Global skin check campaign responds to predicted increase in melanoma cases
1st May 2023
Tamara Dawson
2 min read
May is World Melanoma Awareness month and MSCAN is getting skin serious, on a global level.
Partnering with the Global Melanoma Coalition, the Melanoma & Skin Cancer Advocacy Network (MSCAN) is campaigning for people to check their skin regularly.
Data from the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer suggests the global total number of new melanoma cases will reach 413,100 per year by 2030. This is an increase of over 27% on the 324,635 cases registered a decade earlier in 2020. Melanoma mortality is predicted to reach 74,750 in 2030, a 31% increase on the 57,043 deaths in 2020.
With melanoma incidence rates rising around the world, it’s never been more important for people to check their skin regularly.
For many patients, their melanoma survivor story started with a skin check. This campaign encourages others to learn important routine by celebrating the rich lives survivors lead because they checked their skin, and in particular, the role they continue to play in their loved ones’ lives because of it. We hope this inspires others to take up this simple protective habit.
Some useful Skin Check tools are being shared as part of the campaign:
A voice-activated digital assistant ‘Skin Check’ app – Available on Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant platform, the app guides people through what to look for, and the seven steps for conducting a full-body skin exam. The assistant finishes by offering to set a recurring monthly reminder for the exam. To use the Alexa app, it should first be enabled by saying “Alexa, enable Skin Check” to your Alexa device, then simply “Alexa, open Skin Check”. To use the Google App, just say “Hey Google, talk to Skin Check”.
A skin self-exam video – The video covers the ABCDE warning signs of melanoma, and the seven steps for checking the body. The video is available here
A personalised skin check guide – A simple PDF guide to print out and keep, that can be personalised with a message of support and encouragement from a friend or family member. Download the PDF here.
A monthly skin check really could be the most important habit you form this year, for yourself and for your loved ones. We look forward to sharing the campaign with you!
About The Global Melanoma Coalition
The Global Melanoma Coalition was formed in 2014 by the Melanoma Research Foundation in response to the global need to bring the patient voice to the melanoma space.
The group has grown to include organisations from 27 different countries and is enthusiastically supported by its partners around the world, as well as the global patient, healthcare and pharmaceutical communities.
The Coalition meets the vital needs of the worldwide melanoma community through three working groups, which each specialise in a unique area that addresses globally relevant issues for melanoma patients, encompassing:
- Melanoma Awareness and Patient Resources
- Patient Advocacy and Access to Treatment
- Collaboration and Recruitment
The Global Melanoma Coalition meets annually and is determined to make the deadliest skin cancer curable through its worldwide partnership.
