This foundation was started in an attempt to raise awareness, bring hope and provide support to those affected by malignant melanoma.  

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What is melanoma?

 

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops when melanocytes begin to grow out of control. Melanoma accounts for only about 1% of all skin cancers.  Although melanoma is not the most common type of skin cancer, it is much more likely to spread to other parts of the body if not caught early.  Due to this, melanoma is the cause of a large majority of skin cancer deaths.

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How common is melanoma?

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for melanoma in the United States for 2021 are:

• About 106,110 new melanomas will be diagnosed (about 62,260 in men and 43,850 in women).

• About 7,180 people are expected to die of melanoma (about 4,600 men and 2,580 women).

The rates of melanoma have been rising rapidly over the past few decades, but this has varied by age.

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