit organization created to provide the scientifically sound guidance and support.

The Melanoma Action Coalition was established in 2014 by leaders of seven community-based foundations focused on increasing awareness about melanoma, providing education about sun safety, and raising money for melanoma research. Originally based in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States, they have since grown to include organizations and individuals from throughout the United States and Canada.

The mission of the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) is to end suffering and death due to melanoma by collaborating with all stakeholders to accelerate powerful research, advance cures for all patients, and prevent more melanomas.

Committed to the support of medical research in finding effective treatments and eventually a cure for melanoma, the MRF also educates patients, caregivers and physicians about the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of melanoma.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the U.S. is part of their National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NCI coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, and the continuing care of cancer patients and the families of cancer patients. The link above is to their homepage about skin cancers.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®) is a not-for-profit alliance of 28 leading cancer centers devoted to patient care, research, and education. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers around the world.

The Shade Foundation of America describes itself as “The Children’s Skin Cancer Education & Prevention Foundation.” Based in Washington, DC, is the only national U.S. children’s foundation devoted to skin cancer education and prevention. The site includes activities and resources to educate kids about protecting their skin.

Based in New York City, The Skin Cancer Foundation was founded in 1979 and works to educate the public and the medical profession about skin cancer, its prevention by means of sun protection, the need for early detection, and prompt, effective treatment. It is the only international organization devoted solely to combating skin cancer.

Additional Support Groups

Founded as CHEMOcare in 1981 and based in New Jersey, Cancer Hope Network is a not-for-profit organization that provides free and confidential one-on-one support to cancer patients and/or their family members. They do this by matching patients and family members with trained volunteers who have themselves undergone and recovered from a similar cancer experience.

Calling itself “A global network of education and hope, the Cancer Support Community is based in Washington, DC, and runs various programs and activities to achieve its mission of ensuring “that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action, and sustained by community.”

One of the older groups for cancer patients, CancerCare was founded in 1944 and is based in New York. It offers free, professional support services including counseling and support groups over the phone, online and in-person, educational workshops, publications and financial and co-payment assistance. All services are provided by oncology social workers and world-leading cancer experts.

Faces of Skin Cancer gives people affected by advanced skin cancer a place to share their stories and help others understand what it really means to live with this disease. It includes video, audio and written stories that highlight different emotional and physical aspects of advanced skin cancer. Visitors can show support by sharing the stories with others and submitting their own stories.

Melanoma Patients Australia is the only patient driven non profit organisation that offers a national network of support and information to patients, their families, carers, and friends, about melanoma prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment.

Melanoma Brazil is made up of volunteers who are willing to contribute their time and expertise in the dissemination and awareness of skin cancer through various campaigns, to provide information and support for everyone.

Contact: Rebecca Montanheiro – Melanomabrasil@gmail.com

The Association Melanoma Uruguay/Latin America is a support group for patients diagnosed with melanoma. It was born in February 2015 from the collaboration of “Aim at Melanoma,” which for more than a decade have helped people diagnosed and fighting melanoma.

Contact America Latina: Claudia Piazza Cidonio – claudia.cidonio@aimatmelanoma.org

Melanoma UK is a patient support and advocacy group, dedicated to helping melanoma patients during all stages and fundraising to provide melanoma nurses and research.

Contact: Gill Nuttall – Gillian.nuttall@melanoma.org.uk

Melanoma Action and Support Scotland (MASScot) offers support to patients with melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer and their carrers.

Contact: Leigh’s – leigh@masscot.org.uk

Melanoma Germany is a nonprofit organization for those looking for more information and assistance about melanoma.


Contact: Madison Garrett – madison@aimatmelanoma.org

Les BisolaireS deals with solar prevention and is aimed at those who wish to protect themselves effectively from the sun, and avoid sunburn, sunstroke and any consequent cancer of the skin (carcinoma and melanoma). The aim of this site is to collate the information that a patient needs to care for a scar, and also to display a range of information about sun protection including details of sunscreens adapted to skin type, anti-UV (or not) clothing, UV protection sunglasses which meet European standards, sun hats, hair care for sunny conditions.

The aim of Melanome France is a  better understanding of melanoma, and to make treatments available to help patients in France.

Contact: Gilly Spurrier – Gilliosa@melanomefrance.com

Melanoma Italia provides up to date information about the disease and support to patients.

Contacts: Chiara Puri Purini – Chiara.puripurini@melanomaitalia.org or Claudia Cidonio: claudia.cidonio@aimatmelanoma.org

The Portuguese Melanoma Intergroup (IPM) is a medical society, non-profit made up of professionals from different disciplines interested in the study, diagnosis and treatment of melanoma.

Contact: Maria Jose Passos – Passos.m@gmail.com

Melanoma España is a new Facebook Page created by a group of specialists and an American non-profit association to answer the most common questions that patients and their family have when diagnosed with Melanoma or have a recurrence.

Contact: Virginia Aznar de Carillo – virginia.aznar@mfar.net

Making awareness and education available is crucial. Since 2006, the Foundation has worked to raise awareness of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers focusing on education, prevention and the need for improved patient care.