Supporting the melanoma community with research, education, and advocacy is AIM’s mission, and we continue our work with even more dedication while our nation faces the COVID-19 (coronavirus) health crisis. AIM has been following local, state, and national developments and guidelines closely so that we can safely serve melanoma patients, caregivers, and families. Please read below for important updates and information.

AIM’s Living With Melanoma Symposiums

For the safety and health of all involved, as well as the greater community, we are modifying some of our upcoming symposiums.

SPECIAL EVENT:
Tuesday, April 28th, COVID-19: What People with Melanoma Need to Know is an hour and a half webinar featuring a panel of interdisciplinary melanoma experts from Moffitt Cancer Center who will discuss what patients with melanoma and their caregivers need to know about COVID-19 and how to best navigate their cancer care during the pandemic. Agenda & registration can be found here.

• The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute (May 16) has been canceled.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (June 13) is scheduled to be a virtual event.
• MD Anderson Cancer Center: (August 29) is scheduled to be a virtual event.

Note: We encourage you to live-stream any of our symposiums. It’s easy! Instructions can be found here.

Resources:

Melanoma Survivorship In the Age of COVID-19 | Webinar, April 22
Many melanoma survivors are experiencing stress, anxiety, and PTSD from the new expectations and restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. These uncertain times can lead to feelings of helplessness and a lack of control over one’s life. This may trigger thoughts of stressful events of the past with worries about one’s health or that of loved ones. We at AIM at Melanoma are here to remind you that you are not alone —we are in this together.

Ask an Expert

As always, if you have questions about melanoma, including melanoma and how it relates to COVID-19, please use our Ask a Melanoma Expert service. Melissa Wilson PA-C, MPAS will continue to provide you with accurate answers to a wide range of melanoma questions on a confidential basis. We also suggest you view the National Cancer Institute’s webpage called Coronavirus: What People with Cancer Should Know.  

For general questions about COVID-19, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control coronavirus webpage.

Peer Connect

Many of you have expressed disappointment that because of social distancing your melanoma support groups are no longer able to meet. Please remember that AIM’s Peer Connect program pairs newly diagnosed patients and caregivers with melanoma veterans for phone, email, and other conversation and support. Read more about the program here and join our ever-growing Peer Connect group.

AIM Steps Against Melanoma Walks

For the safety and health of all involved, as well as the greater community, most of our 2020 Walks originally scheduled for the next few months have been postponed until the Fall. Two have been cancelled, and one remains as scheduled.

Walk	Original Date	Status as of March 23, 2020
Virginia Beach	4/11/2020	Postponed to August 23, 2020
Charleston, WV	4/18/2020	Postponed—new date TBA
Galveston	4/18/2020	Cancelled
Dallas	5/2/2020	Postponed to October 10, 2020
Tampa	5/2/2020	Postponed—new date TBA
Portland	5/2/2020	Postponed to September 19, 2020
Salt Lake City	5/9/2020	Postponed—new date TBA
Pittsburgh	5/9/2020	Postponed to October 10, 2020
Vegas	5/16/2020	Postponed to October 3, 2020
Laguna Niguel	5/17/2020	Cancelled
Eureka	6/6/2020	Confirmed unless circumstances change

Thank you

We’d like to take a moment to say thank you to:

• Our extraordinary Walk coordinators across the nation for their efforts to keep our Walks on the 2020 calendar. To all of you: THANK YOU.
• Our dedicated colleagues and co-hosts of AIM symposiums at cancer centers across the country who are committed to getting patients, families, and caregivers the melanoma information they need despite the COVID-19 crisis. To all of you: THANK YOU.
• So many of you who continue to financially support AIM’s mission, even in these uncertain economic times. We need you, and we’re grateful for your support. To all of you: THANK YOU.
• The melanoma community, for whom we exist. To all of you: THANK YOU. Together, we will find the cure.