My appeal, as the Mom of a heroic, 30 year old metastatic melanoma warrior who tragically lost his battle 4 weeks ago:
If you’re planning to contribute to the Stand Up 2 Cancer fund drive tonight, and are not already committed to donating to another type of cancer, please consider instead, donating to the MELANOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION (4 Stars on Charity Navigator – highest rating). Stand Up 2 Cancer is definitely a worthwhile generic research funding drive, but I couldn't find a way to designate my dollars to melanoma research specifically.
http://www.melanoma.org/
Melanoma research is grossly underfunded. Yes, great strides have been made with the new immunotherapy drugs, but they are far from a cure and still do not help the majority of metastatic melanoma warriors.
Your donation is greatly needed for the melanoma warriors still in the fight and those not yet diagnosed!
Some facts, impersonal, but compelling:
–Every hour of every day someone dies from melanoma.
–It is estimated that there will be 77,000 melanoma diagnoses
and nearly 10,000 deaths in 2014.
–Melanoma is one of the fastest growing cancers in the U.S. and
worldwide.
–Melanoma does not discriminate by age, gender or race. Everyone
is at risk.
–Melanoma is the leading cause of cancer death in women ages 25-
30 and the second leading cause of cancer death in women ages
30-35.
–In ages 15-29, melanoma is the second most common cancer.
–The incidence of people under 30 developing melanoma is
increasing faster than any other demographic group, soaring by
50% in women since 1980.
–Melanoma is not just a skin cancer. It can develop anywhere
on the body – eyes, scalp, nails, feet, mouth, etc. (My son’s primary location was never found).
–The most dangerous aspect of melanoma is its ability, in later stages, to spread – most often to the liver, lungs and brain.
Please share…if for nothing more than to educate!
