Last updated April 5, 2018
Melanoma is one of the deadliest cancers there is. Someone dies every hour from the disease. Sun-baked on-water rowers are especially at risk for the cutaneous form of melanoma. METERS FOR MELANOMA was created to support the Midwest Melanoma Partnership‘s work to support research to find a cure.
Often melanoma gets mistaken as being solely “skin cancer” that can largely be prevented by minimizing your exposure to the sun’s UV rays. While melanoma certainly CAN and often does occur on the skin, it turns out that there are two other forms of the disease, mucosal and ocular. You don’t have to have any sun exposure at all to come face to face with one of the disease’s most aggressive forms: mucosal melanoma.
We’ve learned that in spades at UCanRow2 as our own Terry Smythe has been very publicly riding the cancer rollercoaster since late 2013. Never, EVER one to take things easily or lying down, Terry is taking cancer on with guns blazing, and using her fight as a platform to educate others about the disease.
Rowing to Find a Cure for Melanoma
Enter METERS FOR MELANOMA, our annual fundraiser to support melanoma research and the tremendous efforts of the Midwest Melanoma Partnership. Join us each year on May 5 — Terry’s birthday — and row or SkiErg 500 or 5000 meters, you pick. If you don’t have access to an erg or would prefer to do another fitness activity, feel free! Do you need a place to row or ski? Check the links below to find a rower or SkiErg near you.
SIGN UP for meters for melanoma
Please join us for some fun on May 5 and make a difference for Terry and everyone else fighting melanoma. You’ll get a cool t-shirt, and our eternal thanks for helping with a really important cause. Email us your 500 or 5000 meter time and you might win a cool prize! Register now and we’ll get you set up.
METERS FOR MELANOMA MEDIA COVERAGE
We’ve been so fortunate to count on the support of our local news media in this effort. Click below to see the story that TV6 Upper Michigan’s Source did on our effort in its first year.
Do you have a melanoma or cancer story to tell? Has rowing made a difference in your recovery? Please tell us about it in the comments below, you deserve a shout-out!!