What Melanoma UK does

Melanoma UK is a UK-registered non-profit charity (Charity Number 1157635) founded in 2016 and headquartered in Manchester (Didsbury), dedicated to melanoma skin cancer awareness, patient support, education, and research funding. The organisation serves melanoma patients across all stages, their families and carers, healthcare professionals, and the UK general public. Its service suite includes the Melanoma Mates peer-support Facebook community, a patient stories platform, comprehensive treatment information resources, ABCDE skin-check educational materials, downloadable leaflets, in-memory tribute pages, and corporate-supporter programmes.

The charity operates without proprietary technology infrastructure; its "products" are content libraries, community spaces, and human-mediated support services rather than software platforms. Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of individual donations, community fundraising events (London Marathon, Yorkshire 3 Peaks, triathlons, cycling events, bungee jumps), a weekly lottery programme, merchandise sales, and corporate partnerships with brands including BAE Systems and Merck. Distribution is UK-domestic across digital channels (website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, email newsletter) and physical event participation via third-party platforms such as runforcharity.com.

The business model is a classic UK small-charity model: lean operating team (1-10 employees), diversified donation and event-based income, and mission-driven rather than commercial KPIs. Strategic positioning emphasises prevention (advocating sun safety and sunbed regulation), early detection (ABCDE skin checking education), and ongoing support through diagnosis and treatment, with policy advocacy as an emerging frontier.

Name

Melanoma UK

Legal name

Melanoma UK

Website

https://melanomauk.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Melanoma UK is a Manchester-based UK charity providing melanoma skin cancer awareness, patient and carer support, educational resources, and research funding through donations, fundraising events, a lottery, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Patient Support and Awareness Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Public Health Financing, Budgeting & Grants Management (HLAJAMAC)

Keywords

• Skin cancer awareness
• Patient support services
• Melanoma research funding
• Cancer charity services
• Health education resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream through individual donations, fundraising campaigns, and event participation. Supports the charity's mission of funding research, awareness, and patient support.
2. Lottery Program: Weekly lottery program offering supporters the opportunity to win prizes while contributing to melanoma research and awareness.
3. Shop and Memorabilia Sales: Sale of merchandise and memorabilia including branded items supporting the charity's mission.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Melanoma UK is a UK charity that raises funds, educates the public on sun safety and skin checking, and supports melanoma patients, families, and carers. Its core offerings include the Melanoma Mates peer support community, patient storytelling, downloadable treatment and skin-check educational resources, a weekly lottery, branded merchandise, in-memory tribute pages, and organised fundraising events (runs, cycles, challenges). Revenue funds melanoma research grants, awareness campaigns such as Melanoma May, and direct patient support services.

Product overview

Melanoma UK operates as a charitable organization providing a coordinated suite of patient support and educational services rather than a traditional product company. Its offerings include community peer support (Melanoma Mates), patient storytelling platforms, comprehensive treatment information resources, skin examination educational tools (ABCDE method), downloadable leaflets and guides, organized fundraising events, a lottery program, and merchandise. The organization functions primarily as an information and support service for melanoma patients, caregivers, and the public, supplemented by fundraising programs and community engagement initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Melanoma UK Lottery A weekly subscription lottery where supporters pay to enter a recurring draw for prizes, with proceeds funding melanoma research and awareness.
• Shop / Memorabilia An online retail storefront selling branded merchandise and memorabilia, with all proceeds supporting Melanoma UK's mission.
• Events & Fundraising Challenges Organised sporting and challenge events (London Marathon, Yorkshire 3 Peaks, triathlons, cycling, bungee jumps, Kiltwalk) that supporters register for and use to raise funds for the charity.
• In-Memory Tribute Pages Online tribute pages that allow supporters to honour and remember loved ones affected by melanoma, paired with a donation collection mechanism for the charity.
• Melanoma Mates Peer Support Community A facilitated peer support community (Facebook group) where melanoma patients, relatives, and carers share experiences and provide mutual emotional support.
• Corporate Supporter Program A corporate partnership program offering companies sponsorship, workplace giving, and awareness collaboration opportunities in support of Melanoma UK.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of melanoma cases estimated preventable through sun safety education
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Watches of SwitzerlandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter of Melanoma UK, contributing to fundraising campaigns and awareness initiatives.
• Vita LiberataminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSun safety brand partner supporting Melanoma UK's awareness and prevention mission.
• TennentsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter contributing to melanoma awareness and fundraising efforts.
• Portal ClinicminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare/clinic partner supporting Melanoma UK's mission.
• Performance CoachingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter helping promote fundraising events and challenges.
• BAE SystemscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor corporate supporter of Melanoma UK, participating in fundraising and awareness initiatives.
• Climbers Against Cancer (CAC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity partner united in the fight against cancer through climbing activities and fundraising.
• Beauty SpottersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeauty industry partner supporting sun safety awareness.
• Busy Bee RecruitmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter engaging in fundraising activities.
• MerckcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPharmaceutical company partner supporting melanoma research and awareness. Merck is actively involved in supporting the melanoma community.
• Joshua RobertminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter of Melanoma UK.
• DusselminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter contributing to fundraising efforts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Research UK: Largest UK cancer charity, funding melanoma research among many other cancer types and providing patient-facing information. Overlaps directly with Melanoma UK's research funding and awareness remit, but at vastly greater scale and a broader cancer portfolio.
• Macmillan Cancer Support: Major UK cancer charity providing patient support, information, and financial assistance, including to melanoma patients. Comparable mission (patient support + fundraising) and nationwide UK reach, but operates across all cancer types rather than focusing on melanoma.
• Teenage Cancer Trust: UK cancer charity providing specialist support, information, and fundraising events for young people with cancer. Comparable patient-support-and-fundraising charity model with event-driven GTM, though focused on age segment rather than disease type.

Direct peers

• British Skin Foundation: UK charity dedicated to skin disease including skin cancer research and awareness. Most directly comparable peer in mission (skin-focused research grants and public education) and is a fellow UK-registered nonprofit funded by donations and community fundraising.
• Skcin (Karen Clifford Skin Cancer Charity): UK charity specifically focused on skin cancer prevention, early detection, and education, including melanoma. Closest mission-overlap peer — both groups run sun-safety campaigns and target general-public awareness in the UK.
• Outrun Cancer: Charity using fitness and sporting events to raise funds for cancer research and support. Strongly overlaps Melanoma UK's event-driven fundraising GTM (runs, triathlons, cycles) and is a fellow UK small cancer charity.
• AIM at Melanoma: International melanoma-focused foundation supporting research, patient services, and awareness. Most direct single-disease melanoma counterpart globally; comparable mission and beneficiary profile to Melanoma UK though based in the US.
• Climbers Against Cancer (CAC): UK charity partner already listed as a Melanoma UK ally ('Mutual' partnership), which raises funds through climbing-based events. Closest aligned peer in event-driven fundraising and the only organization explicitly partnered with Melanoma UK in this dataset.
• Pancreatic Cancer UK: UK charity focused on a single cancer type, combining research funding, patient support, and awareness campaigns. Strong structural and operational analogue to Melanoma UK in operating model and scale, but with a different disease focus.

Regional players

• Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF): US-based leading nonprofit funding melanoma research, education, and advocacy. Closest international analogue by disease (melanoma-only) but serves North America rather than the UK. Useful comp for research-grant scale and program mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/61561407403863
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/melanomauk
• Instagraminstagram.com/melanomauk_official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 UK