3rd Annual AIM for a CURE Melanoma Walk Gaining Steam

Portland, May 31st, 2014. Event volunteer Melissa Rennie gets a skin exam Dr. Frank Parker at The 3rd Annual AIM for a CURE Melanoma Walk in Portland. The event raised over $23,000 to support melanoma research at OHSU’s Knight Cancer Institute and Department of Dermatology.

Approximately 400 people attended the 3rd annual event.

The Fit4Mom team prepares to walk or run the 5k route to support melanoma research.

OHSU Let’s Get Healthy program coordinator Leigh Coppola with Portland walk organizer Katie Wilkes.

Here’s more information about AIM at Melanoma:

Our mission is to increase support for melanoma research; to promote prevention and education among the general public and medical professionals; and to provide comprehensive and easily accessible melanoma resources for patients, survivors, and caregivers.

Goals

Promote Scientific Research

Create a tissue bank that will collect and provide samples of primary tumor tissue for study and to find the causes of disease
Convene a biannual international think tank, composed of scientists and experts in melanoma, working with the pharmaceutical industry, to look for innovative ways to move research forward faster
Establish melanoma “centers of excellence” for leading scientific and epidemiological research

Support for Patients & Caregivers

Educate patients/caregivers about all aspects of the disease
Empower and enable patients/caregivers to start support groups within their own communities
Influence unhealthy behaviors and promote the use of sunscreens, protective clothing, shade, and the avoidance of tanning salons

Federal Legislative Policy

Lobby to mandate sun safety education for the military and for all federal outdoor workers; and provide the appropriate personal protective equipment, including sunscreen at no charge

State Legislative Policy

Lobby for stricter regulation of tanning salons — raise minimum age and require in-person parental permission for all minors
Mandate sun safety education for grades K through 12 and for all state outdoor workers
Permit children to bring/apply sunscreen at school without a doctor’s permission and to wear hats during outdoor activities
Include skin exams on all school physical forms
Construct outdoor shade structures in all new school facilities
Mandate sunscreen and sun protective clothing for all outdoor state workers

For Healthcare Professionals

Educate all primary care physicians in their first year of residency on the detection of skin lesions for mole mapping of high-risk patients
Aid in administration of insurance reimbursements for skin exams for high-risk patients
Bring together interested dermatologists, oncologists, epidemiologists, and public health officials to assess current care for melanoma today and possibilities for future care

– See more at: http://www.aimatmelanoma.org/en/aim-for-action/the-goals-of-aim-at-melanoma.html#sthash.zj7UxttL.dpuf

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.