Dear Friends,

As most everyone in the melanoma community knows, May is National Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month. What a mouthful—but a meaningful mouthful!

Many melanoma and skin cancer non-profits will spend the month educating the general public about ways to prevent melanoma as well as the ways to detect it as early as possible. This work is valuable and necessary. To #endmelanoma we all need to understand how to protect ourselves. It takes a village!

AIM has often taken a creative approach to educating the public in May. For example, in years past, we’ve focused on the fact that melanoma is a global disease needing global solutions. We’ve focused on research and the critical need for funds to support research. And we’ve focused on the human toll—how many people are dying each day of melanoma, for example—in order to call attention to the need for both prevention and the cure.

This year we’re focusing on HOPE.

Hope is survivors.

Hope is research.

Hope is so many donors and investigators making research happen.

Hope is skilled and caring melanoma doctors, nurses, and other providers.

Hope is volunteers, advocates, and caregivers.

Hope is all the members of the melanoma community who together will #endmelanoma.

Believe there’s hope. And be the hope.

Look for articles, emails, and social media posts in the next few weeks that will speak to hope.

• An incredible story about a young survivor who was diagnosed with melanoma in 4^thgrade and who is now heading to Princeton.
• A partnership between AIM and all Lilly Pulitzer stores in Florida to donate a percent of their sales to AIM on May 20.
• Numerous Steps Against Melanoma Walks all around the country, raising funds for research.
• Words of wisdom from our community to help newly diagnosed patients navigate their diagnosis, treatment, and life beyond melanoma.
• A webinar hosted by Melissa Wilson, PA-C, MPAS, on Melanoma & Skin of Color: Facts and Misconceptions with guest Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH, the Vice-Chair for Diversity and Inclusion for the Department of Dermatology and Professor of Clinical Dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.

This May—and beyond: Believe there’s hope. And be the hope.

Sincerely,

Samantha Guild
President
AIM at Melanoma Foundation