Press Release May 2014
LOCAL SMALL NONPROFIT BLACKOUT MELANOMA GIVES BACK IN A BIG WAY TO WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
(Chesterfield, MO) – Blackout Melanoma recently partnered with Washington University School of Medicine and awarded their first $50,000 research grant for clinical research projects that explore innovative approaches to understanding melanoma and its treatment and help move closer to finding a cure for melanoma.
Blackout Melanoma introduced the Rebeca Shults Campos Melanoma Research Fellowship Grant this year in the amount of $50,000. This grant will be distributed over the next five years in $10,000 increments to Washington University school of Medicine to take the first of many steps toward finding a cure for Melanoma. Blackout Melanoma was founded in 2010 by Rebeca (Beca) Shults Campos and Aneta Campos.
“The idea for Blackout Melanoma initiated from the sad and painful malignant melanoma diagnosis of my beautiful and loving daughter Beca. Yet, despite the horrific news, Beca remained full of courage, resilience, determination and an amazing faith which inspired me to quickly step up and help my little girl Beca launch this energetic movement. Now, as an organization, Blackout Melanoma is working to continue Beca’s mission and dream, through fundraising events, and our three pillars: Education, Beca’s Care and Research. I am proud and honored to be a part of something that is giving hope and taking steps toward one day having a generation free of Melanoma, where worldwide prevention and detection are the norm and where we find a cure for this life taking disease.”
~Founder and President, Aneta Campos, Blackout Melanoma
Blackout Melanoma programs are providing knowledge about melanoma, the most common cancer in young adults. Blackout Melanoma shares facts about melanoma including the risk factors as well as prevention and detection techniques. They do their best to educate all those who will listen about the dangers of skin cancer in order to protect all members of our community from the dangers of melanoma.
Knowledge is power and knowledge can save lives. What we do now to our skin will affect us the rest of our lives.
“It was 1986, I was a senior in college, when a news story caught my attention. The picture that was displaying on the TV was something I could identify with, but what was it? As my full attention turned to what the reporter was saying, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing…Skin Cancer. That was the beginning of my 27 years of skin cancer and counting,” stated Mickie Kohlschreiber.
“I was never one who used a tanning bed or lived by the pool, but with a light complexion, anytime spent in the sun was allowing the time necessary for the sun damage to occur. I have been told it can take 10 years or more for the damage to develop into cancer, and even though I continue to use sunscreen daily, I will unfortunately be dealing with the results of my youthful years for the rest of my life.”
Knowledge is power and you can take preventative steps today. Visit your dermatologist at least once a year, familiarize yourself with every mole, freckle and spot on your body and take notice of any change.Prevention and detection is key to healthy skin.
Blackout Melanoma raises funds through events such as their annual Beca’s 5 – a 5k walk/run which will be held this year September 20th at Creve Coeur Lake, the upcoming Day at the Ballpark Cardinals’ game on May 31st.
Please browse the website for more information about getting involved in these events. You can find out more about Blackout Melanoma and learn what steps you can take toward prevention at the upcoming Let’s Move in Parkway health fair on May 4, 2014. Additional information can be found on here.
Aneta Campos stated, “Blackout Melanoma will not stop educating, supporting and funding research until they find a cure. My daughter Beca would always say: “Be aware, Take time to share, Show that you care.” “We are honoring her and doing just that.”
About Blackout Melanoma
Established in 2010 by Rebeca (Beca) Shults Campos and Aneta Campos, Blackout Melanoma is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization that educates, advocates, and provides resources to secure a generation free of Melanoma. While the mission sounds simple enough, achieving it is not. To complete their mission, and to continue in the spirit of Beca Campos, Blackout Melanoma has developed a three pillar approach; education, support, and continued research.
Blackout Melanoma’s Education Pillar is responsible for providing knowledge about melanoma, the most common cancer in young adults ages 25-29. We share facts about melanoma including the risk factors as well as prevention and detection techniques. We do our best educate all those who will listen about the dangers of skin cancer in order to protect all members of our community from the dangers of melanoma. Knowledge is power and knowledge can save lives. Blackout Melanoma’s
Beca’s Care Program provides emotional and financial support to individuals currently diagnosed with stage III/IV metastatic melanoma. As patients and their families go through the challenges of life onset by metastatic melanoma, we will provide security and hope to those in need.
Blackout Melanoma Research Pillar provides financial support to further melanoma research. Currently BOM has a partnership with Washington University and oncologist and dermatologist Dr. Lynn Cornelius M.D. Chief, Division of Dermatology, Professor of Dermatology at Washington University in St. Louis and Dr. Gerald Linette M.D. who cared for Beca during her battle with melanoma. BOM will continue to partner with medical leaders to strive toward prevention, discovery and medical explorations all with the goal of identifying steps to finding a cure.
Please explore our website to find out more about our organization and ‘LIKE’ Blackout Melanoma on Facebook and follow the group on Twitter.
