Blog

We just want to send a big shout-out to Margaret “Maggie” Franz who has been selected as the 2019 Recipient of the Claire Marie Scholarship in Arts & Design!  Maggie is off this fall to Savannah College of Arts and Design where she will immerse herself in fashion and costume design.

Every year since 2015, the award is given to a graduating senior from Claire’s alma mater, Notre Dame Preparatory School in Towson, Maryland to support the recipient’s desire to study the design arts in college. It was a dream of Claire’s to launch a career in interior design and we are thrilled to see other young women share the same passion and excitement. Each year, our winners are selected by an exquisite team of noted design professionals from across the country! They bring expertise in fashion, theatrical, animation, interiors, illustration and fine arts. Our thanks to our CMF Scholarship Committee; Katie Fico with Walt Disney Animation Studio, Los Angeles based Interior Designer Stacey Vuduris, Illustrator Inslee Haynes Fariss, Danielle DiFerdinando of Danielle Nicole Handbags and Jewelry, Theatrical Designer Timothy Swiss of Los Angeles and Maryland’s First Lady and MICA Educator Advocate, Mrs. Yumi Hogan.  We just loved celebrating with Maggie and her mom Kathy!

June 13, 2019

US Lacrosse has entered a new agreement with the Claire Marie Foundation to work together in reducing the diagnosis of melanoma among adolescents and young adults within the lacrosse community.

The two organizations will focus on providing greater awareness and education about the disease, as well as prevention programs. The Claire Marie Foundation is the only non-profit in the United States to focus exclusively on the prevention of melanoma in adolescents and young adults.

Melanoma is the second most common form of cancer in young people between the ages of 10-19, and the most common cancer for people between the ages 20-30, with outdoor athletes at an increased risk for skin cancer and melanoma due to extended sun exposure.

“We are pleased to be collaborating with the Claire Marie Foundation on this important health initiative that could potentially impact so many members of the lacrosse community,” said Bruce Griffin, director of the Center for Sport Science at US Lacrosse. “We think this is an important message to help further educate lacrosse players, coaches, officials and parents about the risks of extended sun exposure and taking the necessary precautions.”

“We are thrilled to have the strength of US Lacrosse behind us in our mission to prevent the development of melanoma in adolescents and young adults. As a lacrosse family, we know well the power of the US Lacrosse community and the commitment of this organization to the health and fitness of its members,” said Marianne Banister of the Claire Marie Foundation. “By working together, we can keep young athletes safe while playing in the sun and reduce the chance that they, like our Claire, will have to give up the sport they love to treat a melanoma diagnosis they don’t deserve.”

Learn more

In conjunction with the Co-Founder of CMF’s Medical Advisory, Dr. Eva Simmons O’Brien M.D., FAAD, we are teaming up with ISDIN;  a company which shares our passion for stopping melanoma in young people while celebrating an active full lifestyle! 

ISDIN’s unique product Eryfotona Actinica not only offers SPF50+ protection but also repairs pre-exisiting cellular damage within the skin. Of course that means fewer wrinkles (we love that!) but more importantly it reduces the risk of melanoma developing from pre-existing damaged cells. Amazing! 

Learn more

NCAA Athletic Trainers have a lot to worry about when it comes to their players; ACL , meniscus and achilles tears, concussions, fractures, de-hydration, the list goes on and on.

But as we begin to wrap up the 2018 College Football season and focus on the Bowl games and the National Championship, a spotlight has been directed to a medical concern for athletes that has nothing to do with what happens on the field.

Vanderbilt University and University of Kentucky, both teams in the SEC, have faced this season without key players; two young warriors, two separate teams, facing the same battle off the field. For both, the opponent is melanoma. For both, they are facing the battle of their life.

Turner Cockrell, a redshirted sophomore from Georgia is a tight-end at Vanderbilt University. A year ago, at the conclusion of the 2017 season,  he noticed lumps in his neck. Melanoma was diagnosed and he underwent radiation treatments for 20 consecutive weeks. In July, scans showed the melanoma had spread to his lungs. Turner is undergoing treatment at MD Anderson in Houston.  https://bit.ly/2z8UkvR

Josh Paschal, a Sophomore Defensive End at the University of Kentucky and Maryland native, was diagnosed in August after the team’s sharp-eyed athletic trainer spotted lesions on his foot. Biopsy revealed Josh had indeed developed melanoma. After surgery, skin grafts and treatment, Josh is now able to get back on the field for some conditioning – although not yet ready to suit up. https://bit.ly/2qMxp5f

Melanoma is the second most common cancer in young people 8-19 with those numbers jumping in young adults to make it the most common cancer in those under the age of 29.   Genetics and hormonal changes contribute to development of the disease, but excessive UV/UVB sun exposure remains the greatest risk – especially for athletes. A study out of Stanford University has found  a typical NCAA Athlete will spend at least four hours a day, ten months a year training or competing outdoors. Thats at least 1,200 hours a year baking in the sun. Sweating and the use of anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin, advil, motrin and aleve increases the skin’s sensitivity to ultraviolet light as do antibiotics.

What’s the solution? Awareness, education and prevention – all that we offer through the Claire Marie Foundation. You see, the simple truth is this; if detected early, melanoma is highly treatable, even preventable.  Thats why at the Claire Marie Foundation, we reach out to young adults through our Collegiate Ambassador Program where more than 100 CMF Ambassadors spread awareness and education on 43 college and university campuses nationwide.

We strive to stop melanoma before it develops through the CMF Free Skin Screening Program and are working to develop better education among those who serve students and athletes through CMF professional programs such as the Claire Wagonhurst Guest Lectureship at Johns Hopkins University.

So during the holidays, as you are cheering on your favorite team, remember Turner and Josh as they pour their incredible strength and power into the “game” that matters the most; the championship of their lives. With that victory behind them, just imagine what they will do on the field in 2019. Can’t wait for that Vanderbilt – U of Kentucky game!

In July, The Claire Marie Foundation received its official 501(c)3 certification from the IRS, allowing us to wave goodbye to our fiscal sponsor, Strong City Baltimore! It reminds us so much of Claire’s excitement at sixteen of becoming a licensed driver and having the freedom to chart her own course, we just had to share the good news with you! Now, with our own independent nonprofit status, our efforts to fundraise will be more streamlined offering better access to grants as well as public and private allocations available only to IRS-recognized organizations. With that, we’ll be able to grow our prevention and awareness programs to save even more young lives. Of course we couldn’t have gotten here without Strong City Baltimore and offer our heart-felt thanks for their guidance, wisdom and support while we learned the rules of the road!

When we launched the Claire Marie Foundation nearly three years ago, in February of 2015, we hoped to let other’s know what we  discovered the hard way;  melanoma can develop in your child as a result of hormonal changes in puberty and early detection is the only way to truly nip it in the bud.  The challenge was to do that in a Claire-sort-of way; with color, style and joy.

You can then imagine why I was especially excited when I got a call from a writer with Redbook Magazine in November! She wanted to share Claire’s story and profile the success of the Claire Marie Foundation Free Screening Program. I happily gave her too much information and immediately sent more photos than could possibly be used, many featuring Claire’s beautiful smile. I knew that we would be part of a wonderful feature on non-profit organizations in Redbook’s February 2018 issue. I was honored and thrilled to know that we would be able to reach even more families, raise awareness of the predominance of melanoma in young people between the ages of 8 – 30 years and offer hope to many families feeling isolated and alone!

Still, when I walked into Barnes and Noble and saw the cover on the newsstand, I caught my breath. It struck me how excited Claire would be! I remembered a quiet conversation on the way home from her oncologist one afternoon when Claire first brought up the idea of sharing her story to help other kids. I smiled when I noticed not only was the magazine title in a certain shade of “Claire coral”, but that someone as stylish and vibrant as Julianne Hough was on the cover. Yup, my darling girl would have been over-the-moon! Fighting the disease, raising awareness but doing it with a certain level of Claire savior faire.  We did it Baby Girl! Just one more step in the right direction! As her friends say, #livelifelikeclaire!

Thank you Redbook Magazine for helping CMF raise awareness of the prevalence of this horrific disease in young people. Bit by bit – we are making a difference. Here’s the link to the article. Check it out and learn more about CMF and other wonderful organizations! Together, we can do so much!

I just love this photo!  Rocky and Claire, Daddy-Daughter, running her first 5K. She was in first grade and so proud! All smiles with her blond ponytail bouncing all the way to the finish line!

Long after she was forced to give up lacrosse and field hockey due to the intensity of her melanoma treatments, Claire continued to run. Be it on her school’s cross country team or as part of her determination to stay fit while fighting the “beast” – she would lace up her shoes, grab her head phones and head out the door, running to clear her mind and fill her heart. It was a bond she shared with her dad.

Rocky spent many years as a marathon runner – competing in the Baltimore Marathon numerous times as well as the Marine Corps Marathon. Claire was still in her stroller as Hillary and I pushed her along the running route to cheer him on! Although Rocky now cycles – case in point, his 630 mile Riding With Claire journey in 2015 – he was always hopeful that running was something he and Claire could do together in the years to come. Now they are, but it’s not quite as he imagined.

The Claire Marie Foundation is an official charity of the Baltimore Running Fest; one of the premiere running events on the East Coast! We are over the moon at the thought of incorporating Claire’s love of fitness with our campaign to raise awareness, clarity and hope in fighting adolescent and young adult melanoma. Rocky’s got his Relay Team set! 

Why don’t you join us! It’s October 21, 2017! Pick a race; 5K, Half Marathon, Marathon, Team Relay or even the Kid’s Run! We pay your registration fee and you help us raise funds to fight melanoma in young people. It’s that simple!

Just email us at runwithclaire@clairemariefoundation.org and we’ll get you signed right up! All you need to do is lace up your running shoes, get your friends to support your efforts, and have a blast while running to support our cause!!

To participate, each runner must raise the following minimum amount by October 5th, 2017.

Kids Fun Run: $100.00
5k – $250.00
Half Marathon – $350.00
Marathon – $500.00
Relay Team – $250.00 per runner / or $1,000.00 per team (heads-up: this event fills quickly!)

Are you inspired to raise more than the minimum dollars? Yes please! We’d love it! After all event expenses are covered, 100% of additional funds will support our mission to raise awareness, clarity, and hope in the fight against adolescent melanoma.

Each participant will receive a Claire Marie Foundation Team shirt, entry into a pre-event Team pasta dinner, and a chance at the following prizes:

• For the top Individual fundraiser (5k, Half Marathon or Full Marathon) – $1,000 travel voucher on Southwest Airlines.

• For the top Relay Team Fundraiser – $2,000 travel voucher on Southwest Airlines.

How amazing is that? Running to save young lives on a fabulous fall day! A terrific way to #LiveLifeLikeClaire!

Here’s a couple of facts you may not know:

Pediatricians and General Practitioners do not routinely study dermatology in their medical preparation. Surprise! Basically that means they are not trained to detect skin cancer and melanoma at it’s earliest point of origin. That is why it is essential to schedule an annual full body skin screening with a qualified dermatologist.

But before you book your neighbor’s favorite derm, listen to this: not all dermatologists are equally trained either. Some specialize more in the aesthetic and cosmetic care of the skin. Others  offer greater attention to the disease aspects of the skin. Then there are those who are equally balanced in both specialties.

It is up to you to ask a few questions and make sure you are scheduling an appointment with a dermatologist who meets the Gold Standard of skin screening. This is no time to be shy!

You should expect the following during a screening appointment:

• The dermatologist will put you into a gown and do a full body check for moles and any lesions. That includes the feet, nails, head and genital areas.
• Make sure the dermatologist uses dermatoscopy. It is a scoping technique that uses skin surface microscopy. It can also be called epiluminoscopy and epiluminescent microscopy. It allows the dermatologist to look into the layers, color patterns and changes deep within the mole, rather than just glancing at the surface.
• If anything atypical is found, the dermatologist will determine if it should be removed for biopsy or if it should be watched. The appropriate time period for “watching” is three months.

Many dermatologists will photograph moles they want to keep an eye on to best detect any change. Still others may recommend “mole-mapping” technology in families at high risk for the disease. This involves full body photography, but is relatively new.

Listed below are the amazing ‘Gold Standard” dermatologists in Maryland who dedicate their time and expertise to the Claire Marie Free Screening Program and meet the highest standards of care.  All are listed in alphabetical order.  Many are part of the renown teams at Johns Hopkins Dermatology, Simmons-O’Brien & Orlinsky, Belcara Health,  Maryland Dermatology, Skin & Vein and University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Hospital. 

• Dr. Melanie Adams, M.D
• Dr. Karen Beasley, M.D., F.A.A.D
• Dr. Nicola Bravo, M.D.
• Dr. Sarah Cannon, M.D.
• Dr. Bernard Cohen, M.D. 
• Dr. Sherry Cohen, M.D. 
• Dr. Brian Connolly, M.D. 
• Dr. Jennifer Cooper, M.D.
• Dr. George Denny, M.D.
• Louisa Floyd, PA-C
• Dr. Meg Gerstenblith, M.D.
• Dr. Anna Grossberg, M.D.
• Dr. Christian Halvorsen, M.D.
• Dr. Byron Ho, M.D.
• Dr. Sarah Hsu, M.D.
• Dr. Emily Kmetz, M.D.
• Dr. Dennis Kurgansky, M.D.
• Dr. Onah Lauring, M.D.
• Dr. Mark Lowitt, M.D.
• Dr. Joseph W. McGowan IV, M.D.
• Dr. Ciro Martins, M.D.
• Dr. Charlotte Modly, M.D.
• Dr. Stanley Miller, M.D.
• Lainey O’Donnell, PA-C
• Dr. Diane Orlinsky, M.D.
• Dr. Tola Oyesanya, M.D.
• Dr. Kate Puttgen, M.D.
• Dr. Saleh Rachidi, M.D.
• Dr. Rachel Schleicher, M.D.
• Dr. Amie Sessa, M.D.
• Dr. Mary Sheu, M.D.
• Dr. Eva Simmons – O’Brien, M.D., F.A.A.D
• Dr. Saif Syed, M.D.
• Dr. Zain Syed, M.D.
• Dr. Samantha Vincent, M.D.
• Dr. Vadim Villareol, M.D.
• Dr. Margaret Weiss, M.D., F.A.A.D.
• Dr. Robert Weiss, M.D., F.A.A.D.
• Dr. Rena Zuo, M.D. 

I got a call last week. The voice was unfamiliar, but the anxiety and frustration was well known to my heart. It was a mom who just found out her 14 year old daughter had melanoma; a stranger calling from California, frightened and frustrated about the lack of information offered by  her daughter’s dermatologist. An in situ melanoma was found in a mole her daughter had since birth. It was on an area of her breast that always well covered. Her daughter never tanned. The mole didn’t even look unusual! How could this happen?

I told her that “surprise” factor was the nature of adolescent melanoma and her story was all too familiar.  Melanoma in young people simply is not the same as adult melanoma which is why it is so often missed or misdiagnosed in young people. Fortunately, they found it quite early on her daughter and follow-up surgery was already scheduled. This California mom shared that she was thrilled to find The Claire Marie Foundation website, our research and possibly some answers about her daughter’s melanoma; the disease the medical professionals ignorantly believed her daughter was too young to get.

Calls such as this validates the mission of the Claire Marie Foundation. We wish someone had been there to warn us about the risk of melanoma in adolescents, children and young adults. We wish someone would have compiled and shared the warning signs and the nuances of detection. We especially wish we had faster access to removal of any and all atypical moles since melanoma grows faster and is more invasive in young people.

It takes more than sunscreen to stop this form of melanoma. Routine screening and early detection is the key, but getting a dermatological appointment can be the problem with an average wait time of three months.

Thats why the Claire Marie Foundation partners with top dermatologists to offer free skin screenings to young people. In 2017, we hosted four free screening events in April and May to anyone between the ages of 8-21 years old. Of the nearly 300 young people screened, 10% were found to have atypical moles with biopsy recommended for suspicion of melanoma. Happily, that is a decrease from our 2016 screenings, were dermatologists found 20% of the 120 young people screened had atypical moles with biopsy recommended.

These figures prove our awareness and prevention programs are working. Knowing melanoma can develop genetically or due to hormonal changes in puberty and pregnancy, screening is the best way to catch the disease before it develops – when a mole is just atypical or beginning to change. Remove the mole – remove the risk.

Equally important is the need to maintain a healthy, sun-safe,  preventive lifestyle!  Ditch the tanning booths, keep slathering on the sunscreen and invest in some UPF50 clothing.  Do it all with style and a smile, and #LiveLifeLikeClaire!