Melanoma March

One Australian dies of melanoma every 6 hours.

Melanoma March Coolangatta is a fun community event where participants can walk or march along a short course to raise awareness about melanoma and funds for life-changing research.

The March will commence from The Strand and take in a picturesque 4km loop along the foreshore of Coolangatta Beach on Sunday 26 March.

Check-ins on the day open from 6:30am. Please make sure you give yourself enough time before the walk commences to check in. The march will commence at 7am.

Participating in Melanoma March is a great way to show your support for melanoma research, raise funds to find a cure and have a fun day out with your community. All funds raised will go towards crucial research dedicated to finding a cure for melanoma.

Register online or make a donation today.

This march is sponsored by the Seagulls Club and The Strand.

Read the stories of some of our Melanoma March Ambassadors below;

Natalie’s Story
Kingscliff local and Stage 4 melanoma survivor, Natalie Quirk, is gearing up to March for Melanoma on Sunday 26 March, 2017.
 
Natalie is an ambassador for Melanoma March Coolangatta again in 2017, the third year the national event has been run on the Southern Gold Coast and Tweed.
 
She is sharing her own battle in the hope it will inspire others to raise funds and awareness by joining the march, so that her four-year-old son can live in a world where the deadly disease has a cure.
 
While the last year has been challenging for Natalie health-wise, with a recurrence of the disease in November 2016, she remains positive, particularly for her son. “A change in treatment has seen all evidence of the disease disappear within 7 weeks. For the first time in 5 years I am looking at a possible break from treatment by mid-year in 2017.”
 
Before her relapse, Natalie and her son travelled to Europe to tick off an item on her bucket list. “In September last year we did manage to complete the last leg of the Camino Way. I pushed Ryan for 73km of the last 115km, from Sarria to Santiago.
 
“I had promised myself when I was sick that if I felt well again I was going to truly value my health and make the most of being able bodied and active, hence walking this section of the Camino. It was great preparation for this year’s March!”
 
Jenelle’s Story

Jenelle Foggo originally had a Stage 2 melanoma cut out of her arm 12 years ago. In February 2016 it returned and had spread to her lung, hip, adrenal gland and armpit.
 
“I was diagnosed Stage 4 and commenced treatment with Dabrafenib and Trametinib and had a fast and complete response and was officially NED (no evidence of disease) in September 2016,” said Jenelle.
 
“I ceased treatment to give my body a rest and the melanoma quickly returned. I then recommenced treatment and thankfully responded extremely fast again and to the best of my current knowledge am again cancer free.”

Jenny’s Story

Tweed’s Jenny Thulborn says vanity in her youth has now cost her life. “I spent countless hours in Solariums and the sun trying to attain a golden tan,” said Jenny. “It's ironic because I wanted to be beautiful so I tanned but now because of melanoma I'm covered in scars.”
 
In April 1994, Jenny had a malignant melanoma removed from her back. Seventeen years later after experiencing headaches and blurred vision, she was sent for a CT scan, then rushed to hospital finding a 39mm brain tumour and another in her lung. “I've since then had 8 brain tumours, several in my lung, 1 near my rib cage, 1 in my lymph node and another primary melanoma.
 
“However, because of medical research, six years on I have been blessed to still be here today sharing important milestones with my beautiful children and living life with my husband, Tony. Sure, life is not the same, melanoma sent us all on a total different journey, but this hideous disease chose me so I have to deal with the best I can.
 
“I share my story often in hope that lives may be saved also my family and friends and I get involved with fundraising efforts such as Melanoma March to help raise money for research to find a cure.
“My 16-year-old self would now say, love the skin you are in, get regular skin checks and if in doubt get it out!”