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Melanoma Awareness Month, held each May, is an occasion to connect and be in community with others who have been touched by melanoma. With this month brings the opportunity to join forces with other melanoma advocates to raise awareness of melanoma research, the importance of early detection, and the many ways to practice sun safety.
The Melanoma Research Alliance has an exciting month of activities planned for Melanoma Awareness Month - and we hope you can join us! Read more to learn about all the ways you can get involved and make a difference next month.
This Melanoma Awareness Month, we are keeping up the momentum in the fight against melanoma. Every new gift to the Melanoma Research Alliance in May will be matched. Double your impact and help fund breakthroughs. Together, we can stop melanoma.
As always - 100% of every donation made to MRA goes directly to research, without administrative, development, or other fees, because of the ongoing generosity of our founders! MRA has been recognized with Charity Navigator's Highest Four-Star Rating, and MRA also maintains a Platinum Seal of Transparency on Guidestar.
Donate today and double your impact!
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MRA is thrilled to be working with so many incredible brands focused on promoting sun safety, melanoma awareness, and research. Head on over to our Instagram page every week for a chance to win an MRA SPF Society bag full of goodies from our amazing parners! Here's who we are working with this Melanoma Awareness Month:
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Thanks to research and clinical trials, treatment options for advanced melanoma are evolving - and some of the newest approaches are changing how we approach the immune system’s role in fighting cancer.
You may have heard of T cell receptor (TCR) therapies, when a patient’s own T cells are removed, engineered in a lab to better recognize cancer, and then infused back into the body. But there’s another approach called ImmTAC (immune-mobilizing TCR) therapies. These treatments don’t require removing cells. Instead, they work inside the body to help existing immune cells better “see” and attack melanoma more effectively.
What’s the difference between these approaches? Who might be eligible for each? What are the risks, benefits, and unknowns?
Now through May 1st, Dr. Seedor is answering questions! Head on over to the Melanoma>Exchange to ask your questions.
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In recognition of Melanoma Awareness Month, MRA, the largest non-profit funder of melanoma research, will announce its 2026 grantee cohort. MRA-funded investigators represent the brightest minds working to advance melanoma prevention, timely diagnosis, and treatment.
2026 funding focus areas will include: Rare Melanomas; Microenvironment, Progression, and Metastasis; Neoadjuvant and Combination Therapies; Immunotherapy, Checkpoint Blockade, and Immune Responses to Melanoma; as well as Genomics, Bioinformatics, and Molecular Diagnostics and Predictive Biomarkers.
Stay tuned for the announcement, which will be shared first on MRA's blog!
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May 4, 2026 3:00 PM ET
In recent years, innovative approaches like tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) therapy have emerged as promising new options for patients with advanced melanoma, offering hope through highly personalized, immune-based treatment strategies. Approved by the FDA in recent years, TIL therapy represents a major milestone as the first cellular therapy for a solid tumor, and ongoing research continues to expand its potential across melanoma and other cancers.
To help our community better understand how TIL therapy works in real-world settings, and what patients and families can expect, MRA is hosting a special installment of our MRA Meet Up webinar series titled “TIL Therapy for Melanoma: A Patient Perspective and What’s New in Research.” This session will feature Dr. Ravi Amaravadi of the University of Pennsylvania, a leading physician-scientist in melanoma research and early-phase clinical trials, alongside patient advocate Rob Ricker, who will share his personal experience navigating treatment, including his journey as one of the first commercial TIL therapy recipients at UPenn. The discussion will be moderated by MRA's Director of Communications and Engagement, Dana Deighton.
MRA’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Stephanie Kauffman, will join a panel of experts on Tuesday, May 5 at 1:25 PM PDT as part of the Milken Institute’s 2026 Global Conference. The session, titled “What Will Success Against Cancer Look Like in 2035?”, will explore how progress in cancer research is increasingly driven by the ability to identify risk earlier, intervene sooner, and continuously learn from patient outcomes.
This session will spotlight the scientific advances that are redefining how cancer is managed and shortening the distance between discovery and impact on the patient. Panelists will explore how these innovations could reshape what progress against cancer will look like by 2035.
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We are inviting all those touched by melanoma to join us on May 20th at 6PM ET for the opportunity to share your story, hear from others, and make lasting connections.
*Registration is highly encouraged.
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May 26, 2026 4:00 PM ET
MRA will host a special webinar focused on melanoma prevention, early detection, and what patients can expect during routine dermatology visits. This session aims to equip individuals and families with the tools to become well-informed, proactive participants in their care - covering essential topics such as skin checks, warning signs, hereditary risk factors, and how to navigate appointments with confidence.
The discussion will feature Dr. Joshua Arbesman of the Cleveland Clinic, who will share clinical insights into prevention and patient care, alongside Leah Adams, a melanoma survivor and MRA Leadership Councilmember, sharing her perspective as a patient advocate. The session will be moderated by MRA’s Director of Communications and Engagement, Dana Deighton, and will include opportunities for attendees to submit questions in advance as well as participate live via chat.
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May is also Ocular Melanoma Awareness Month - a time to shine a light on this rare but serious melanoma subtype - and our friends at Eye on Grace Foundation are spearheading the Eye Patch Challenge! Learn more about the challenge below and be a part of the movement!
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Want to get even more involved with MRA this Melanoma Awareness Month? There are several ways to stay connected!
Use the Tool Kit: MRA created a toolkit for advocates to use this Melanoma Awareness Month and beyond. Explore more about MRA, melanoma facts and figures, social media graphics, and more!
Send in a Video: We are collecting video testimonials from the melanoma community about what research means to YOU. Add your voice to our campaign and you might be featured on our social media.
Advocate Interest Form: MRA greatly values the voice of Patient Advocates, and we invite you to join our efforts. Get started by letting us know how you might like to contribute (webinars, events, focus groups, editorial, etc.).
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