The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), a nonprofit funder of melanoma research, in partnership with Inspire, a U.S. healthcare social network, announced the launch of Melanoma > Exchange, an online support community for anyone touched by melanoma to find support, ask questions and build community.

Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. Over 87,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma in 2017, and incidence of the disease continues to rise. Thanks in part to research funded by MRA, treatment outlook for the disease has improved in recent years, yet further advances are needed to fully eliminate suffering and death related to melanoma.

The Melanoma > Exchange is a free and open online community of engaged patients and caregivers with firsthand understanding of melanoma, the status of clinical trials and contact with experts from the MRA staff. Together, MRA and Inspire are cultivating a unique environment where patients can get insight into key milestones such as being diagnosed, choosing a treatment or finding the right clinical trial and coping with disease and treatment side effects.

“The Melanoma > Exchange will serve a critical role in connecting patients and their friends and family so that they can share personal experiences and insight, the latest treatment news and advances and generally learn more about clinical trials in a supportive setting,” said MRA President & CEO Michael Kaplan.

“We’re particularly excited about this partnership because of MRA’s focus on accelerating the pace of scientific discovery and translation,” said Inspire CEO Brian Loew. “We’re confident that the new online community will help people affected by melanoma research, understand their treatments options and provide a medium for supporting one another.”

People affected by melanoma can join the Melanoma > Exchange at no cost and be welcomed into the supportive and patient-led community.