The start of 2018 has not been easy for Nikki Tichy.  In January, Nikki lost her long-time friend, Darcy Newton, to melanoma.  Just 34 years old, Darcy was married to the love of her life and was a new mom to Riley, her 2-year-old daughter.  Inspired by Darcy’s fight, Nikki took to Facebook and held a joint birthday fundraiser with her friend Shannon in honor of Darcy.

How did Darcy’s battle with melanoma affect you?
She was so determined and fought so hard for her daughter. She was very inspiring and an example to everyone of how a mother should be. She was a fighter.

What did you hope to achieve through your Facebook fundraiser?
Awareness. A small reminder to make an appointment with your dermatologist.

What do you wish other people knew about melanoma?
How terrible and life-threatening it is. It’s not a joke. Sunscreen is so important.

What would you tell someone who is thinking about using Facebook as a fundraiser?
Practically everyone is on social media. I feel like Facebook is such a great outlet for fundraising because it’s so easy to use and you can reach all your friends at one time.

Why did you choose AIM to be the recipient of your birthday fundraiser?
AIM at Melanoma was an organization that was personal to Darcy.  I didn’t know much about the organization until I created the fundraiser. I wanted to honor her choice. 

Do you have a personal message you want to share?
Make an appointment with your dermatologist! Always remember to fight hard and hug your loved ones tight. Tomorrow is never promised.

Through your journey, what did you learn about melanoma that surprised you or you didn’t know before?
How deadly it can be. I didn’t realize how serious it could be. I also didn’t know your body could mask signs while pregnant to protect your baby.

What is one piece of advice you would give someone who might have a friend/family member battling the disease?
I would say never give up hope. Darcy never did.

Nikki Tichy grew up and currently lives in Orange County, California, with her husband Adam and their two Yorkies.  She met Darcy Newton in high school, and the two remained close friends.

To read more about Darcy Newton and her courageous battle with melanoma, click {here}.

To make a donation to AIM at Melanoma, click {here}.

 

How You Can ‘Donate Your Birthday’ for AIM at Melanoma
Using Your Facebook Page

Have you noticed on your birthday, myriad people on Facebook you haven’t had a real conversation with in years will come out of the woodwork to type ‘hbd?’  Facebook has put your annual popularity spike to good use by introducing birthday fundraisers. Using Facebook’s fundraising tool, you can use your birthday to raise money for a non-profit that is important to you, like AIM at Melanoma. It’s simple to do, and incredibly valuable for non-profits like AIM.

Here’s how it works: Two weeks before your birthday, Facebook will ask if you want to dedicate your birthday to support a cause. You then choose a non-profit that you want to support and set a donation goal as well as your fundraiser’s end date. Your friends are notified of your cause on your actual birthday, and you can also invite your friends directly to the fundraiser, so they’ll feel personally compelled to donate. That’s it.  Facebook takes care of the rest.

Asking someone to support a cause on your birthday is not a new practice, but integrating this request directly into Facebook’s platform is an easy way to raise funds for a cause that is important to you.  We hope you’ll consider creating a Facebook Birthday Fundraiser to support AIM, so we can continue supporting research to find the cure for melanoma.

Every dollar counts!

It’s the type of social media feature that has a real, positive impact, for a change – and indeed more useful than random birthday messages.

If you have any questions, contact us. We are happy to help.