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Honouring 20 Years of
Community, Hope and Survivorship
Our 20th anniversary year honours the people who built this movement—patients, caregivers, families, clinicians, funders, and community champions—while recommitting to the next 20 years of equitable, evidence-based cancer care. We reflect on two decades of courage, resilience, and patient-led leadership driven by Kathy and the Save Your Skin Foundation team.
People - We are sharing 20 Voices for 20 Years of Impact from the patients, caregivers, family members, clinicians, funders, and supporters who made our impact possible.
Progress - We are highlighting advances in treatment options, the centring of the patient voice, and meaningful policy wins achieved alongside partners through our 20 Milestones over 20 Years interactive digital timeline.
Community - We are hosting monthly meet-and-greet events across the country, with patients, caregivers, clinicians, and more, including a 20th Birthday Party for SYSF in North Vancouver, BC on May 30th.
Looking to the future - We are reaffirming our commitment to early detection, equitable access to treatment, and sustained patient support through our ongoing initiatives.
20 Milestones over 20 Years
SYSF IS FORMED
SYSF officially registered as a
not-for-profit in BC shortly after Kathy’s first recurrence.
1ST PATIENT GATHERING
SYSF hosted its first Patient Gathering at the historic Mollie Nye House in North Vancouver, BC with just 2 patients and 1 caregiver. Since then, the location has hosted over a dozen Foundation events and gatherings.
1ST IMMUNOTHERAPY
The first immunotherapy, Ipilimumab (Yervoy), was approved by Health Canada in February 2012 for the treatment of unresectable or metastatic melanoma. It represented a major breakthrough in the management of the disease, and offered patients improved quality of life during treatment.
2006
2012
2009
1ST FUNDRAISER
SYSF held its first fundraising event with Hollis Wealth Vancouver and the Lynn Valley Legion in North Vancouver, BC.
2006
BC TANNING BED LEGISLATION
SYSF was instrumental in working with provincial stakeholders to prompt the BC Ministry of Health to ban commercial tanning bed use for people under the age of 18.
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