Marion Non-Profit Advocates for Melonoma Awareness

At last year's Greater Cedar Rapids Open golf tournament, Co-Founder Jim McPartland learned that one of the golfers was diagnosed with melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.

In a recently released statement, McPartland said it was at this point that he realized not only the detrimental effects of skin cancer, but that golfers, who spend so much time in the sun, are at especially high risk of developing skin cancer.

"That's when we realized the importance of broadening our mission statement," he said," according to a release. "As golfers, we spend a great deal of time in the sun and we need to realize how important it is to protect our skin."

The non-profit organization has now committed to raising awareness for melanoma and skin protection, and will donate a portion of the funds raised from the tournament to the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

According to Dr. Mohammed Milhem, who helped develop the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center and was quoted in the release, rates of Americans developing melanoma has shot up in recent decades. 

The number of diagnosed cases in Iowa has increased from 100 in 1973 to about 600 in 2008. Milhem said this is partially due to the overwhelmingly Caucasian majority in Iowa and the large amount of farmers.

Though the exact cause of melanoma is not known, according to Milhem, sun exposure is strongly correlated with developing the cancer.

That's why he said awareness of how to prevent developing melanoma is so important.

"What’s absent in Iowa is an awareness about melanoma, but groups like the Greater Cedar Rapids Open who come together and advocate for better circumstances, and try to protect people from the harmful effects of the sun is vital to survival," said Milhem. "The reality is this is a killer disease once it has established itself inside your system. It can be fatal very quickly."