The American Melanoma Foundation Your Custom Text Here The AMF Mission Raise public awareness and educate on the prevention and risks of melanoma Provide patient education advocacy and facilitate patient support groups Fund research and discovery programs for the treatment of melanoma One American Dies Every Hour From Melanoma. Who we are The American Melanoma Foundation or AMF originally known as the Merlin Foundation was founded in Southern California in 1990 by a group of melanoma patients and their relatives who believed in the importance and evergrowing need for support of specific research for new treatment approaches in melanoma one of the most serious of all cancers. Since inception and through fundraising efforts AMF has supported research for new treatments in melanoma. The AMF expanded to successfully contributing to the general community with education and awareness programs as well as to the patient community through patient support groups a critical need for patients with this disease and the unique issues they are facing.