COMMENT: Melanoma incidence and death rates remain a serious health issue in New Zealand.

More than a year after he stopped taking a "game-changer" medicine for advanced melanoma, Bob Hill feels so good he is preparing for a half-marathon.

Melanoma patient Leisa Renwick is appalled that New Zealand has developed separate health systems for those who can afford treatments and those who can't.

Stigma of smoking contributes to the poor-relation status of disease.

Leisa Renwick, who has melanoma, tells of how she is raising money to pay for necessary medicine.

Lung cancer patient John Ashton wants to challenge the stigma around the disease, which experts believe contributes to delayed diagnosis.

Lung cancer also occurs in non-smokers who then also suffer the stigma that "they must have brought the cancer on themselves", writes Chris Atkinson.

No charities specifically focus on lung cancer. But that is set to change from today with the launch of the Lung Foundation.

Richard Boughtwood is one of the lucky ones - if anyone with lung cancer can be considered lucky.

Four times as many New Zealanders are killed by bowel cancer every year - 1,200 - than die on our roads, writes Mary Bradley.

Ivan Burrowes has his wife Sue to thank for making him go private for a cancer check when his local public hospital said he would have to wait two years longer than usual.

Adam Kelliher glances at the pictures of his children taped to his work computer screen as he describes how he has struggled against the tumours slowly growing within him.

Adam Kelliher tells of his struggle to survive bowel cancer

COMMENT: New Zealand spends less per capita on healthcare than Australia, and that's not good enough, writes Evangelia Henderson

Emma Crowley was in the shower, shaving her right armpit, when she made the alarming discovery that may have saved her life.

Tracey Eising fears the latest surge of her breast cancer will overcome her, unless a sea of cash can be found to pay for a new medicine.

The number of Kiwis with cancer is rising - as is the number of desperate patients who have resorted to asking strangers to help pay for expensive treatments.

We sit down with Tracey Eising who tells of the breast cancer that has been with her for nine years and how without state funding she can’t afford the one remaining medicines that could help her once her current drugs fail.

Tom McGrath talks about being diagnosed with prostate cancer.