2019 PDX Skincare Festival

Date: May 18, 2019
Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Place: Robertson Collaborative Life Sciences Building, South Waterfront, Portland, Ore

Join us for the 2nd annual PDX Skincare Festival — a free community event uniting health care and skincare to spread melanoma awareness and education!

Activities include free services and samples from skincare professionals, free skin cancer screenings, a 5K walk, melanoma patient symposium and more. Brought to you by the OHSU Department of Dermatology as part of the War on Melanoma™.

Learn more.

Melanoma, Vitiligo, and XP Patient Symposium

 NW Cancer Resource Fund donates $15,000

Past news and events:

Melanoma Warriors Unite - Bend, Ore.

Date: August 16, 2018
Time: 6 - 8 p.m.
Place: 963 SW Simpson Ave, Suite 100, Bend, Ore.

Join the Central Oregon community for their Melanoma Warriors meeting to learn more about:

• Local, OHSU-funded projects
• Sharing community projects
• Melanoma & other types of skin cancers
• Community events
• Volunteer opportunities
• Available resources

4^th Annual Melanoma Patient Symposium Recap

 Oregon Talks Genetics focus group invitation

 2017 War on Skin Cancer Event Recap

On May 20th, we hosted our third annual War on Skin Cancer Event. It was another amazing day for the advancement of melanoma research, education and community. 

Learn more...

 May 26th is "Dont Fry Day"

Public Health Portland Style
Skin Cancer: The Silent Killer of Central Oregon

Date: Saturday, April 22
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel
8235 NE Airport Way
Portland, OR 97220
Cost: FREE

Join the National Psoriasis Foundation as they host a free event addressing:

• The latest on managing psoriatic disease and achieving clear skin
• Q&A with the experts
• Tips for managing flares, stress and food choices
• Exhibits, continental breakfast and more!
• View the full schedule

2017 War on Skin Cancer Event

We made history! On Saturday January 21st, we brought together a community of over 200 healthcare professionals, melanoma survivors, family members and not-for-profit organizations for the unified purpose of melanoma teaching, discovery and community. Thanks to all of you who attended in person in Portland, Bend and Corvallis, and to our virtual attendees too! This day featured:

• Total Participants: ~200
  • Melanoma Professionals: 30 in person, 15+ online
  • Community Participants: 80 in person, 60+ online
  • Remote Location Participants: 15
  • Patients who signed up to volunteer for SolSurvivors Oregon: 17
• Keynote Presentation: The Current Direction of Melanoma Clinical Trials in the US
  Omid Hamid, MD, Director of the Melanoma Center and Phase I Immuno-Oncology Program, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
• Q&A with Expert Panel  (starting at 53:00 mins)
  Omid Hamid, MD, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute
  Sancy Leachman, MD, PhD, Oregon Health & Science University
  Walter J. Urba, MD, PhD, Providence Cancer Center
  Carlo Bifulco, MD, Providence Cancer Cente
  Brendan Curti, MD, Providence Cancer Center
  Kristen Massimino, MD, Oregon Health & Science University
  Matthew Taylor, MD, Oregon Health & Science University
  Oliver Wisco, DO, Bend Memorial Clinic, Oregon Health & Science University
• Community Forum Recording
  Featuring SolSurvivors Oregon: Katie Wilkes, Robin Zimmerman, Jennifer Millar, Pam Beck
  Oregon Health & Science University: Lisa Domenico, MBA, and Sancy Leachman, MD, PhD
• Full photo gallery can be viewed HERE

2017 Melanoma Community Research Forum

 Dr. Sancy Leachman appointed inaugural recipient of John D. Gray Endowed Chair in Melanoma Research

War on Skin Cancer Event Presentation Recordings

 NW Cancer Resource Fund donates $15,000

2016 War on Skin Cancer Event Recap

 Click to learn about the immensely successful 2016 War on Skin Cancer Event!

The War on Melanoma Debrief  Newsletter - February

If you are not already a Registry member, visit our Melanoma Community Registry page and subscribe to receive the Debrief and other exciting correspondence!

The Debrief is a quarterly newsletter used to keep our Registry Members up to date on new melanoma 'intel' such as: advancements in research, technology, introduce events, volunteer opportunities, and much more!

OHSU Featured in OMA Medicine Magazine for Work on Sunscreen Legislation

The War on Melanoma Debrief  Newsletter - November

In order to inform our Registry members of new and exciting melanoma 'intel', we have created the War on Melanoma™ Debrief. This newsletter is designed to keep our members up to date with advancements in research, technology, introduce events, volunteer opportunities, and much more!

Our November issue focused on some exciting new technology advancements that we are deploying in the War on Melanoma™! Click the thumbnail to read more!

If you are not already a Registry member, visit our Melanoma Community Registry page and subscribe to receive the Debrief and other exciting correspondence!

Dr. Sancy Leachman Speaks with OncLive

Cancer Survivors 2 Thrivers Old Fashioned Family Picnic and Melanoma Awareness Event

Melanoma Community Research Forum Recording

To watch the recording of this event, click HERE

To view the photo gallery of this event, click HERE

Mole Mapper App Launch

On 10/15/15, OHSU in partnership with Sage Bionetworks released a cellphone app called Mole Mapper. Mole Mapper, which is available exclusively in Apple®’s App Store, is part of the Apple ResearchKit suite of apps. Mole Mapper will help to gather data for melanoma research and, potentially, impact health outcomes in individuals at risk for melanoma. Using your iPhone camera, Mole Mapper tracks moles and how they change and grow over time, empowering patients to take charge of their health monitoring.

To find out more information about the app and watch our animated videos, visit our Mole Mapper page!

View OHSU Mole Mapper Press Release

Knight Cancer Institute BioLibrary Donation Opportunities

Donation Dates:
October 16th, 3-5:30pm
October 21st, 8-9:30am
October 30th, 3-5:30pm

Oregon Health & Science University
Center for Health and Healing, 16th Floor, South Waterfront

How to register:

1. Click HERE (or the image) to sign-up on VolunteerSpot
2. Enter your email - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password
3. Review the options listed and choose the spot you like

Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email with anyone

HB 3041 Bill Signing Ceremony in Salem

With help from you and your tremendous support, HB 3041 passed the Oregon State Legislature almost unanimously, making Oregon only the second state in the country besides California to allow children to bring and use sunscreen and sunprotective clothing at school and during school sponsored activities.

First, we want to say a huge thank you to the Melanoma Community Registry for helping to make this happen!

We also want to invite you to join us, if you're available, for the Governor's Ceremonial Bill Signing of this fantastic legislation and celebrate this victory to increase melanoma prevention options for Oregon's children. Please join us for the 15 minute signing ceremony Tuesday, July 28 at 2 p.m., and feel free to bring your children and share this invitation with others who are passionate about ending melanoma in Oregon. 

HB3041 Bill Signing Ceremony
Governor's Ceremonial Office
2 – 2:15 p.m.
Oregon State Capitol
900 Court ST NE, Salem, Ore. 97301

You'll have an opportunity to meet Governor Kate Brown and see her sign into law HB 3041. We will be gathering around 1:45 p.m. in the Rotunda area of the Capitol near the front door and then heading up to her office before 2 p.m. Feel free to head straight upstairs to her office if you'd prefer, as well.  

RSVP to Julie Hanna , or if you have any questions, contact her at 503-860-2662.

We hope to see you next Tuesday!

$15,000 Raised for Melanoma Research

A big thank you to AIM at Melanoma and SolSurvivors for organizing a hugely successful Northwest Melanoma Walk on May 30. Through the efforts of the walker and runner participants, $15,000 was raised to support the OHSU Department of Dermatology's participation in a Melanoma Tissue Bank Consortium. These funds will support critical melanoma research.

OHSU is one of four participating sites in this important resource for research. For more information about the importance of developing melanoma tissue banks, please Skin of Steel's video below. 

May 30th War on Skin event - A smashing success!

On May 30, 2015, over 800 people attended our War on Skin Cancer event. It featured a skin cancer research expo, skin checks provided by OHSU and community dermatologists, a community walk to raise awareness and funds for research, sun safety education and even live music! Before the event even officially started, the atmosphere was abuzz with attendees eager to participate in and learn about skin cancer research.

Thanks to your combined efforts, in only five hours our researchers collected hundreds of surveys and blood samples that would normally take many months to obtain; our dermatologists provided 250 skin checks for community members that some may not have otherwise received; and over 125 new people joined the Melanoma Community Registry. Your enthusiasm to help learn about and participate in ongoing skin cancer research is truly inspiring. 

If you weren't able to attend the event, here's a quick recap.

May 2015 - OHSU strives to cut Oregon’s melanoma diagnoses in half

OHSU's Dr. Sancy Leachman was recently featured in an article about skin cancer in Oregon by the Bend Bulletin. The article discusses launching the War on Melanoma and Oregon's unusually high rate of skin cancer.  An excerpt from the article can be found below: 

“As cloudy as it is, you wouldn’t expect it,” said Dr. Sancy Leachman, director of the Melanoma Research Program in Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute. (She was speaking, of course, of the Northwest portion of the state, not Central Oregon, which, by contrast, tends to get a lot of sun.)

Leachman recently launched a massive project called the War on Melanoma with the ultimate goal of cutting the number of melanoma deaths in Oregon in half in five years. The clock on that five years hasn’t actually begun yet, as the project is still in its fundraising phase. So far, more than 3,300 melanoma survivors, family members and friends have agreed to become part of a registry researchers will use to find study subjects — which can be difficult to find for any type of clinical trial — and blood donors when samples are needed for certain melanoma studies."

To read the full article in the Bend Bulletin click here

CDC Prevention & Control of Skin Cancer Webinar

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s webinar from April 21, 2015 addresses prevention and control of skin cancer in response to the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer. The webinar features presentations from a four person panel that focus particularly on how we can all help people protect their skin and live their lives while enjoying the outdoors.

Meg Watson, MPH, an epidemiologist from the Division of Cancer Prevention and Control provides data on skin cancer incidence, risk and prevention. Sharon Mckenna, program manager of Arizona SunWise Skin Cancer Prevention Program, discusses key lessons learned in skin cancer prevention and sun safety within Arizona schools. Jeff Gershenwald, MD explains how the Melanoma Moon Shot Program at MD Anderson is working toward reducing incidence of melanoma in youth.

Boris Lushniak, MD, MPH, Deputy Surgeon General, concludes the webinar by expanding upon action steps and strategies we can implement to help prevent skin cancer. 

Watch the CDC webinar on prevention and control of skin cancer.

May 2015 - Skin Cancer Research Expo & Sun Safety Event

An event to educate, detect, and advance the science of skin cancer prevention and treatment all in one place

Start the summer off by learning more about sun safety and protection, having a skin exam performed by a healthcare provider and participating in the latest skin cancer research at OHSU. Skin cancer should be among the most easily recognized and preventable of all cancers. Often people do not always visit a dermatologist when they see a mole that has changed or doesn’t “look normal” or they don’t recognize other common symptoms of skin cancer .  

Join the OHSU Department of Dermatology and the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute on Saturday, May 30, at the Center for Health & Healing, located on the South Waterfront for a research expo, skin cancer health education and skin checks, and the 2015 Northwest Melanoma Walk.

Learn more about this upcoming event

February 2015 - Nike Meet Cancer

On February 3rd, NIKE held a Meet Cancer event at their world headquarters in Beaverton, OR. The event included a group run (it is NIKE after all), presentations from OHSU cancer experts, and celebration of NIKE employees who have faced cancer. The OHSU speakers included Dr. Sancy Leachman, Dr. Brain Druker, and Dr. Kent Thornberg. 

November 2014 - Melanoma Care Update & Patient Dialogue

Thank you, everyone, who joined us on for our first Melanoma Care Update & Patient Dialogue, co-sponsored by our friends at Aim at Melanoma.  We are delighted that so many of you were able to participate. The event, held at the Vey Auditorium at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital on November 15th, was a great success with over 130 people in attendance.

Sancy Leachman, M.D., Ph.D., director of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute Melanoma Program, commenced the event by sharing her plans to reduce skin cancer rates and advance research through the Melanoma Community Registry.

Following Dr. Leachman’s presentation, Michael M. Kim, M.D. and Michael Taylor, M.D. and presented on surgical options following melanoma diagnosis and novel system therapies for metastatic melanoma, respectively. Jackilen Shannon, Ph.D, R.D, M.P.H. then presented on melanoma prevention and how Let’s Get Healthy is using interactive gaming to educate children about skin cancer prevention.

The event’s keynote speaker, Gerald Linette, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of medicine and neurosurgery at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, gave a brilliant presentation on the future of melanoma treatments that harness the immune system.

The event concluded with a patient panel that allowed melanoma survivors to share their personal journeys and heartfelt experiences fighting against melanoma. Attendees were also able to explore exhibits presented by Let’s Get Healthy and Sol Survivors before and after the event.  

Watch the event:

If you were unable to attend, we invite you to view videos of the event here. More videos will be posted in the up-coming weeks. To see a list of the talks, read the event schedule.  

What participants are saying:

“AIM was honored to be a part of the Melanoma Care Update and Patient Dialogue.  We not only heard some very informative presentations on melanoma but we had an opportunity to hear how OHSU would be working with the melanoma community to combat the disease.”
– Sam Guild, AIM at Melanoma 

“The event provided a wealth of valuable information about melanoma diagnosis and treatment. It created a unique opportunity for patients and survivors to engage in a two-way conversation with researchers and physicians, and allowed us to connect with individuals who are interested in using their various skills and talents to advance the war on melanoma.”
– Katie Wilkes, SolSurvivors Oregon

 “So very good! I can’t thank you enough for presenting this info and leading an organized attack on melanoma in Oregon.”
– Attendee Comment

Read more about it:

• The Oregonian:  "First-ever gathering of melanoma patients at OHSU will cover cutting-edge treatments"
• Oregon Public Broadcasting: "OHSU Doctor Hopes Melanoma Registry Will Aid Education, Research"
• Portland Business Journal: "OHSU assembles melanoma ‘army’ to fight the disease"