Join us for the Seventh Annual Strides for Melanoma Walk for Awareness In 19 Cities across Canada on Sunday, September 23, 2018

OAKVILLE, ON, Sept. 13, 2018 /CNW/ - Melanoma Network of Canada (MNC), the country's leading voice for melanoma patients nationally, will host the seventh annual Strides for Melanoma Walk for Awareness on Sunday, September 23, 2018. The efforts help to raise much needed funds for melanoma patient support programs, prevention efforts and increased awareness with 19 physical walk locations and one online virtual walk. To register to walk or for more information, visit www.melanomanetwork.ca.

"Strides for Melanoma Walk for Awareness is the largest fundraising effort of the year, raising funds for national patient support programs and prevention efforts for this potentially fatal form of skin cancer," states Annette Cyr, Founder and Chair of the Board of the Melanoma Network of Canada. "With thousands of Canadians being diagnosed with melanoma each year, education and prevention is key, especially when considering that this disease has one of the highest cure rates of all cancers."

Melanoma Network of Canada hopes to educate Canadians on the harmful effects of UV rays from the sun and artificial sources and advocates for regular skin check-ups with a dermatologist. This year, at the Toronto walk location, MNC has partnered with MedX Health Corp., and Primacy Management Inc. to bring licensed clinical practitioners to facilitate skin scans that help detect melanoma early-on, so Canadians have the best chance possible at treatment and survival.

"Melanoma is one of the top seven most frequent occurring cancers in Canada and is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in youth ages 15-29," said Scott Spearn, President, MedX Health Corp. "We've partnered with Primacy's health care practitioners to bring hand-held imaging devices to the Strides walk to provide pain-free, non-invasive imaging to evaluate all types of moles or skin lesions."

Roughly 7,300 Canadians (4,000 males and 3,300 females) will be newly diagnosed with melanoma in 2018, yet most individuals don't believe they're at risk. Melanoma can affect anyone regardless of sex, age or race. To register to walk or for more information, visit www.melanomanetwork.ca.

Strides for Melanoma Walk for Awareness is supported by generous sponsors including MedX Health Corp., Primacy, Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co., and Merck. MNC looks forward to the annual walk and helping to support all Canadians facing this disease.

About Melanoma Network of Canada (MNC):
The Melanoma Network of Canada (MNC) provides support services, information and programs for individuals whose lives have been changed by melanoma. MNC provides the leading national voice for melanoma patients in Canada for early detection and improved treatment access and works diligently to prevent more Canadians from developing melanoma through public awareness and youth and adult education on sun safety.  For more information, please visit www.melanomanetwork.ca. Charitable Registration number: 854913050RR0001

About MedX Health Corp.:
MedX Health Corp., headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, is a leading medical device and software company focused on skin cancer with its DermSecuretm telemedicine platform, utilizing its SIAscopy technology.  SIAscopy is also imbedded in its products SIAMETRICStm, SIMSYStm, and MoleMatetm, which MedX manufactures in its ISO 13485 certified facility.  SIAMETRICStm, SIMSYStm and MoleMatetm include hand-held devices that use patented technology utilizing light and its remittance to view up to 2 mm beneath suspicious moles and lesions in a pain free, non-invasive manner, with its software then creating real-time images for physicians and dermatologists to evaluate all types of moles or lesions within seconds. These products are Health Canada, FDA (US), ARTG and CE cleared for use in Canada, the US, Australia, New Zealand, the European Union and Turkey.  MedX also designs, manufactures and distributes quality photobiomodulation therapeutic and dental lasers to provide drug-free and non-invasive treatment of tissue damage and pain. www.medxhealth.com

About Primacy Management Inc., a Calian Group Company:
Primacy Management Inc. is the largest medical property clinic management company in Canada with more than 900 physicians practising at more than 150 clinics located in Loblaw stores (including Real Canadian Superstore®, Zehrs®, Loblaws® and No Frills®) across Canada. Primacy clinics collectively serve over six million patients a year.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co.:
Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co. is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol-Myers Squibb global operations, visit www.bms.com. Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co. delivers innovative medicines for serious diseases to Canadian patients in the areas of cardiovascular health, oncology, neuroscience, and immunoscience. Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Co. employs more than 300 people across the country. For more information, please visit www.bmscanada.ca.

About Merck:
For over a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and communities around the world - including cancer, cardio-metabolic diseases, emerging animal diseases, Alzheimer's disease and infectious diseases including HIV and Ebola. For more information about our operations in Canada, visit www.merck.ca and connect with us on YouTube and Twitter @MerckCanada.

SOURCE Melanoma Network of Canada