skin cancer awareness

New Survey Results Show Gaps in Knowledge About Melanoma

WE NEED TO STEP UP OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MELANOMA

A recent survey of adult Canadians, conducted by Leger in March 2020 in collaboration with Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. and Save Your Skin Foundation, shows gaps in knowledge about the deadliest skin cancer, melanoma.

Here’s what the survey told us:

About one quarter of Canadians (26%) are not aware or don’t know that spending more time in the sun increases their risk of melanoma.

Only half of respondents (51%) say they are knowledgeable about melanoma.

Canadians who claim to be knowledgeable about melanoma are significantly more likely to believe that they are at risk of melanoma (48% vs. 24%) of those who say they are not knowledgeable.

More than half of Canadians (55%) either don’t know or incorrectly identified that small amounts of sun exposure without protection can lead to melanoma.

60% of Canadians have a misconception that melanoma mainly occurs in people with fair skin.

Only 39% correctly identified that melanoma can occur in all skin types.

A majority of Canadians (58%) have a misconception that treating melanoma is a simple procedure.

Two thirds of Canadians (66%) say they would want to know their mutation type if diagnosed with melanoma.

Only 15% strongly agree that knowing their mutation type could change the course of their melanoma treatment journey.

Only half of Canadians (48%) believe that melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. In the under 55 group, just over one third of the Canadians (37%) identify melanoma as the most dangerous form of skin cancer.

Knowledge is power. Help us get Canadians more informed about melanoma.

To download a PDF version of these findings, click here.

Melanoma Awareness Month: Patient Support Resources

Everyone has different support needs, especially in the context of a melanoma, ocular melanoma, or non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosis. Whether you are looking for community, information, or strategies for self-care, we have resources available for you. We encourage you to take a look through our website to find what works for you, but for now, here is an overview of what we have to offer. If you are particularly looking for information and support related to the COVID-19 pandemic, you should check out our COVID-19 information hub.

In our 2017 survey report, “The Affects of Melanoma on the Mental Wellness of Patients, and the Landscape of Mental Health Support in the Canadian Melanoma Community,” Save Your Skin found that the effects of a melanoma diagnosis on the mental wellness of a patient is a real and urgent concern. Survey participants reported needing support with fear, grief, end-of-life planning, their diagnosis, next steps, living with cancer, family support, survivorship, and hope. The most ideal forms of support for participants, according to the survey, are group therapy, one-on-one therapy, and family support. The majority of participants (66% in our English survey and 84.21% in our French survey) reported wanting mental wellness support after their cancer diagnosis. Therefore, if you are fighting cancer or know someone who is, it might be helpful to participate in or share the resources below!

Webinars

Save Your Skin has been running webinars on medical and patient support topics since 2015, the video and audio recordings of which are archived on our website. These webinars are not only an excellent educational resource, but are great for connecting with the oncology community and meeting other patients and survivors. In terms of mental health support and community, the “Mental Wellness & Support After a Cancer Diagnosis,” “Living Beyond Cancer,” and “Surviving Melanoma: A Discussion on Survivorship” might be especially interesting to you– however, it is definitely worth looking through the entire list!

Patient Support Group Chats

On the first Thursday of every month, we host our informal Patient Support Group Chats. These meetings are free, can be joined by phone or online, and are open to melanoma, ocular melanoma, and non-melanoma skin cancer patients and survivors. These group discussions include patients and survivors from across Canada, and members of the Save Your Skin team, including Founder Kathy Barnard.

In addition to our support group, you can find a list of other support group options on our Additional Resources & Support Groups page, which may include something that is more local for you.

Emotional and Mental Wellness Resources Page

Our Emotional and Mental Wellness Resources page features many resources related to mental wellness. These include guides for coping with overwhelm, catastrophic thinking, and grief, for improving your quality of life, and for maintaining support networks and hope. This page also includes a link to Psychology Today’s chronic illness therapist search engine, which will help you find options for therapy in your area. On this page, you can also view our guide to self care after a cancer diagnosis.

Community and Hope

If you are looking to make connections with people who have gone through a melanoma, ocular melanoma, or non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosis, or to read stories of hope, you might also be interested in our survivorship initiatives, such as Melanoma Through my Lens, which features the stories of six Canadian melanoma survivors, or I’m Living Proof, a global map that showcases the stories of many melanoma, ocular melanoma, and non-melanoma skin cancer survivors. If you are interested in speaking to someone you see on I’m Living Proof, you can request to connect with them to be put in touch.

We hope that Save Your Skin has something to support your mental wellness, wherever you are in your journey. This Melanoma Awareness Month, consider taking the time to investigate what resources may help you, or share the graphic below to your community, as you never know who might need help. Remember: hand in hand, we fight skin cancer together.

To Protect Yourself from Melanoma, Look UP

Our friends at Euromelanoma, in collaboration with the Global Coalition for Melanoma Patient Advocacy (an initiative of the Melanoma Research Foundation, of which SYSF is a member) have launched a new campaign to encourage people to do monthly skin checks. The campaign encourages people to “Look Up”.

If they see the sun, people should take action to protect their skin. If they see the full moon, they should perform a monthly skin check.

Help protect your loved ones and spread awareness of the importance of skin checks by downloading and sharing this poster:

To read the full report on global skin cancer statistics which inspired this campaign, please CLICK HERE.

Save Your Skin Foundation is proud to support and share this campaign to increase awareness of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. We thank Euro Melanoma for their hard work and collaboration, and we appreciate the sponsors and partners of the project. Watch our social media channels for more on this initiative, and as always, feel free to contact us if you would like more information! natalie@saveyourskin.ca

About the Global Coalition for Melanoma Patient Advocacy: Click here to go to their introductory web page. Save Your Skin is proud to be working with US-based Melanoma Research Foundation and the many other groups in the Coalition. More on this is developing as we work together from our locations around the world to improve the lives of melanoma patients and their families.

17 BC Municipalities Proclaim May Melanoma Awareness Month

As May marks both Melanoma Awareness Month and the beginning of summer weather, it is imperative that communities across Canada be reminded of the importance of sun safety at this time of year. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many Canadians to stay home, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t spending time outside. In fact, many have more time than usual to enjoy the outdoors, making sun safety education as relevant as ever.

“COVID-19 has highlighted everyone’s willingness to take drastic measures to preserve our health,” says Kathy Barnard, stage 4 melanoma survivor and Founder of Save Your Skin Foundation (SYSF). “Increased preventative efforts and methods of early detection, particularly in the form of public education, public policy and built environments are also needed to reduce skin cancer rates.”

Skin Cancer in Canada is still on the rise

COVID-19 isn’t the only disease whose rates can be drastically reduced through education and preventative measures. Skin cancer rates in Canada continue to rise, including melanoma, and non-melanoma skin cancers, despite being 90% preventable.

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. There are more new cases of skin cancer each year than the number of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers COMBINED[1]. While most forms of non-melanoma skin cancer can be surgically removed, melanoma is an aggressive form of cancer. The five-year relative survival rate of melanoma that has metastasized is just 18%.[2]

Despite these figures, many people seek sun without taking the recommended precautionary measures, or believe that only severe burns contribute to one’s risk of skin cancer. In fact, any darkening of the skin, including a tan, is indicative of UV damage.

Municipal Proclamations

To increase the reach of SYSF’s awareness campaign this year, a new proclamation initiative invited BC municipalities to take a stance against skin cancer and educate their communities on sun safety through mayoral proclamations. SYSF is pleased to announce that seventeen BC municipalities, listed below, have accepted SYSF’s invitation to proclaim the month of May 2020 ‘Melanoma Awareness Month’. Click here to read our full press release.

•	City of Vancouver	•	City of Kelowna
•	City of Victoria	•	Town of Comox
•	City of Burnaby	•	District of Saanich
•	City of Richmond	•	District of Central Saanich
•	City of New Westminster	•	City of Prince George
•	City of Surrey	•	City of Williams Lake
•	City of Whistler	•	District of Mission
•	City of Nanaimo	•	City of Langford
•	City of Campbell River

Mayor of New Westminster, Jonathan Coté, was first to commit to proclaiming May 2020 as Melanoma Awareness Month, and decided to challenge other BC municipalities to follow his example. “Skin cancer is largely preventable, and yet there are more cases now than ever,” said Coté. “This is why as Mayor of New Westminster, I’m happy to support this important initiative and challenge all BC municipalities to do the same.”

“This is an important initiative, especially for hot, sunny communities like ours,” said Mayor of Kelowna, Colin Basran. “Skin cancer is a serious public health concern, and incidences of the disease are only increasing.”

During Melanoma Awareness Month, we invite you to take action by publicly announcing your support of the fight against melanoma.

Throughout the month of May, SYSF will be engaged in several initiatives to bring awareness to melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers, and ocular melanoma. The month will be starting out with a bang thanks to a new drawing contest aimed at youth. The contest’s theme “This is what sun safety looks like”, will encourage participants to submit drawings depicting actions or environments which help prevent skin cancer. The winning entry will be determined through open voting once the May 15^th deadline for submission has passed, with a $100 gift card going to the artist with the most votes.

Download our custom banner photo for your Facebook cover photo below, or upload a selfie below to participate in our #WeWillDefeatMelanoma campaign! We will apply our campaign frame to your selfie and post it on our social media channels.

‘A Viking’s Challenge’ Completed

Hip hip hooray! Chris Isfeld and Shawn Bjornsson successfully completed their race: ‘A Viking’s Challenge’! The 30km race across frozen Lake Winnipeg took place on Saturday March 7, 2020.

Chris and Shawn’s adventure began when Chris was still in treatment for melanoma. He had started running again to overcome both the physical and emotional challenges he was experiencing and, one day, saw a photo of his childhood friend Shawn Bjornsson. Shawn had just finished a race in -40°C weather. His cheeks were red and his moustache covered with frost. Chris had a sudden inspiration! He decided to challenge Shawn to race across Lake Winnipeg, Canada’s sixth-largest lake. True to their viking roots, they did not back down from the challenge. They began planning, training and fundraising.

The race, which began in Grand Beach and ended in Gimli, took place during the Gimli Ice Festival and attracted a large crowd of people who welcomed the pair at the finish line with cheers of encouragement.

“The weather was ideal, but the running conditions weren’t,” said Chris, recounting how he felt during the race. “There were large drifts of snow across the trail which made the running very hard going. It felt like we were running on sand.”

“But as soon as I saw the crowd gathered at the finish line, I forgot how hard the race had been. I felt an amazing new surge of energy.”

Chris’ story is an exceptional example of human resilience and courage. And like in many stories of melanoma survivorship, Chris had an ally by his side to support him along the way. Shawn Bjornsson has been an outstanding supporter, literally running beside Chris each step of the way on this recent challenge.

“There were times during the run when I thought we wouldn’t make it. Shawn’s encouragement was crucial,” recounted Chris.

Having completed this heroic challenge, Chris Isfeld plans to take some time to rest and spend time with his family.

“To be honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet that it’s over. I feel so exhilarated! This was the hardest run I’ve ever done, and to be hearing stories of how it’s inspiring others to give back too is just an amazing feeling,” he said.

As of this writing, Chris has raised almost $20,000! The funds raised will go to Save Your Skin Foundation and the patients we help. You can still donate to Chris’ fundraising page here.

Huge Thank You to all Move for Melanoma supporters!

To all those who participated in Move for Melanoma by raising awareness and funds in their communities, a huge thank you! We couldn’t have done it without you! We are inspired by all of the creative activities that SYSF supporters did in the Move for Melanoma activity challenge throughout the weekend of September 13-16, 2019.

We’d also like to thank all those who supported Move for Melanoma by making a donation, sponsoring an event or spreading the word. Thanks to you, the event was a monumental success! Your dedication to the fight against skin cancer will help Save Your Skin Foundation continue to support Canadians living with non-melanoma skin cancer, melanoma and ocular melanoma. Know that you have made a difference!

TOTAL FUNDS RAISED THIS WEEKEND
Want to know how it went? Watch this video to find out!

Thanks to the many participants who sent us pictures of themselves and their teammates taking part in Move for Melanoma, we were able to create a beautiful recap video of the event. The BMS Cycling Team completed a 600 kilometre ride over the weekend – watch SYSF Founder Kathy Barnard roll across the finish line with them!

One Week Until Move for Melanoma!

All across Canada teams of runners, bikers, hikers, and even laser tag enthusiasts are all preparing to MOVE FOR MELANOMA next weekend!

In our weekend-long fund-and-awareness-raising activity challenge Save Your Skin supporters will be all hands on deck to make this event great.

Friday September 13 kicks off Move for Melanoma with a team of cyclists biking 600 kilometres in the Montreal area, wrapping up the ride on Monday September 16 in conjunction with two shorter rides, 85 kms and 55 kms, in which our very own Kathy Barnard will be biking with her husband alongside the BMS team.

On the Saturday and Sunday in cities all over, participants will do their favourite activities in the name of melanoma patient support – in addition to the run and bike routes people have planned, we have crossfit teams, kayaking, city tour walking, and axe-throwing!

Haven’t yet registered?

CLICK HERE to view the event website and join a team, create a team, or donate today!

Click on any image below to see what these teams are doing:

Save Your Skin Foundation notes the unique accessibility of the Challenge as an important part of campaign. “Skin cancer can happen to anyone. It’s caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight or tanning beds. We therefore wanted a campaign that was accessible to anyone”, explains Kathleen Barnard, President and Founder, Save Your Skin Foundation and stage four melanoma survivor. “People have come up with very creative ideas that work within their Challenge comfort zones. One team is doing CrossFit, another is doing an axe-throwing contest and I’ll be cycling 55 kilometres in Montreal on Monday!”

Email us to let us know what you’re doing for MOVE FOR MELANOMA!

Stay tuned for more photos and excitement from the events next weekend. We will also post thanks to our generous sponsors, including:

Bristol-Meyers Squibb Canada, Montreal, Quebec

AXED Throwing Club, Thornbury, Ontario

Beach City CrossFit, Penticton, BC

MadLab School of Fitness, Vancouver, BC

And many more!

Launch of Free, Public Sunscreen Dispensers in Kelowna

Today marks the launch of two free, public sunscreen dispensers in key Kelowna hot spots. The project has been powered by Morgan’s Mole Patrol and Save Your Skin Foundation, with the support of the City of Kelowna. Click here to read our press release.

In memory of her son Morgan Forshner, Karen Wells of Kelowna, started Morgan’s Mole Patrol Foundation to spread awareness about the importance of sun safety. Her aim is to stop the spread of melanoma, a largely preventable cancer – with the application of some sun smart behaviour. Karen reached out to Kathy Barnard of Save Your Skin Foundation in the initiative, and quickly a partnership was born.

This launch is just the beginning of Karen and Kathy’s plan to install many more dispensers in Kelowna and all over British Columbia. Stay tuned for news!

First located at the Kelowna’s Visitor Centre downtown, and the Kelowna Golf & Country Club, the dispensers are automatic and touchless, and will provide free, Health Canada approved SPF 30 sunscreen for anyone who needs it. The dispensers use SPF 30 sunscreen, free from known dangerous ingredients such as parabens, oxybenzone, retinyl palminate, phthalate, PEG, parfume, and sodium lauryl sulphate.

Applying sunscreen is part of an overall sun-safe way to enjoy the outdoors. First, limit your time in the direct sunlight, especially between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., seek shade, cover up by wearing long sleeves and pants and a wide-brimmed hat. Use sunscreen, specifically one labelled broad-spectrum, SPF 30, protect the lips with lip sunscreen or zinc oxide. Apply 20 minutes before sun exposure, and reapply every two hours or after swimming.

Shoutout to David Cornfield Melanoma Fund, who first launched their sunscreen dispensers pilot in Toronto in 2017. Since then they continue to inspire us all with the growth of their program, totalling 50 dispensers in 2018, and they now have 75. Way to go!

Congratulations to Karen and her family, we know Morgan would feel honoured today.

Thank you to all SYSF Supporters!

As Melanoma Awareness Month draws to a close, we would like to thank all of our family and friends, volunteers, partners and supporters for their continued dedication to upholding the work done by the team at Save Your Skin Foundation. We are dedicated to providing a community of oncology patient and caregiver support throughout the entire continuum of care, from prevention and diagnosis to survivorship. And with your help, that is what we are able to do.

Thanks to all who have donated to the upcoming Team Save Your Skin events – Rosemary’s D-Day 44 Challenge Run in Normandy next week, and to Chris’ Vikings Challenge Run Across Frozen Lake Winnipeg in March 2020. Thanks also to all participants joining our MOVE for MELANOMA event this September – the teams are rolling in!

We were absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity of those who attended our Giving Hope Gala & Auction in Toronto on May 1st. The work we are able to do for patients is a direct result of your support, and for that support we are so grateful. Have a look at our Photo Gallery! Here is a sneak peek:

Move for Melanoma! 2019

On September 13 – 16, 2019, Save Your Skin Foundation is co-hosting a special Canada-wide fundraising event called MOVE FOR MELANOMA, a weekend-long challenge where teams participate in the activity of their choice (get creative!) while fundraising for the fight against melanoma. Pick your city/community, pick your activity, and ready set go – Get MOVING for MELANOMA!

What is it?
Move for Melanoma challenges all Canadians to reach their own personal movement challenge (ex. walking, running, cycling, yoga, family activities, or other) while raising awareness and funds to support Canadians touched by melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancer, and ocular melanoma.

How to Get Involved
We’re asking all of our close friends and patients to become Team Leaders to participate in Move for Melanoma. Our team will help you organize the event, will create a personalized, easy-to-use fundraising platform just for you, and support you in getting the word out. Anyone interested can check out our customizable fund raising platform OR email our Team Save Your Skin coordinator Taylor Tomko at taylorkathleen@saveyourskin.ca

Fund Raising
Funds raised through the Move for Melanoma challenge will go directly to helping Canadian melanoma, skin cancer, and ocular melanoma patients by supporting the work of the foundation and the patients we help both emotionally and financially, and advocating for all patients to have timely, equal access to life-saving treatments and therapies through health policy work.

Learn more about MOVE FOR MELANOMA – Visit the official fundraising page HERE!

New Survey Results Show Gaps in Knowledge About Melanoma

WE NEED TO STEP UP OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MELANOMA

Melanoma Awareness Month: Patient Support Resources

To Protect Yourself from Melanoma, Look UP

17 BC Municipalities Proclaim May Melanoma Awareness Month

During Melanoma Awareness Month, we invite you to take action by publicly announcing your support of the fight against melanoma.

‘A Viking’s Challenge’ Completed

Huge Thank You to all Move for Melanoma supporters!

TOTAL FUNDS RAISED THIS WEEKEND
Want to know how it went? Watch this video to find out!

One Week Until Move for Melanoma!

CLICK HERE to view the event website and join a team, create a team, or donate today!

Email us to let us know what you’re doing for MOVE FOR MELANOMA!

Launch of Free, Public Sunscreen Dispensers in Kelowna

Congratulations to Karen and her family, we know Morgan would feel honoured today.

Thank you to all SYSF Supporters!

Move for Melanoma! 2019

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Move for Melanoma! 2019

skin cancer awareness

WE NEED TO STEP UP OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT MELANOMA

During Melanoma Awareness Month, we invite you to take action by publicly announcing your support of the fight against melanoma.

TOTAL FUNDS RAISED THIS WEEKEND Want to know how it went? Watch this video to find out!

Congratulations to Karen and her family, we know Morgan would feel honoured today.

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Twitter

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TOTAL FUNDS RAISED THIS WEEKEND
Want to know how it went? Watch this video to find out!