Advocacy

National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF)
They seek to legislate and create access to insurance funding for evolving technologies.

Sun Safety Alliance
The Sun Safety Alliance seeks to raise the level of public awareness of the importance of adopting sun safe paractices as a means to prevent skin cancer and to develop public education programs that will motivate individuals to change behavior.


Caregiver Resources

National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA)
Addresses much-needed support for those who care for family members who are seriously ill or disabled.


Clinical Trials

Cancer Trials Support Unit
The Cancer Trials Support Unit (CTSU) is an NCI funded program to facilitate participation (by both patients and physicians) in phase III NCI sponsored Cancer treatment trials.

Clinicaltrials.gov
National Institutes of Health search site for clinical trials.

Emerging Med
A clinical trial search base for all trials.

Oncolink
This site contains information from the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center and the National Cancer Institute. It has a melanoma page and lists current medical trials.


Dermatology Resources

American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)
Member dermatologists nationally and internationally; gives free screening locations, educational information; includes a melanoma page. Publishers of many informative physician newsletters on research, diagnosis, and treatment.

Dermatrak Imaging Centers
Mole Mapping For Melanoma Screening: Total body photography is provided. This photography is one of the best ways to document clinical appearance of your moles for future reference. It aids in the early detection of melanoma and prevents unnecessary surgery. It gives your doctor the tools to compare your current moles to baseline appearance.

Skin Cancer Foundation
Provides educational material and lists medical providers.
Publisher of the Melanoma Letter; up-to-date information for physicians.


Early Detection/Prevention

Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Federal agency that provides information on cancer prevention
and control.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Site for the SunWise federal education program.

Melanoma Education Foundation
"Saving lives through eduction." MEF offers a comprehensive education program for middle school to highschool aged students with an emphasis on skin examination and early detection.

Men's Health Network
Men's Health Network (MHN) is a non-profit educational organization comprised of physicians, researchers, public health workers, individuals and other health professionals. MHN is committed to improving the health and wellness of men through education campaigns, partnerships with retailers and other private entities, workplace health programs, data collection, and work with health care providers to provide better programs and funding for men's health needs.


Emotional Support & Retreat

CaringBridge
CaringBridge offers free, easy-to-create web sites that help connect friends and family when they need it most.

Commonweal
California based retreat center and human ecology research center.

Gilda’s Club
Centers provide social and emotional support along with lectures, workshops, children’s programs and other services.

Nevus Network
Support group for people with giant birthmarks or garment nevi.

Pregnant with Cancer
A comprehensive guide for those who have cancer during pregnancy with attention paid to their special needs.

Sunstone Healing Center Tucson-based support center providing lodging programs and healing retreats in a nurturing environment.

The Wellness Community
The Wellness Community's mission is to help people with cancer and their loved ones enhance health and well-being by providing a professional program of support, education and hope. All of their programs and services are provided free of charge!


General Support

American Cancer Society
This site offers many support services, listings of local support groups, and small grants.

Cancer Guide
Support information compiled by a cancer survivor.

Cancer Links
An index of many information and advocacy sites.

Cancer Care
Provides patient counseling, social services, and financial assistance.

Healthfinder
Health and Human Services Department easy entry point to trustworthy health information.

Learnmelanoma.org
Learnmelanoma.org teaches visual distinctions between benign moles and those suspicious for skin cancer.

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Very comprehensive information from the US Government agency wing of the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Phillyhealthinfo.org
Phillyhealthinfo.org Sponsored by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Phillyhealthinfo.org is a comprehensive directory of health services, events and information serving Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

Physician’s Data Query (PDQ)
A service of NCI which provides answers to both patients’ and doctors’ questions regarding research, treatment, supportive care, screening, and drug trials.

Web MD
A medical education site from a company that helps both consumers and healthcare providers navigate the healthcare community.


Hospice

Hospice Education Institute
Valuable information on end-of-life care for patients, caregivers and families.

HospiceNet
A web-based service providing information about hospice.


Hotlines

Melanoma International Foundation: Patient Navigation
1-866-463-6663

PDQ Search Service for Health Professionals
1-800-345-3300
Outside the United States call 313-831-8292

The National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Information Service
1-800-4-CANCER
Usually operates out of your regional cancer center.


Insurance/Financial Assistance

Community Volunteers in Medicine
Community Volunteers in Medicine (CVIM) is a non-profit community-based volunteer corporation, serving the primary medical and dental needs of the uninsured working poor residents of Chester County.

National Patient Advocate Foundation (NPAF)
They seek to legislate and create access to insurance funding for evolving technologies.

Medicare
Site for medicare subscribers.


International Resources

Melanoma Patients Australia (Australia)
The aim of the website is to provide melanoma patients, their family and friends with information about melanoma and its treatment options as well as providing a support network to nurture them.

Cancer Index Remarkable multinational reference site to support information and cancer care organizations in over 100 countries.


Lodging

www.joeshouse.org
Joe’s House is a nationwide, non-profit organization, which serves cancer patients, their advocates, and social workers by providing a national online directory of local lodging accommodations.


Oncology Resources

American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Provides cancer resources, and how to find an oncologist.

Eastern Oncology Cooperative Group
A definitive source of current oncology research trials.

People Living With Cancer
Consumer site for American Society for Clinical Oncology


Pain Management

American Pain Foundation (APF)
A pain action guide and offers information, support and advocacy.


Research

Friends of Cancer Research
Works to mobilize public support through an emphasis on policy related issues important to cancer research.

PubMed
Provides quick access to medical research through the National Library of Medicine.


Suggested Reading

The Anatomy of Hope (Jerome Groupman)
Examines how people prevail in the face of illness.

Dancing in Limbo (Glenna Halvorsen-Boyd)
Written by a melanoma patient and a cancer patient; addresses in a refreshing way the psychological issues that cancer patients face.

Home Care Guide for Cancer (Peter Houts)
Preparation for the caregiver providing home care for a cancer patient during intensive treatment stage.

The ACS Guide to Complementary & Alternative Cancer Methods
Consumer text features a broad range of topics, including herbs, vitamins, minerals, diet, manual healing, and alternative treatment methods.

When Someone You Love Has Cancer (Suzanne LeVert)
Hands-on book for the caregiver, including treatment of symptoms and hospice information.


Sun Safe & Cancer Related Clothing/Accessories