🦋💙 The Might Melanoma Me-ander 🦋💙

May is Melanoma Awareness Month so what better time for myself and some wonderful friends to walk a half marathon in aid of the North East based charity The Melanoma-Me Foundation.

The aim of the walk is threefold:

1. Raising awareness of melanoma itself, which is all too often thought of as "just skin cancer"

2. Promoting the importance of sun safety - the best and easiest way of preventing some melanomas 👕🕶👒🧴

3. Raising vital funds for Melanoma-Me, allowing them to continue offering their services to those who need it

Melanoma-Me has a special place in my heart as I have had, and continue to have, my own battle with melanoma. I was first diagnosed with stage 1 melanoma in 2015. Then, in 2020, two months from being discharged from follow-up, I was "upgraded" to stage 4 (the upgrade that no one wants!!)

Melanoma is far too often overlooked as "just skin cancer". Yes, if caught early, it can be cut out, however it is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and can very quickly spread to other organs. It spread to my soft tissue, peritoneum, both lungs and brain - so its not "just skin cancer"!

Today I consider myself truly blessed to be able to say that I'm in complete remission. However melanoma is a sneaky b@st@rd and the anxiety over whether, or when, it could return is something I live with day in, and day out.

Many others are also being diagnosed daily, and are reaching out to Melanoma-Me for help, guidance and support.

They are a small, community based charity who support patients and their families and friends following a diagnosis of melanoma. They are not funded by the government and rely on community fundraisers to continue offering this valuable support.

My mission is to raise both awareness, and vital funds for Melanoma-Me, allowing them to continue offering their services to those who need their help, for years to come.

Please help by sponsoring us for our half marathon walk from Ellington to Warkworth 💙🦋

Thank you,

Leigh & pals