20 Years of Patient Support & 8 Years of Moving for Melanoma: Canadians Rally Nationwide for Save Your Skin Foundation

TORONTO, Sept. 22, 2026 /CNW/ -- As Save Your Skin Foundation marks 20 years of supporting Canadians affected by melanoma, skin cancer and ocular melanoma, patients, survivors, families and supporters across the country are preparing to come together for the Foundation's 8th annual Move for Melanoma, taking place September 26–27, 2026.

Longtime Move for Melanoma participant Enzo (centre) continues to inspire the Save Your Skin Foundation community, typically raising approximately $5,000 each year—even while undergoing treatment. Pictured with Rose (left) and Lyanne (right) at Move for Melanoma 2025.

Since its launch in 2019, Move for Melanoma has raised nearly $600,000 to support Canadians navigating the financial, practical and emotional realities of a skin cancer diagnosis. Last year alone, participants raised more than $82,000, building on a grassroots movement that has grown alongside Save Your Skin Foundation's national patient community.

This year's event carries special significance as Save Your Skin Foundation celebrates its 20th anniversary. What began in 2006 as a patient-led effort to ensure others did not have to navigate melanoma alone has grown into a national organization providing support throughout the cancer journey.

Twenty years after its founding, Save Your Skin Foundation now provides direct financial, practical and emotional support to patients across Canada. In 2025 alone, Save Your Skin Foundation:

• Provided financial assistance to 28 patients to help them access treatment
• Hosted 6 virtual support group chats on various topics
• Led 21 virtual wellness sessions with a certified counsellor
• Provided approximately 50 to 150 one-on-one patient support calls over the course of the year

Move for Melanoma helps make that work possible, raising funds for patient support programs as well as treatment costs, travel and accommodation when patients must leave their communities to access care.

"When I started Save Your Skin Foundation 20 years ago, I could never have imagined the community it would become," says Founder and President Kathy Barnard. "Move for Melanoma captures what these 20 years have been about: patients, survivors, families and supporters showing up for one another. Nearly $600,000 raised through this event represents thousands of people saying to Canadians facing melanoma and other skin cancers: "you don't have to face this alone."

Get Involved: Move for Melanoma 2026
Save Your Skin Foundation invites individuals and teams across Canada to participate in Move for Melanoma on September 26–27 by participating in the activity of their choice while raising awareness and funds for those affected by melanoma, ocular melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. Participants can register individually or as a team, create a personalized fundraising page and take part from anywhere in Canada.

Edmonton 5K
This year's event also includes an in-person Move for Melanoma 5K in Edmonton on Sunday, September 27th at Whitemud Park, featuring 3K and 5K routes and family-friendly activities.

About Save Your Skin Foundation
Save Your Skin Foundation (SYSF) is a patient-led not-for-profit organization dedicated to the fight against non-melanoma skin cancers, melanoma, and ocular melanoma through education, advocacy, and awareness initiatives across Canada. SYSF provides a community of oncology patient and caregiver support throughout the entire continuum of care, from prevention and diagnosis to survivorship. Please visit saveyourskin.ca for more information.

SOURCE Save Your Skin Foundation

Media Contact: Amy Rosvold, 778-317-1485, [email protected]