2027 Patient Forum Ambassador Fellowship Application

Each year, the Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) hosts the Melanoma > Patient Forum, an exciting, free one-day program designed for patients, advocates, caregivers, and loved ones. This unique event brings together the melanoma community with world-renowned clinicians and researchers to share the latest advances in research and treatment, learn from each other, and leave empowered with knowledge and support. The 2027 Patient Forum will take place on Wednesday, March 3, 2027, in Washington, DC and virtually.

This year, thanks to the generosity of our donors, board members, and industry partners, we are offering a limited number of Patient Ambassador Fellowships. Patient Ambassador Fellowships differ from past travel scholarships that were offered in that moving forward, MRA seeks to establish and cultivate a formal, enthusiastic collective of individuals who can help expand our voice, educating and empowering others and curating effective messaging on topics that are important to various stakeholders. Specific criteria is detailed below. Each Ambassador Fellowship offers travel to DC for the event (including roundtrip economy fare airfare to Washington, DC, hotel accommodations for one night (or up to two nights for long-distance travelers), and a fixed-rate stipend (available upon request).

Fellowship Criteria and Considerations:

• History of Melanoma: Fellowships are designated for melanoma patients, survivors, and current/former caregivers.
• Geographic Diversity: Attendees from across the United States are encouraged to apply.
• Service to Community: Applicants should have strong connections to the melanoma community, at a national, state, or local level. This can include participation in programming at MRA (or other non-profit organizations), Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP), or a local cancer center/hospital.
• Willingness to contribute to our new content creator collective.
• Ability to join most quarterly MRA Patient Ambassador Fellow meetings throughout the year to discuss MRA initiatives, content campaigns, etc.

To be considered for a fellowship, please complete the online application by November 15, 2026.

Fellowship Application Timeline

• Application deadline: November 15, 2026
• Notification of awards: December 15, 2026

‍MRA staff may contact applicants during the review process for clarification or additional information.

Attendance and Expectations

Fellowship awardees are required to fully participate in all scheduled 2027 Patient Forum activities as well as virtual quarterly meetings. The March 3rd Patient Forum begins with registration and a networking brunch at 11am ET. That evening, Forum participants are also invited to attend a joint reception with attendees of MRA’s Scientific Retreat - an invitation-only, think-tank-style meeting held on March 4-5th. The Retreat is primarily for MRA funded scientists and researchers.

‍Please note: The Patient Forum and the Scientific Retreat are two separate events. Registration for the Patient Forum does not provide access to the Scientific Retreat beyond the opening evening reception.

2027 MRA Ambassador Fellowship Application

Please provide no more than 150 words per answer.

Please indicate in your response that you have reviewed the fellowship expectations, including attending the 2027 Patient Forum, regular Fellow meetings, expected contributions, and can participate throughout the fellowship year.

COVID-19 Policy

MRA's 2027 Melanoma Exchange & Scientific Retreat will follow all published national and state COVID-19 guidelines in effect at the time of the event.

Questions

Any questions or concerns about the fellowship application process should be directed to Dana Deighton at ddeighton@curemelanoma.org.