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Train Like the Canucks

We are thrilled to be partnering with Vancouver Canucks’ JT Miller and his wife Natalie this year to fundraise during Move for Melanoma.

Train Like the Canucks is a team that can be joined by anyone. People who join the team are challenged to complete a workout designed by JT Miller himself with the help of his trainer, which emulates a typical workout performed by the Vancouver Canucks hockey players.

All who join the team will be entered into a draw to win a signed Vancouver Canucks’ jersey and other prizes.

Funds raised by Train Like the Canucks will go to Save Your Skin Foundation, the only organization in Canada that supports skin cancer patients financially when they need it most, in the form of treatment costs, flights, accommodation and other necessary but costly expenses incurred while receiving treatment.

To learn more about JT Miller and his wife’s connection to Save Your Skin Foundation, watch the short video below.

Join Train Like the Canucks

 

Q&A

 

How can I join team Train Like the Canucks? 

To join, start by clicking here to register. On the registration page, select “Train Like the Canucks” from the list of activities. If you’re a new user, create an account. If you’re a returning participant, login to your existing account. *If you’ve already registered for another team for this year’s event, you will have to join with a different account using a different email address.* There is a $25 registration fee to join the Train Like the Canucks team.

Does it cost money to be part of Train Like the Canucks?

There is a $25 fee to be part of Train Like the Canucks. All proceeds will go directly to supporting skin cancer patients in need. You are also encouraged to make a donation and to invite your friends and family to support the cause. We thank you in advance for your support.

When will I receive the Canucks workout plan?

Once you are registered with Train Like the Canucks, you will receive the  workout plan by email within a couple of weeks. If you don’t receive it within two weeks, please look in your spam folder or contact marianne@saveyourskin.ca.

I tried joining Train Like the Canucks but I got an error message saying I’m already registered. What should I do? 

Unfortunately, you cannot be part of more than one team with the same account. That means that if you’ve already registered for Move for Melanoma this year, you’ll have to create a separate account to join Train Like the Canucks. To do so, you will need to use a different email address. If you don’t have two email addresses and want to join, please email marianne@saveyourskin.ca to make arrangements.

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Move for Melanoma 2021

Move for Melanoma is back!

This year, we’ll be joined by Vancouver Canucks’ JT Miller and his wife Natalie to raise funds for melanoma skin cancer. 

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 illnesses when they need it most.

This year, the event will take place on September 25-26th, 2021. 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 2021 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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SYSF Endorses the Declaration of Personal Health Data Rights in Canada

SYSF is pleased to announce that it has endorsed an important new initiative, aimed at advocating for the personal health data rights of Canadians. Developed by a patient and caregiver-led Data Working Group formed in 2019 from the annual Patients Redefining the Future of Healthcare in Canada Summit, the Declaration of Personal Health Data Rights in Canada is intended to create greater consensus on the fundamental principles associated with personal health data, particularly from the perspective of patient and citizen groups; in order to encourage the health ecosystem to work out how to achieve these principles efficiently and effectively in partnership with industry, policy-makers, other data custodians, and patients.

The working group undertook a brief review of the current landscape related to personal health data. Various drafts were revised with feedback from a range of health data custodian perspectives, but with a major focus on the perspectives of patients, caregivers, citizen groups and patient group such as SYSF. Since the Declaration’s launch in June 2021, it has been endorsed by 27 patient groups as well as 9 individual patients and caregivers.

Personal health data are critical to patient safety and quality care leading to better health outcomes, while fuelling research and innovation to benefit individuals, groups, and the general public. The Supreme Court of Canada has found that people own and have a continuing interest in and control over their personal health data, while custodians of those data own the records. Because of this, people in Canada have corresponding rights over the personal health data they provide. These eleven rights are: to be informed; to consent; to access, portability & correction; to de-identification; to benefit; to object to processing; to restrict processing; to a complaint process; to privacy & security; to erasure; and to engagement.

The Declaration is available in two formats. To read or download the full Declaration, click here. To read the Executive Summary of the Declaration, click here.

 

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SYSF Around the World

“SYSF works hard to bring resources from around the world to give Canadian skin cancer patients the latest information on treatment options and disease management.

This year our May campaigns have gone around the globe – from our long-standing participation in the Global Coalition for Melanoma Patient Advocacy with the Melanoma Research Foundation to the Melanoma International Patient Advocates Coalition with AIM at Melanoma to Ocumel Canada’s partnership with the US, the UK, Ireland and Australia, all the way home to the NCCN Guidelines created in the US but used by our own Health Care Providers in Canada.

We hope you enjoy these resources and welcome questions or feedback any time.”

Natalie Richardson, Managing Director, SYSF

We are very pleased to congratulate the National Comprehensive Cancer Network on the release of a new valuable patient/caregiver resource! Save Your Skin Foundation is proud to have provided endorsement for the Guide and have our Managing Director Natalie featured on the cover!

The new NCCN Guidelines for Patients® on Melanoma provides an extremely comprehensive and informational reference for patients covering melanoma basics, testing, staging, treatment and recurrence. 

Click HERE to view and download the Guidelines

 

In collaboration with the Global Coalition for Melanoma Patient Advocacy, hosted by the Melanoma Research Foundation in the United States, Save Your Skin Foundation participated in the making of this skin check awareness video for Melanoma Awareness Month 2021, featuring melanoma patients and caregivers from across the globe demonstrating that the time it takes to do a skin self-exam is the same as that of drinking a cup of coffee. Check it out:

Need help performing a self skin check? Click here for a video tutorial!

 

Also:

Save Your Skin Foundation is a proud member of MI-PAC, a coalition of organizations across the globe committed to reducing the global melanoma burden through education, advocacy, and collaboration. MIPAC, hosted by AIM at Melanoma in the United States, works to increase awareness and change public perceptions of melanoma, empower melanoma patients to take an active role in their care, and effect change in regulatory policies to optimize treatment and care.

Watch for our upcoming patient stories and continued awareness initiatives right here at home in Canada!  For more information or support please contact us at kathy@saveyourskin.ca / 1.800.460.5832

 

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Giving Hope Gala 2021

In Celebration of our 15th Anniversary, SYSF Presents the 2021 Giving Hope Gala!

Join us for a fun, virtual gala experience in a custom world created just for us! We’ll use a new online chat platform that allows us to connect virtually in a more human way. You’ll easily be able to move in and out of conversations like you would in person with the platform’s spatial video, all while supporting an important cause.

Plus, we’ll have lots of fun on-site activities to keep you entertained!

Why Attend

In real-time audio and video, you’ll be able to connect with Kathy Barnard and the Save Your Skin team, patients and survivors from across Canada, and cancer care stakeholders, all while raising funds for a great cause.

All you need is a computer with wifi, headphones and a comfortable place to be while you attend virtually! This event will also provide the latest information on sun safety, skin cancer prevention, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer treatment in Canada, upcoming SYSF initiatives and events, plus fun and surprises, all from the comfort and safety of your home.

Celebrate with us!

Mark your calendars. The Gala will take place on
Thursday, April 29, 2021 from 5-8pm PT, 8-11pm ET

Dress Code

This is a business casual event. We encourage you to dress to look polished while still being comfortable. And don’t forget to bring out your nicest cocktail glasses!

How to join the gala

The official party link will be sent to all ticket holders on the week of the gala.

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Sun Safety in the Winter

The arrival of frosty weather prompts the annual changes from t-shirts to turtle necks and flip flops to boots. While cold lemonade is left behind for hot chocolate, one routine that must remain through the seasonal shift is sun safety. Winter leads many to believe that sun protection is no longer required. In reality, fresh snow can reflect between 80-90% of UV rays. The reflection from snow combined with the impact of direct sunlight can therefore result in double exposure.

This high exposure can be especially worrisome while doing winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding. While practicing these sports, people are exposed to blankets of reflective snow along with the consequences of both the sun and the altitude. At higher elevations, UV radiation is absorbed at a lower rate and as a result the UV rays are considerably stronger. The World Health Organization has noted that a 1000 meter increase in altitude is associated with an increase of nearly 10 per cent in UV radiation. To put that into perspective, the ski resort with the highest elevation in Canada is 2,730 meters. According to the estimation, the ski resort faces almost a 30% increase in UV levels due to altitude.

In addition to this, cloudy skies are not enough to stop the penetration of the sun’s rays. The clouds are actually thought to make the sun more harmful because they cause an unpredictable scattering effect of UV rays.

Taking all of this into consideration, there are actions that can be taken to stay safe from the sun throughout winter. First and foremost, it is advised to wear a sunscreen that is  waterproof. This sunscreen should be applied and reapplied especially to often missed areas like the nose, ears, neck and chin. Additionally, layering clothing protects the rest of the body from sun exposure and provides warmth from the cold weather. Finally, gear like helmets and goggles used for winter sports should not be neglected since they act as both a protectant from injuries and the beaming sun. Evidently, winter brings about changes in attire, activities and weather but the importance of sun safety remains. While we should definitely still get outside in the winter for our dose of vitamin D, we should always make sure we’re protecting ourselves and those we love. 

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Register Now for A Vikings’ Challenge

A Viking’s Challenge is Back!

Last March, Chris Isfeld completed a massive challenge, a challenge no one ever thought he’d be able to complete only a couple of years before. Three years after being diagnosed with late stage melanoma and becoming partially paralyzed from the waist down, he ran 30km across frozen Lake Winnipeg and raised almost $20,000 for melanoma patients.

Building on last year’s enormous success, Chris invites you to join A Viking’s Challenge this year by running a distance of your choice anywhere in Canada. By channeling our inner Vikings, we will make a powerful statement of support for Chris’s heroic journey and help support other melanoma patients so they can, one day, be victors themselves.

To learn more about Chris’s story and last year’s challenge, click here.

Register

 

Event Details

When: March 6-7, 2021 – all day
Where: Because of the pandemic, the event will take place virtually, allowing participants to run any distance they choose from any location in Canada and beyond.
How: To participate, you must first register here and pledge to run a certain number of kilometres. We will keep a running tally of the number of kilometres pledged and see how many times we can “cross” Lake Winnipeg.
Each participant will have the option to get a free medal to commemorate their participation. Special t-shirts and other merchandise are also available for purchase in our Etsy store!

How many times will we cross the lake this year?

As of this writing, 13 participants have already pledged to run a total of 205km (last updated on Jan. 18). What will you pledge to run?
As always, every dollar raised through this event will go directly to assisting melanoma, non melanoma skin cancer and ocular melanoma patients meet their everyday needs during treatment in the form of transportation, accommodation, child care, lost wages and more.
So what are you waiting for? Register now for A Viking’s Challenge and start training to channel your inner Viking!

 

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Happy Holidays from the SYSF Team!

From Save Your Skin Foundation’s Founder and President, Kathy Barnard, here is a message of thanks to all those who supported the Foundation this past year. SYSF’s team is so very grateful to all those who helped us as we continued offering the best support possible to melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer and ocular melanoma patients and caregivers, despite the unprecedented challenges we faced this year.

Warmest wishes for a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year. With lots of love.

 

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Move for Melanoma is Back

This September, join us from your living room, your yard, your neighbourhood park, or your favorite trail to move your body and fundraise for a great cause!

Being physically apart won’t stop us from coming together!

 

 

On September 26-27th, Save Your Skin Foundation will be hosting its 2nd annual Move for Melanoma activity challenge across Canada to raise funds for melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, and ocular melanoma patients.

Since physical distancing protocols will likely still be in effect at the time of the event, we have reimagined it to allow you to attend virtually. As the saying goes, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”! It’s in this spirit that we’ve decided to make the best of this situation by ramping up our game this year with a virtual opening ceremony, games and prizes for your whole family and physical challenges you can take part in from the comfort of your own home!

 

We’ve made it super easy for you to participate!

Simply follow these steps:

 

 

REGISTER NOW

 

Why: 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. In the past year, we have received more requests for support than we could afford to fulfill. Having to say no to a patient in need is something we dread doing. With your support, we won’t have to do it this year!

Charities across Canada are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations are down across the board. SYSF is no exception. We had to cancel our Gala this spring and regular donations have been in slow decline. And yet, skin cancer continues to be diagnosed at an alarming rate.

Furthermore, a recent survey we conducted has confirmed our fears: melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer patients are encountering additional difficulties due to the pandemic, from treatments being postponed, to difficulty getting in contact with their care team. Needless to say, financial worries should be the last thing on the mind of cancer patients as they navigate these stressful times. Help us make sure we have the resources needed to allow everyone the same chance of survival.

 

Larry & Kara Perehudoff showing off their SYS jerseys during last year’s event.

 

Choose an activity from the list below or come up with your own!

[table id=6 /]

 

SIGN ME UP!

 

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

Hand in hand, we fight melanoma together!

 

For more info on supporting Save Your Skin Foundation, check out our Volunteer page.

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A Viking’s Challenge – March 2020

Melanoma patient Chris Isfeld is preparing for a 30 km race in subzero temperatures across frozen Lake Winnipeg. He’ll be racing his childhood friend Shawn Bjornsson to raise funds for Save Your Skin Foundation.

The event, which he’s calling A Vikings Challenge, will take place on March 7, 2020.

His Story

Chris Isfeld’s story with cancer starts in 2017. After dealing with back pain for a number of months, he felt sudden excruciating pain in his side. An ultrasound revealed lesions on his liver and large masses on his adrenals. A biopsy of the lesions confirmed  evidence of Melanoma. His scans revealed that the disease was very advanced and the tumor burden was severe.

Very quickly, the pain intensified. Chris had to go to the ER only a month after the biopsy. It was there he realized that he was partially paralyzed from the waist down. The doctors thought that his journey was coming to an end.

Chris was given lifesaving immunotherapy treatment just in time. The treatment was challenging but it proved to be effective. The cancer stopped growing and the side effects became more manageable over the next few months. Soon, he was walking again. By December 2018, just one year after his melanoma diagnosis, he was lacing up his running shoes again. 

The results of his latest PET/CT scan, on November 2, 2019, show an almost complete metabolic response; he is well on the way to becoming NED (No Evidence of Disease).

The Challenge

Chris had been frequently running and practicing yoga to overcome the physical and emotional anguish he was feeling.

In a recent interview with Global News, he said:

“A friend of mine, Shawn Bjornsson from Winnipeg, posted a photo after he did a 5K run in -40, and for some reason, I just made a comment and said, ‘Hey, I’ll race you across the lake,’ just as a joke, But a week later, I thought about it, and thought, ‘You know what, this is an absolutely great idea.’

“It gives me something to focus on, and obviously with my diagnosis, I had gotten to know the people at Save Your Skin Foundation very well, and decided that I should do it as a fundraiser and raise money for them.”

The Race

True to their Viking roots, neither of them can back down from a challenge. On March 7, 2020, the first ever ‘Ice Run Across Lake Winnipeg’ will take place. The race will be about 30 km from Grand Beach, Manitoba to Gimli, Manitoba. They will be running to raise money for Save Your Skin Foundation.

Chris is already a quarter of the way to his goal of raising $30,000 for Save Your Skin Foundation. To learn more about Chris’s story or to donate to his campaign, visit his fundraising page here.

For sponsorship info, please contact: chris.i@designerclosetguys.com

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