Sometimes finding  community begins with simply knowing someone who understands what you’re going through.

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For Enzo, that connection began after his second melanoma diagnosis in 2019. Friends Yvonne and Bob introduced him to Save Your Skin Foundation, and a community of people who understood some of what he was experiencing. Yvonne, who had her own experience with melanoma, became someone Enzo could talk to openly about what he was going through.

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That introduction marked the beginning of a connection that would grow over the years.

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Enzo gradually became more involved with Save Your Skin Foundation, finding ways to give back to  the community that had offered support to him. He has participated in North Vancouver trail runs like the Knee Knacker and Dirty Duo, joined our annual  Move for Melanoma, and consistently found ways to turn his own experience with melanoma into an opportunity to support others.

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His commitment to Move for Melanoma has been particularly remarkable. Last year, Enzo led the event’s top fundraising team, helping raise vital funds for the Foundation while bringing awareness to a cause that is deeply personal to him.

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But for Enzo, advocacy isn’t just about fundraising. It’s also about sharing what he has learned.

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Enzo was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2011, followed by a second diagnosis in 2019. Both were stage 0. In early 2024, he received his third diagnosis—this time, stage 2 invasive melanoma. By the end of the year, his cancer had progressed to stage 3, leading to a year of immunotherapy treatment at BC Cancer.

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That first-line treatment successfully resolved the external tumours, but earlier this year, a new small tumour was discovered on his lung. Enzo is now undergoing second-line immunotherapy treatment for stage 4 melanoma.

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“This is the first time I’ve had to confront something of this severity,” Enzo says. “It’s been quite a journey.”

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As he navigates this latest chapter, Enzo has leaned on the same community that has been there throughout his journey. He has connected with friends who have also been touched by melanoma, sharing experiences and supporting one another through the challenges that come with a diagnosis. Friends in Vancouver have also stepped in to help with practical needs, including transportation to and from the hospital.

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“I feel fortunate to have supportive friends who provide both encouragement and practical help when I need to go to my appointments.”

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That support has reinforced something Enzo has come to believe strongly: you don’t have to go through cancer alone.

Since his diagnosis in 2019, Enzo has become increasingly comfortable sharing his experience publicly. He talks about what he has learned, including the ABCDE rule for checking for melanoma and the importance of sun protection. He often shares photos of himself wearing long sleeves and pants, using his own habits as an opportunity to remind others that protecting your skin matters.

“I don’t want to overdo it,” he says. “But I see this as an opportune time to make a difference.”

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For Enzo, being an advocate means taking what he has learned and passing it along. His involvement with Save Your Skin Foundation has given him another way to do that; whether he’s participating in an event, fundraising for Move for Melanoma, or simply sharing his story with someone who might need to hear it.

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His advice to anyone facing a new diagnosis is simple: reach out.

When Enzo first shared his diagnosis publicly in 2019, he was surprised by the response. He had always thought of social media as a place where people shared the good things happening in their lives, but opening up about something difficult showed him just how willing people can be to show up when you need them.

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“I was overwhelmed by the amount of support and encouragement I received,” he says.

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Sometimes, reaching out means talking to someone one-on-one. Sometimes, it means connecting with someone who has been through something similar. And sometimes, it simply means telling the people in your life what you’re going through.

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For Enzo, that first connection with Save Your Skin Foundation became the beginning of a much larger community - one that he now gives back to through advocacy, fundraising, friendship, and simply showing up. As he has navigated stage 4 melanoma over the past year, that community has taken on even greater meaning. He is particularly grateful for the support, guidance, and comfort he has found in Kathy, Bob, and Yvonne.

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After years of giving back to the melanoma community, Enzo continues to remind us of the impact one person can have when they turn their own experience into a reason to help others—and of the difference a community can make when that person needs support in return.