May in Review: A Marathon Month of Melanoma Awareness, Education, and Community

By Sam Guild, President, AIM at Melanoma Foundation

Wow! May truly felt like running a marathon—and crossing the finish line with a sense of pride, purpose, and maybe a little exhaustion. For AIM at Melanoma, May is always one of the busiest times of year. Between Melanoma Awareness Month and the annual ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) meeting, we’re in constant motion—hosting events, sharing education, and staying on top of the latest in melanoma research.

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on all that happened in May. It was a powerful, energizing month—and I’m excited to share some highlights with you.

Note: This post is part of a series highlighting updates from the ASCO Annual Meeting. We’ve compiled seven short articles focused on the latest melanoma research and news shared at the conference. Be sure to read them all to get a well-rounded view of the developments that could impact melanoma patients now and in the future.

Stepping Up for Melanoma: Walks Across the Country

Our Steps Against Melanoma Walks happen year-round, but May is a particularly full calendar. This May, we had incredible events in Dallas, Wilsonville (OR), Pittsburgh, San Diego, Milwaukee, and Birmingham.

Special milestones made this May even more meaningful:

Dallas and Milwaukee celebrated 20 years of walking with us.
Pittsburgh marked its 10th walk and had a record-breaking fundraising year.
Birmingham also saw its best fundraising total yet.

Each city brings its own flavor to the event: Wilsonville includes llamas, Milwaukee walks through a zoo, and San Diego adds live music and yoga. A huge thank you to all the volunteers, walkers, and donors who made these events so impactful.

Living with Melanoma Symposium: Virtual, Educational, Powerful

On May 22, we co-hosted the 15th Annual Living with Melanoma Symposium with The Angeles Clinic & Research Institute. This year’s virtual symposium featured opening remarks from Dr. Lawrence Piro and expert insights from Dr. Omid Hamid, who served as both moderator and presenter.

The symposium was held virtually and welcomed around 350 live attendees. Since then, the sessions have been viewed over 1,000 more times on our YouTube channel and Facebook page. We’re deeply grateful to our longtime partners at The Angeles Clinic & Research Institute for helping bring high-quality melanoma education to so many.

Sun Safety for EveryBODY: Education Where It Matters

Launched in Fall 2024, our Sun Safety for EveryBODY initiative is gaining major traction. In May alone, trained AIM advocates hosted 44 events across 18 states—reaching youth athletes, construction workers, new mothers, seniors, and more.

These community-based events took place in schools, senior centers, health fairs, and anywhere people need to hear our message. We’re proud of how quickly this program is growing and of the volunteers who are spreading lifesaving information where it counts.

ASCO 2025: Innovation, Information, and Inspiration

May ended on a high note with the ASCO Annual Meeting, which spilled into early June. It’s one of the most exciting times in cancer research—and for melanoma, the updates were both promising and motivating.

If you’re interested in the latest findings, check out our recent posts covering melanoma-related research from ASCO. There’s also a special article about AIM’s Evening in Memory of Val Guild, a heartfelt gathering that honors my mother, our founder, and brings together the melanoma community each year at ASCO.

Thank You

May was packed, no doubt about it—but it reminded me why we do what we do. We walk, we educate, we support, and we research—all in pursuit of better outcomes and brighter futures for those impacted by melanoma.

Thank you for walking this journey with us—not just in May, but all year long.

With gratitude,
Sam Guild
President, AIM at Melanoma Foundation

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