What Melanoma Patients Australia does

Melanoma Patients Australia (MPA) is an independent, national Australian not-for-profit charitable organization founded on 6 July 2006 by two melanoma patients, Daniel Belcher and the late Brent Grace, and launched by the former Governor-General, Dame Quentin Bryce. Its core function is delivering free, nurse-led support services to Australians affected by melanoma across the entire patient journey — from diagnosis through treatment to survivorship — addressing an addressable population of roughly 15,000 newly diagnosed Australians each year.

MPA's service suite includes a national Melanoma Support Line (1300 884 450), a Melanoma Nurse Telehealth Service delivered via phone and Zoom video, Melanoma Nurse Counselling, and peer support groups operating across ACT, NSW, QLD, and WA plus virtual and Facebook-based communities. The organization complements direct services with the Wellness Hub (covering health monitoring, nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, and financial wellbeing), a Rural Support Hub for regional/remote patients, downloadable patient guides, and an annual Melanoma Community Webinar Series co-produced with Melanoma Institute Australia. All services are provided free of charge. MPA employs approximately 10 staff supported by 13 trained peer-support volunteers, with a Medical Advisory Committee that includes world-leading melanoma clinicians (Professors Georgina Long AO, Grant McArthur AO, Mark Smithers, and Peter Soyer).

The organization is funded through donations, community fundraising, corporate partnerships (including Eau Thermale Avène at Chemist Warehouse and Dry July beneficiary status), and government grants — notably a fixed-term contract under the Australian Cancer Nursing & Navigation Program running through 30 June 2027. It is governed by a voluntary Board and led by CEO Shannon Anderson (joined early 2025). Strategic partners include Melanoma Institute Australia, Cancer Australia, the Cancer Nurses Society of Australia, and Dry July. Financial details are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Melanoma Patients Australia

Legal name

Melanoma Patients Australia

Website

https://melanomapatients.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Melanoma Patients Australia is a national Australian not-for-profit founded in 2006 that provides free, nurse-led telehealth support, counselling, and peer support groups to melanoma patients, families, and carers across Australia, funded by donations, corporate partnerships, and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-Profit Patient Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Oncology Telemedicine Platforms (HLALAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Home Health Clinical Care Coordination & Case Management (HSABACAO)

Keywords

• Patient support services
• Melanoma telehealth nursing
• Cancer counseling support
• Peer support groups
• Patient education resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Gold Coast

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Funded through donations, fundraising activities, and partnership contributions. Dry July beneficiary. Community fundraisers.
2. Government Grants: Fixed-term contract position funded under the Australian Cancer Nursing & Navigation Program until 30 June 2027.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Melanoma Patients Australia is a national not-for-profit that delivers free, nurse-led support services to Australians affected by melanoma. Its core offering is a National Melanoma Support Line, a Melanoma Nurse Telehealth Service (phone and Zoom), and Melanoma Nurse Counselling, complemented by in-person, online, and telephone support groups. All services are provided at no cost to patients, families, and carers nationwide.

Product overview

Melanoma Patients Australia provides a unified suite of nurse-led support services for Australians affected by melanoma. The core offering includes a National Melanoma Support Line, Melanoma Nurse Telehealth Service (phone and video consultations), and Melanoma Nurse Counselling. These connect to support groups, peer-to-peer programs, and the Wellness Hub providing resources on health monitoring, nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, and financial wellbeing. The organization also delivers educational programs including the Melanoma Community Webinars (in partnership with Melanoma Institute Australia), patient guides, and the Rural Support Hub for remote patients. All services are provided free of charge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Melanoma Support Line A national confidential support line (1300 884 450) available Monday to Friday during business hours, providing guidance from trained support staff to melanoma patients and their families across Australia.
• Melanoma Nurse Telehealth Service Free personalised telehealth nurse support delivered via phone or video (Zoom), connecting patients to MPA's support services and providing evidence-based information about melanoma and its treatment.
• Melanoma Nurse Counselling Free confidential emotional support delivered by phone or video call by specialist melanoma nurse counsellors, available to patients, family members, and carers affected by melanoma.
• Support Groups Peer-to-peer support programs including in-person groups across ACT, NSW, QLD, and WA, as well as digital, Facebook, and telephone support groups for melanoma patients across Australia.
• Wellness Hub Free online portal providing information, guidance, and resources on health check-ups, building resilience, nutrition, exercise, mindfulness and relaxation, and financial wellbeing for melanoma patients and their families.
• Rural Support Hub Dedicated support resources for melanoma patients in regional and remote areas of Australia, addressing the unique challenges of accessing specialist care outside metropolitan centres.
• MPA Resources (Patient Guides) Downloadable patient guides covering melanoma diagnosis, treatment, appointment preparation, survivorship care, and information on wide local excision, made available free of charge via the MPA website.
• Melanoma Community Webinars
• Melanoma Myths Education

Quantifiable outcome

• Free support services available to all Australians affected by melanoma nationwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual joint webinar series - 'MPA/MIA Community Webinar Series' featuring expert melanoma clinicians. Collaborates on patient education and community events.
• Eau Thermale AvèneflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerRaised over $52,000 by donating $1 from every Sunsitive sunscreen sold at Chemist Warehouse, funding vital education resources for melanoma patients and the wider community.
• Cancer AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partnership to increase access and provision of specialist support services for Australians impacted by melanoma.
• Dry JulycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial beneficiary organization - funds raised support vital education programs for melanoma patients beyond diagnosis.
• Cancer Nurses Society of Australia (CNSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPA nursing team presented five initiatives at CNSA Annual Conference showcasing specialist melanoma care, telehealth support, and counselling services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lung Foundation Australia: National lung disease nonprofit providing telehealth, nurse-led support, support groups, and patient education. Directly comparable model; MPA's National Manager Specialist Support Programs was previously at Lung Foundation Australia, evidencing sector overlap.
• Bowel Cancer Australia: National disease-specific cancer charity providing nurse-led support, telehealth, peer groups, and patient education. Comparable in size, structure, and focus on a single cancer type with national service delivery.
• Cancer Council Australia: Australia's peak national cancer control nonprofit, offering cancer-specific support lines, information, and patient resources across multiple cancer types. Most directly comparable in mission, national scope, and free-to-patient service model; MPA's National Manager Innovation was previously Director of Nursing at Cancer Council.
• Rare Cancers Australia: Australian nonprofit supporting patients with rare and less common cancers through advocacy, navigation, and patient support programs. Comparable in patient-navigation focus, telehealth-style support, and reliance on community/corporate fundraising.
• McGrath Foundation: Australian nonprofit funding and placing breast care nurses in communities, plus a 24/7 support line and patient resources. Closest functional peer: disease-specific nonprofit with nurse-led support, national fundraising, and corporate partnership model comparable to MPA.
• Leukaemia Foundation: Australian blood cancer nonprofit offering free counselling, support groups, telehealth, education, and accommodation services. Directly comparable in nurse-led telehealth, free-to-patient model, and reliance on donations and corporate partnerships.
• Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia: Australia's peak national body for prostate cancer with national support lines, specialist nurses, peer support networks, and community fundraising. Highly comparable in scope, fundraising model, and patient support infrastructure.
• Ovarian Cancer Australia: National ovarian cancer support organization offering specialist nurses, telehealth support, counselling, and peer communities. Smaller-scope analogue with an identical nurse-led telehealth model and disease-specific positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Melanoma Institute Australia: Australia's leading melanoma treatment, research, and education body; not a peer in patient support per se but the core clinical partner of MPA and a benchmark for melanoma-specific organisational scale. Directly relevant for understanding the broader melanoma ecosystem MPA operates within.
• Cancer Australia: Australian Government cancer control agency and a core strategic partner of MPA. While not a direct operational peer, its national specialist support partnership with MPA makes it a critical comparable for understanding the public-sector funding landscape around cancer support services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/534671946739678
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/melanoma-patients-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Melanoma Patients Australia