Corinne Klein
Hello Mike. I am an oncology nurse with personal and professional experience with melanoma. If treated at Stage I, melanoma may not ever progress to the advanced stages. As far as teenagers developing the disease, the rules seem to be changing. Melanoma no longer limits itself to the fair-skinned, blond patient. It is crossing all barriers of race,sex and age. What does seem to be true is that it may be caused by a severe burn suffered in the first 10 years of life. Over 47,000 people will develop melanoma this year. Its incidence is on the rise. I am in the process of forming a National Melanoma Society with the goal of educating young people through schools, groups, sports teams, churches, or however we can reach them. Most people do not realize the severity of melanoma, and think of it only as a skin cancer. We will be developing programs, literature and newsletters regarding prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research.I have already filed the paperwork for the non-profit organization, and we are in the process of building a website. If you have contacts or info to share, or if you would like to become one of the charter members, please contact me. Thanks, and best of luck.