The Grassroots Melanoma Community, or, The Power of Black

And again we find ourselves at the start of a brand new Melanoma Awareness Month. May 2013. This one is different. This year the online melanoma community is united around "Black," our color. And we are coming out in force. Can I say "awesome and amazing!"

We're having an event and it is HUGE! Join us on Facebook at this link. It's an open event and this is your official invitation to stand united and wear black Melanoma Monday May 6th. Yes, the melanoma community and many others consider all of May to be either "Melanoma Awareness Month" or "Skin Cancer and Melanoma Awareness Month." Not the American Academy of Dermatology, however. The AAD refers to May as "Skin Cancer Awareness Month" and they have deemed the first Monday to be "Melanoma Monday."

So, please educate people and wear black the whole month...the whole year for that matter. But please, join us in standing united, as community, on May 6th. Already "The Power of Black," as my dear friend Susan Hayes calls it, is making waves and history as we are joining forces, sharing stories, and making a difference.

Even before the event was started, Susan made placards that could be downloaded, printed out, we could write who we wear black for, and then post pics of us holding our placards. She did this back in April in anticipation of May. But once the event was started and her placard file was shared on the event page, Sonja Krueger took it and ran with it. She's giving her skills and putting our pictures in it with the info we want and then putting them back where we can use them as our Facebook profile pics, or any other way we wish to use them. People have claimed the event as their own, shared it, and it's growing beyond our wildest dreams.

We know there are many, many more people whose lives have been touched, and even devastated and destroyed by melanoma. We know there are people having to piece broken lives back together again because of this disease. We know there are even more people who don't have a clue what melanoma really is and don't think it can happen to them. We know there are many lies and misconceptions surrounding melanoma.

And we know it takes every single one of us to take a stand and make a difference.

Tell your story. Join our event. Educate people and don't apologize for it. Make a difference and maybe save a life or two in the process.

Even if it means you have to "come out of the closet" to do so. Closets are stifling places. If you've got melanoma, any stage, and haven't told people...we'll stand with you as you do.

Know The Power of Black.

charis