The growth of our foundation has been exponential since our collaborative MAC meeting in Chicago. Since that meeting our presence on social media has almost doubled. We have obtained increased funding from industry and we are working much more closely with other foundations. We are truly grateful for the education and opportunities that we have been given through MAC. --Tracy Callahan, Polka Dot Mama Melanoma Foundation
Become a donor:
MAC is dedicated to keeping administrative costs to a minimum, but we still need funding to cover basic costs. We want to keep member dues as low as possible so that all small foundations can afford to join us. Help underwrite our operating expenses with your tax-deductible donation.
Donate online:
or write a check to the Melanoma Action Coalition and send to: MAC c/o Neil Spiegler 410 Gatewood Road Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
Do you represent a company searching for a good cause to support?
MAC has a unique capacity to spread the melanoma awareness message throughout the country at the grass-roots level. Our members are doing amazing things. Collectively, they raise more than four million dollars each year and reach people from coast to coast with the message about how to prevent and detect melanoma. By supporting our members and encouraging them to support each other, the Melanoma Action Coalition looks toward a future when their hard work and dedication leads to a world that is melanoma-free. We invite you to join us in this exciting and rewarding endeavor.
Our Funding Priorities for 2018:
Fall Meeting: We are organizing an education and patient advocacy symposium in Philadelphia on October 12 and 13. Dr. Lynn Schuchter, Chief of the Hematology/Oncology Division at the University of Pennsylvania, will be our keynote speaker and is recruiting a panel of melanoma experts to discuss recent advances in melanoma research, particularly as they affect patients. The scientific portion of our symposium will be open to patients, advocates, and medical personnel. The meeting will also include sessions for idea and resource sharing and organizational development, targeted to meet member organization needs. A similar symposium that we hosted in Chicago in November, 2017 was well-attended and well-received.
Collaboration Fund: We believe that one of the ways we can most effectively increase our impact is to broadly disseminate local campaigns to widen their impact. We also believe in fostering cooperation rather than competition among our member organizations. To further this goal, we are establishing a fund to encourage collaborative projects among our members, particularly those who are in close geographic proximity. Examples of such projects might include:
creating sun-safe communities via such activities as awareness events, building shade structures, and installing sunscreen dispensers;
providing free skin screenings to raise awareness and promote early detection;
acquiring UV cameras; developing and presenting awareness programs in schools and other venues;
developing hotlines, buddy systems, respite opportunities, and other supports for melanoma patients and their caregivers; and
supporting research studies that hasten the end of melanoma.
Co-branded awareness/educational materials and campaigns: Many of our organizations create and distribute their own informational pamphlets, educational programs, and awareness materials and are very generous about sharing these resources with other MAC Members. However, creating easily understood, scientifically accurate materials is a resource-intensive process that could be centralized through the development of geographically appropriate templates that can be easily co-branded by member organizations. This will ensure cross-community message alignment while also freeing local resources for other activities. We will also launch a co-branded awareness campaign jointly with the Melanoma Research Alliance in September, 2018 that will be disseminated via social media as well as other platforms.
Join with us to support our work while branding your company as a sun safety advocate. Interested? Contact Neil Spiegler.