The Hunter Melanoma Foundation (HMF) became an Incorporated Association on 16 May 1988. It was originally established to provide both moral and financial support to the Newcastle Melanoma Unit, then located at Wallsend Hospital.
Today, HMF is a registered charity governed by a voluntary Management Committee elected by its members. Our income is generated entirely through memberships, donations, fundraising efforts, and community grants.
These vital funds are now invested into a range of initiatives including patient support, research, education, awareness programs, and continued backing of the Newcastle Melanoma Unit.
HMF plays a significant role in supporting melanoma patients and their families across the Hunter region. Our ultimate goal is to prevent, detect, and defeat melanoma through community education, early detection initiatives, research, and improved access to care.
With your help, over the past 35+ years, we’ve been working to defeat melanoma—and we know the work we’re doing is making a real difference. But there’s still much more to do.
In the Hunter New England Local Health District, melanoma is now the second most diagnosed cancer (Cancer Institute NSW, February 2024), underscoring the urgent need for continued awareness, early detection, and prevention.
Nationally, melanoma remains the most common cancer among Australians aged 20 to 39. Your donation and ongoing support allow us to continue this life-saving work—funding education programs, supporting patients, and advancing research to reduce the impact of melanoma in our community.
