CURE Ocular Melanoma

04/03/2026

What will you learn at Eyes on a Cure: Ocular Melanoma Patient & Caregiver Symposium?

This month in Miami, the ocular melanoma (OM) community will come together for a weekend of education, connection and support.

Eyes on a Cure will feature expert-led sessions designed to help patients and caregivers better understand the OM journey, including:

• Clinical Trials & Innovation in Treatment – Explore the latest research developments and emerging therapies shaping the future of ocular melanoma care.

• Understanding Uveal Melanoma – Learn about diagnosis, disease progression and current treatment approaches from leading experts.

• Space for Open Discussion with a Social Worker – A supportive conversation focused on coping, emotional well-being and navigating life after diagnosis.

Taking place April 17–19, 2026, in collaboration with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, this in-person symposium brings together patients, caregivers and clinicians to share knowledge and build community.

There's still time to RSVP and join us in Miami:
https://melanomaevents.org/events/details/melanoma-research-foundation-melanoma-research-foundation-presents-2026-eyes-on-a-cure-ocular-melanoma-patient-amp-caregiver-symposium/

This year at the Eyes on a Cure Patient & Caregiver Symposium, we will take time to honor and remember those we've lost to ocular melanoma in recent years. If you’d like to share a photo or story about your loved one, we welcome you to reach out to us at cureom@melanoma.org.

Your memories are a meaningful part of the OM journey and we’re honored to remember those in our community—together.

04/02/2026

We’re less than two months away from the New England Miles for Melanoma 5K, and the excitement is building!

Join our ocular melanoma community by signing up with Team Aura or creating your own OM team to make an even greater impact. Don’t miss your chance to support life-saving research—register today! https://buff.ly/1meyoIm

03/26/2026

We are proud to partner with the American Brain Tumor Association on an important survey focused on the needs of people living with brain metastases or leptomeningeal disease.

For those impacted by melanoma brain metastases, this survey is an opportunity to help highlight the unique needs of the melanoma community and inform future support, resources and care.

If you or a loved one has been affected, consider sharing your experience.

Learn more and participate: https://buff.ly/ZjDpDFJ

03/26/2026

Tax season is here and it’s the perfect time to include support for the ocular melanoma community in your plans!

Make your giving go further by supporting ocular melanoma research, education and advocacy through tax-smart giving options. From donor-advised funds to stock donations, there are meaningful ways to give while also maximizing your financial benefits.

A gift today can help extend our mission and fund lifesaving research.

Plan ahead. Give smart. Make an impact. Click here to learn more: https://buff.ly/6RXjA9x

03/25/2026

DC, the countdown is on! We’re less than two months away from our Miles for Melanoma 5K, and there’s still time to rally your ocular melanoma team. Every step helps fund critical research, expand education and support patients and families facing this rare disease. Register your team today and stand strong with the ocular melanoma community: https://buff.ly/ClgE6bZ

03/23/2026

-- We encourage melanoma community members in Massachusetts, Minnesota and Tennesse to act now and help make May Melanoma Awareness Month in Your State!

Advocates are currently needed in these states to secure state proclamations recognizing May as Melanoma Awareness Month and to raise awarness about melanoma prevention and early detection:

• Massachusetts – deadline April 1

• Minnesota– deadline April 1

• Tennessee – deadline April 1

If you live in one of these states and are interested in helping elevate melanoma awareness in your community, please contact the MRF Advocacy team at advocacy@melanoma.org.

03/16/2026

Denver, get ready to rise as high as the Rockies. Registration is officially open for the Denver Miles for Melanoma 5K! Join us on Saturday, June 13 at Sloan Lake Park for an energizing morning filled with purpose, community and momentum. Whether you’re racing toward a personal best or walking in honor of someone you love, every step helps power lifesaving melanoma research and vital patient support.

Early bird pricing is available now through Friday, March 20, so rally your ocular melanoma team, grab your spot and save before rates increase. Let’s make this Denver event a bold show of support for the ocular melanoma community. Register today: https://buff.ly/FXQdio2

03/12/2026

Join us in Miami for Eyes on a Cure: Ocular Melanoma Patient & Caregiver Symposium, a weekend dedicated to support and education for the ocular melanoma (OM) community.

Taking place April 17–19, in collaboration with Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, this in-person event will bring together patients, caregivers and leading experts to share the latest updates in OM research, treatment advances and supportive care.

Sessions will focus on key OM topics including panels such as "Clinical Trials & Innovation in Treatment," "Understanding Uveal Melanoma," and "Space for Open Discussion with a Social Worker."

RSVP for the symposium:
https://melanomaevents.org/events/details/melanoma-research-foundation-melanoma-research-foundation-presents-2026-eyes-on-a-cure-ocular-melanoma-patient-amp-caregiver-symposium/

Want to learn more before registering? Join our Eyes on a Cure Event Information Session on March 16 at 1 PM ET to meet the organizers, learn what to expect and ask questions about the symposium.

Join the March 16 information session at 1 PM ET:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88681841065?pwd=bJKR7ciRc7apGmPbuJzmn3ogeguaKq.1

03/05/2026

We are proud to share and reflect on an incredibly impactful week of advocacy and action during this year’s Advocacy Days program.

More than 70 melanoma advocates representing all melanoma subtypes from 22 states joined us in Washington, DC to meet with lawmakers to passionately share their stories, raise melanoma awareness and urge support for policies that strengthen melanoma research, prevention and patient care.

MRF advocates held 47 meetings with congressional offices, ensuring the melanoma community’s voice was heard.

The MRF community urged lawmakers to support key priorities including:

-Continued $40 million in funding for the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) Melanoma Research Program (MRP).

-$5 million for the CDC skin cancer prevention program and robust funding for NIH and NCI melanoma research.

- U.S. Food and Drug Administration report language in the Agriculture-FDA Committee report to finalize and implement the SAFE Sunscreen Standards Act.

We thank all our advocates who collectively engaged in meaningful conversations with policymakers helping to highlight the importance of patient, caregiver, clinician and researcher voices!

See photos from this year's Advocacy Days: https://www.facebook.com/media/set?vanity=Melanoma.Research.Foundation&set=a.1317668073727226

Watch advocate testimonies: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqV-0vUlSC3Ycuy_Z5uqq0GAboNbx024o&si=NVi_SFFhltFuT7NS

Thank you to our Advocacy Days sponsors: Merck, Pfizer, Kenvue Bristol Myers Squibb, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. and Moderna.

02/28/2026

On , we stand with the ocular melanoma (OM) community and renew our commitment to advancing research, education and OM patient support.

OM is a rare form of melanoma that begins in the eye and can carry unique risks, including metastatic disease. Because it is uncommon, patients and caregivers often need specialized information and trusted resources.

Through the CURE OM initiative, the MRF has funded nearly $2.6 million in OM research and continues working to accelerate progress for this community.

Learn more about CURE OM: https://buff.ly/coML2BF

We invite the OM community to an informative weekend of learning, connection and support for this year’s Eyes on a Cure: OM Patient and Caregiver Symposium held April 17-19 in Miami, Florida in collaboration with the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.

RSVP here: https://buff.ly/r3OlQA3

02/27/2026

Congratulations to this year's 15 Medical Student Research Award recipients! The Medical Student Research Awards support the next generation of melanoma researchers and advance progress across prevention, diagnosis and treatment. This year’s projects span a wide range of priorities, including research into rare melanoma subtypes and new approaches to improve immunotherapy response and overcome treatment resistance and efforts to strengthen prevention and early detection in underserved communities.

Together, these projects represent meaningful steps toward deepening our understanding of melanoma and improving outcomes for patients and families.

Learn more about this year’s funded researchers and their projects on the Funded Research pages: https://melanoma.org/research-science/research-grants-rfps/funded-research/

02/27/2026

Aura Biosciences recently announced new data from a patient-reported outcome study connected to its ongoing Phase 3 CoMpass clinical trial for early-stage choroidal (uveal) melanoma.

The study focuses on understanding how patients feel and function during treatment, including quality of life and daily activities, in addition to traditional clinical outcomes like tumor control. These insights may help researchers better understand the real-world impact of emerging therapies for ocular melanoma.

View the study here: https://buff.ly/Mce8jXd

Tipranks Press Release.