Melanoma Research Foundation

Open Source Development Brings Power to Non-Profits

As the leader in supporting research for the cure to Melanoma, the Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) needed to quickly expand their Web presence to both raise their awareness and more fully engage patients, caregivers and researchers with information and resources about this serious disease. To meet this challenge, MRF needed a new website that allowed it to expand its offerings, respond quicker to audience needs and keep up with rapidly changing research and treatments for melanoma.

After a lengthy search of possible digital partners, MRF chose Strategic Domain to create a new, easily updatable portal. Strategic Domain was selected based on its ability to bring a strategic vision to the project as well as our extensive Web development experience.

Strategic Domain determined a new approach was needed to serve all the audiences and provide access to complex, sensitive cancer treatment information. Additionally, new community functionality needed to be integrated into the MRF website to allow for a growing base of patients and caregivers to exchange information and share opinions about treatment options. At the same time, we had to create an easy way for MRF to manage and update content on a daily basis with a work flow process that would allow multiple editors and contributors to work together.

To connect the audiences with the content and functionality, a unified Web platform with a database-driven content management system was developed. Additionally, a new ecommerce engine and marketplace was deployed to allow MRF to better solicit donations and provide access to events and programs driven by local community efforts.

The end result is a new Melanoma.org website that’s generating increased donations, improving its educational outreach and providing a strong, growing support community for people facing this daunting disease. Importantly, MRF is rapidly increasing its membership as audiences are finding new ways, using the website, to engage in community activities and fund raising events for this serious disease.