‘DEAR 16 YEAR OLD ME’ VIRAL SENSATION TO BE CELEBRATED WITH FUNDRAISER FOR THE DAVID CORNFIELD MELANOMA FUND

‘DEAR 16 YEAR OLD ME’ VIRAL SENSATION

TO BE CELEBRATED WITH FUNDRAISER

FOR THE DAVID CORNFIELD MELANOMA FUND

DCMF to hold their annual fundraiser kicking off Melanoma Awareness Month on Monday, May 7th at the Liberty Grand

‘Dear 16 Year Old Me’ garnered over 5.5 million hits on You Tube!

Video nominated for a Webby Award!

TORONTO – April 18, 2012 – To kick off Melanoma Awareness Month, The David Cornfield Melanoma Fund (DCMF) will be hosting its annual fundraiser, this year on Monday, May 7th at 6:30pm at the Liberty Grand, 25 British Columbia Road at The Exhibition Place in Toronto. Fresh off an exciting year since the launch of the viral sensation video ‘Dear 16 Year Old Me’ (http://youtube.com/DCMFCanada), this event is a celebration of its success with the goal of raising more funds to continue the important work DCMF accomplishes to generate further awareness, as well as aid in funding research of this deadly disease. For more information and to purchase tickets or make a donation, please visit www.dcmf.ca.

‘Dear 16 Year Old Me’ launched online on May 2nd, 2011 and within the first two weeks had been viewed on You Tube by over one million people world-wide. Since its debut it has been seen by over 5.5 million people, was the 7th most shared video in 2011 and translated (due to overwhelming request) into five languages. The video has been viewed in over 150 countries around the world, is playing in countless numbers of doctors offices, shown at numerous medical conferences and used as a teaching tool at some of the most prestigious medical schools in the world. Most recently it has been nominated as one of the People’s Voice videos by the 16th Annual Webby Awards, in the Best Online Film and Video category for Public Service and Activism.

The David Cornfield Melanoma Fund was established in 2007 and is devoted to saving lives from melanoma by promoting awareness of this potentially deadly disease. It is the most common cancer in the 25 – 29 age group and second most common in the 15 – 29 age group, and its incidence is increasing at alarming rates while the incidence of other cancers is decreasing. The good news is that the risk of melanoma can be significantly decreased by reducing exposure to UV radiation, and that the prognosis for melanoma patients is excellent if the melanoma is detected in its earliest stage. The problem remains that despite increasing public awareness of the dangers of UV radiation, many people still do not understand how dangerous excessive exposure can be, particularly before the age of 18. In addition, in the early stages, moles may look harmless and cause no discomfort, and therefore be ignored. Many people don’t realize that something small on their skin can kill them if not treated promptly.

The celebration on Monday, May 7th kicks off Melanoma Awareness Month, and commemorates both hope and life, achieved through education. Taking place at Liberty Grand Artifacts Room at 25 British Columbia Road at Exhibition Place in Toronto from 6:30 – 10:00 PM, guests will enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Tickets are $125, with all proceeds going to DCMF. Guests are encouraged to wear black, the melanoma awareness color. To purchase tickets people can visit the website at www.dcmf.ca or email contact@dcmf.com.

About David Cornfield Melanoma Foundation

DCMF was founded in 2007 and named after David Cornfield who lost his battle to cancer at the age of 32. The Fund’s goals are to reduce the incidence of melanoma through education and awareness of the importance of prevention and early self-detection, and by funding research into the disease, and to support melanoma patients and their families by providing access to information and other resources.