National Melanoma Monday: 

National Melanoma Monday, founded by The American Academy of Dermatology, was to raise awareness about the deadly disease of skin cancer on the first Monday of melanoma month and to let people know about the signs at an early stage.

Twitter Hashtags:

#NationalMelanomaDay

#MelonamaDay

Related: Other National Days Celebrated on May:

World Password Day

National Provider Appreciation Day

Emergency Medical Services For Children Day

National Third Shift Workers Day

Why National Melanoma Monday?

Raising awareness regarding this disease has become pivotal to fighting against the disease, and spreading and promoting the methods of diagnosis is also important. The first Monday of May is marked as national melanoma Monday and spreading awareness to people.

American dermatologists came forward in 1984, and since then, it has been a ritual to spread positivity and awareness around the world.

This marks a day where all the dermatologists in the academy wear orange, and people are encouraged to wear orange for the awareness program. It’s where dermatologists make sure people are aware of the truth that melanoma, which is usually thought to be an incurable disease, is curable and has proper medications approved only if found in an early stage.

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that has a high death threat.  It is not like people are not cured if they have melanoma skin cancer; it’s a curable disease only if found in an early stage of the infection.

National melanoma day is marked as a national day to make people aware and prevent illness, increase the screening rate, and spread more information related to the disease.

According to the information melanoma, skin cancer cases are associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and sharing facts is a must to make people aware and to let them understand the adverse effects of exposure to ultraviolet rays and to promote and encourage people to check their skin if any warning sign is associated with the spur.

Skin cancer is an uncontrolled disease, but cancer prevention and awareness can help you prevent skin cancer. Throughout the year, protect your skin from sun rays, and sunscreen must be of high use.

Sun rays that radiate ultraviolet light have the power to trigger skin cells, so it is important to protect yourself from sun rays and make use of shades to avoid tanning and mutation of the disease, and it’s better to cover your body and protect yourself rather than being a part of this deadly disease.

The comprehension of the day is to mark and facilitate people about the future and to protect them for the same.

How can we observe National Melanoma Monday?

• The first Monday in May is for spreading awareness about the day. The day is celebrated by wearing orange clothes. American dermatologists wear orange and ask others to do the same.

• Ribbons are simple loops that people wear to make people aware of skin cancer. They wear a black ribbon as a symbol to mark the day as a melanoma awareness day.

• You can also raise awareness for this day by posting about the harmful effects of prolonged exposure to the sun and self-tanning on your social media platforms by using the hashtag- #NationalMelanomaMonday.

Interesting facts about the National Melanoma Monday: 

• This year more than 91,000 people are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma in the United States, and almost 9000 of them can die due to this.
• This disease can only be treated completely if discovered at an early stage, but even in some cases, such patients still face the risk of a relapse.
• Melanoma is much common amongst people with light skin, light-coloured hair, and green or blue
• This disease is twice as common amongst men than in women; an average American with melanoma is approximately 68 years old.
• Almost 2% of the population falling under the age of 20 are at risk of early melanoma in America.
• Specialists state that almost 90% of Melanoma is caused due to indoor self-tanning or exposure to UV rays from the sun.

History of National Melanoma Monday:

Melanoma Monday is observed on the first Monday in the month of May in order to spread awareness of this deadly skin disease. This day was first declared by the American Academy of Dermatology in the year 1984 and is being observed since. The purpose of this day is to promote the prevention resources and early detection of this volatile and deadly skin cancer.

Many improvements in medical understanding of melanoma were made in the early 1800s. The medical professionals were still unaware of the causes. Melanoma was considered incurable for a few more years until 1956 when Henry Lancaster realized that UV radiation and sunlight exposure were the causes of the disease.