For many, crossing the finish line of a marathon is a dream come true. Yet you don't have to run a marathon to help make another dream come true. By supporting the Melanoma Foundation of New England, you support the dream of eradicating melanoma through education, prevention and early detection. The statistics don’t lie, melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer and the rate of occurrence is rising faster than that of any other type of cancer. One person dies every 50 minutes from skin cancer, primarily melanoma. The good news is early detection can save countless lives. That’s why we are on a mission to educate the nation about the critical importance of early detection and the dangers of excessive sun exposure as a leading cause of melanoma. By supporting our runners, you are helping to fund important programs, including community skin screening events, patient advocacy and support groups, and educating school children across New England about sun safety.
Raising Awareness about Melanoma
The Melanoma Foundation of New England was established in 1999 to combat the rising rate of melanoma and melanoma deaths. Some important facts about melanoma and other skin cancers include:
- Skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer in the United States today.
- 1.3 million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with skin cancer this year.
- Melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, caused 8,650 deaths in the U.S. in 2009.
- In the last twenty years, the rate of melanoma has doubled in the U.S. and continues to rise.
- If melanoma is detected early it is usually curable.
- Most skin cancers and most skin cancer-related deaths are potentially preventable with lifestyle changes.
