Santa Cruz, CA Resident is Running for Cover at Boston Marathon 2015

Santa Cruz, CA resident, Melanoma Activist, and Melanoma Foundation of New England (MFNE) Board Member, Tracy Cockerham will run the 2015 Boston Marathon® on Monday, April 20, 2015 as part of Team Running for Cover, the running team of MFNE. Cockerham is running her 2nd Boston Marathon this year in memory of her son, who passed away at the young age of 20, just 2 months and 9 days after his diagnosis. Cockerham is one of 29 team members who have pledged to raise $250,000 at the marathon to help fund MFNE’s melanoma education, prevention and support programs.

The Melanoma Foundation of New England (MFNE) is dedicated to educating the public about sun-safe behavior and the importance of melanoma prevention and early detection. With marathon legend Bill Rodgers as honorary Team Captain, MFNE’s race team Running for Cover has raised over $1,000,000 at the Boston Marathon through the Boston Athletic Association’s (B.A.A.) charity program. MFNE is celebrating 12 years of Marathon participation in 2015.

Cockerham is currently in training for the 26.2-mile Boston Marathon. “I am running for the Melanoma Foundation in honor of my son, but I will also run for everyone who has suffered or lost a life to melanoma. It is not every day that we have the opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life. I am honored to use my love of running to help this important cause.”

Donations can be made online to support Tracy Cockerham’s fundraising efforts at: https://www.crowdrise.com/mfneboston2015. For more information about MFNE, or to join team Running for Cover as a qualified runner, visit www.mfne.org or email runningforcover@mfne.org.

About MFNE:

MFNE is a non-profit organization that works to reduce the incidence of melanoma in the New England region. As the largest non-profit in the region dedicated to skin cancer awareness and early detection, MFNE provides a variety of free education programs targeting the prevention of skin cancer for both children in adults. MFNE also assists patients and their caregivers struggling with melanoma by offering support groups and their “Billy’s Buddies” program. Learn more about MFNE and team Running for Cover at www.mfne.org.

Melanoma Facts

· Melanoma rates are increasing faster than nearly all other cancers.

· Melanoma is a relatively easy disease to prevent.

· Most melanomas are easy to stop if caught soon enough — all it takes is a yearly skin exam.

· Melanoma kills one person every 50 minutes.

· Melanoma is the most common cancer among women aged 25-32.

· Melanoma is the most common cancer in men over the age of 50 - more common than colon, prostate, and lung cancer.

· Melanoma is the 2nd most common cancer in adolescents and young adults 15 to 29 years old.

· As many as 10,000 people a year die from melanoma.