Start Seeing Melanoma™ public health campaign: Melanoma Stands Out
May 18 is Oregon Check Your Skin Day! Take action by checking your skin (and others!) for signs of melanoma skin cancer. Learn what to look for, how to look, and what to do if you find something at Start Seeing Melanoma.
Melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, has a 99% survival rate when treated early. But that drops to 30% when caught late. Melanoma stands out. It’s the cancer you can spot with your own eyes, and take action to stop. So take action. Check your skin. And if you see a spot that stands out, talk to your provider.
View Melanoma Stands Out YouTube Video PSA
We've launched a War on Melanoma™ to eliminate melanoma as a cause of death
Melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, has seen rates increase over the past three decades. Over 100,000 new cases of melanoma in the U.S. are estimated in 2021 alone1. Oregon ranks in the top 10 for both melanoma rates and deaths2. We must take decisive action to fight this disease.
Melanoma can be prevented. Survival rates are best when it is found and treated early. The War on Melanoma™ aims to attack melanoma on all fronts.
We must understand the disease better through research. We must find better treatments. We must promote healthy sun habits. We must educate on the importance of finding melanoma early. The more melanomas we can prevent — and find and treat early — the more deaths we will avoid.
Will you join the fight? Learn about specific ways to participate in the War on Melanoma™:
Upcoming event
Learn about melanoma
Get involved
Join the Melanoma Community Registry
For skincare professionals
Resources
For medical professionals
The SCAR Project
The SCAR Project is an original portrait series of melanoma survivors and their scars. The project was orchestrated by former OHSU dermatology resident and avid photographer, Dr. Kelly Griffith-Bauer, M.D.
Dr. Bauer during her time in clinic would snap photos to document patient's skin as part of their clinical exams. But as she photographed excision scars who were undergoing treatment for melanoma, she noticed an often negative reaction. "Some tried to hide their scar, some were proud of it. I became fascinated by the dichotomy. But no one liked the photos I took in clinic. They'd say I hate that photo. I hate seeing that photo." She went on to capture higher quality portraits that could better reflect patients and their relationships to their scars. View the Scar project gallery here.
The War on Melanoma™ is an all-fronts effort to eliminate melanoma in Oregon and beyond, brought to you by the OHSU Department of Dermatology and Knight Cancer Institute.
The War on Melanoma™ has launched a public health campaign to get Oregonians to Start Seeing Melanoma™! Visit the Start Seeing Melanoma webpage to learn more.