Save Your Skin Surpasses Major Milestone: $1 Million Raised for Melanoma Research at Atrium Health Levine Cancer

On November 13, corporate and community supporters attended the annual Save Your Skin Melanoma Awareness Golf Classic at Ballantyne Country Club, raising $90,000 (and counting) for the Carolinas Melanoma & Immunotherapy Fund. This year led by co-presenting sponsors Gee Family Foundation and the Kreshon family, and with ongoing support from generous community donors, Save Your Skin has raised over $1 million since its inception to advance immunotherapy research, awareness, and prevention programs conducted by Levine Cancer.

Among the many reasons to practice sun safety and “save the skin you’re in” — the guiding principle for event organizers and volunteers — Save Your Skin is also a tribute to Yolanda Mae “Jerri” Kreshon, who lost her battle with melanoma in 2005. Proceeds from the annual golf outing help to ensure patients of Levine Cancer have access to Phase I and II clinical trials and leading therapies to combat melanoma, a rare but deadly form of skin cancer.

“This annual golf outing was established in memory of Jerri Kreshon, loving wife to the late Dr. Martin Kreshon, Sr.,” shared Page Stroup, director of development at Atrium Health Foundation, during her remarks. “In 2021, Dr. Kreshon passed away, leaving behind 8 children, 18 grandchildren, and 23 great-grandchildren. We would like to recognize the amazing legacy he created, as well as the many family members who are here with us today.”

The Kreshon family remains closely connected to the tournament (photos by Joanna DeHart Photography)

With the support of Save Your Skin, and many generous community donors, Levine Cancer continues to be at the forefront of immunotherapy research, a biologic therapy that uses the body’s own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. At Levine Cancer, a multidisciplinary team of oncology specialists and researchers provides patients with access to the highest level of cancer care available in the Charlotte Metro area. Philanthropy continues to play a vital role in advancing the treatment and detection of melanoma, as well as raising awareness of skin cancer-associated risks and symptoms, within the broader community.